Member gatherings on site - - - bring money

[phavriluk]

A group of homebuilders I belong to has outgrown using a Camp Scholler campsite as a venue for a cookout one evening during the convention. Fellow who organizes out cookout approached EAA management to try to locate a place where the group could gather outdoors and share their evening together. Nothing was offered, I inferred, unless we wanted to pay what sounds to me like exhibitor rates. So members, the folks for whom the convention exists and is organized, says management, are foreclosed from doing their group bonding/storytelling unless they pony up? It's a mite disillusioning. Lots of puffing from the castle about how important the members are. Really?

[gbrasch]

An RV guy used to do that a few years back. It got really big, he was putting out a lot of his own money even though people would donate to the cause. It ended when it looked like he was going to have to rent more than the 4 spaces he had rented in prior years. Really a shame since there is so much open space despite the crowds. Maybe you could announce ahead of time to your group a location that you are pretty sure will be open, like out by the ultralight emergency landing strip.

[rwanttaja]

An RV guy used to do that a few years back. It got really big, he was putting out a lot of his own money even though people would donate to the cause. It ended when it looked like he was going to have to rent more than the 4 spaces he had rented in prior years. Really a shame since there is so much open space despite the crowds. Maybe you could announce ahead of time to your group a location that you are pretty sure will be open, like out by the ultralight emergency landing strip.

I don't think there's any EAA rules against the OP and his buddies meeting anywhere on the grounds to chew the fat. Shouldn't need to reserve an area for that... I used to meet buddies based on "Get together at X o'clock on the south side of the tower."

The problem is, he wants a cookout...with all the dry grass in the area (most years), the EAA has justifiable restrictions on use of open flame. Best bet would be for him and his friends to reserve adjacent camping spots so they have a good, large area.

Sure, a separate spot would be better. Don't forget, though, the fly-in isn't about his one guy and a couple of dozen friends. There are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of other folks camping out there. Say he finds a nice spot, say he's able to set up and run his cookout there. But thousands of other people will see him, and say, "Hmmmmmm....."

Next year, he and his friends show up again...only to find one of THOSE guys is using the spot with HIS friends. Every night. There are probably far fewer good group-cookout spots than there are groups wanting to use them.

The car-parking lots are more open in the evenings, seems like a tailgate party might be do-able. However, we get to that pesky dry grass issue again. A bit of loose sparks or coal, and you've got a grass fire...probably moving past the fence into the aircraft parking area. That almost happened at SnF about fifteen years back...big grass fire on adjacent grounds, fire department stopped it from spreading onto the fly-in area.

And do you think the people that lose airplanes are going to sue the tailgaters? Nope...they'll sue EAA.

If the OP just told his buddies a public area where to meet, and showed up with cold cuts, pre-cooked food, chips, and soft drinks, I expect no one at EAA would bat an eyebrow.

Ron Wanttaja

[TedK]

SOS Brothers Beer Venture area. Let them do the cooking...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/EAA-SOS-Bros-Tent/122035551174943?v=info

[Joe Delene]

I think I remember that 'Brother's Beer Tent' when I walked by last year. It was earlier and it hadn't ramped up yet.

[FlyingRon]

It's the one with the big weather balloon over it that's says BEER.

One year, we were driving back from the city on the highway and my wife goes "Look at the harvest moon over there." I turn to look and say "That's not the harvest moon, it's the balloon over the beer tent."

[RC Gregg]

Yeah, it was pretty funny one year I was at the fly in theater, and this giant smiley face peeks over the top of the trees in back of the screen. One of those little things that makes Airventure so fun and memorable. I'd rather go here than Disney.

[rleffler]

It's tough., but doable.......

As Glen mentioned, the RV community has had multiple attempts. There were several years out in the back of Camp Scholler. Unfortunately, with the number of RV'ers that showed up, it quickly grew in size and the logistics became problematic. It went from a simple informal get together to quite a bit of work to pull off.

Then it moved to the SOS tent one year. The EAA was willing to provide a location, but there were restrictions due to the contracts with the catering company. So the event was moved off site at the last minute.

Now it's in the backyard of a locally rented house. Capacity issues are still a concern, but plenty of beer and friendly RV'ers are present.

There are still many smaller, individual model events. For example, the RV-10 builders get together for a dinner at Camp Scholler every year. The facilitators usually rent some extra sites to accommodate the crowds. I'm aware of similar activities for the other models.

I know of a long time Cherokee cookout in the N40 and the sponsor now has a RV-8, but still has the event every year.

You just have to be creative and persistent. It can be done.

[Chris In Marshfield]

I know the feeling. For the past several years, I've hosted the Bearhawk BBQ at Camp Scholler. My camping buddies and I have a pretty good sized "compound", but last year we had over 110 peeps show up for the event. That's a bit overwhelming for even a modest-sized camp site. Our illustrious organizer has found us an off-site location that should (hopefully) accommodate our ever-growing clan. Somewhere near the ultralight campground. Let's hope it works out!

~Chris

[phavriluk]

Chris, that's exactly what I was referring to without mentioning the group by name. The gathering wasn't mine to organize, so I commented in the abstract. Didn't realize that the head count was 110. Sure was fun. Lots bigger than the first few years. Good company, good conversation. I hope that the folks in the castle can come to understand that they don't need to organize everything, that providing a place is a great contribution to the membership. Too bad caterers get more of an audience than the members. Zack, can you please pass this up the line?