NHC 2012 SEATTLE - Almost Sold out after 24 hrs | SOLD OUT

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Blame Bigfoot!
AHA Conference filling up at record pace—register now

We knew that people were excited about this year's National Homebrewers Conference, but no one expected registration to fill up so quickly. The conference is nearly sold out. If you're planning on joining us in Seattle, we suggest you register as soon as possible. You'll need to login with your existing user account or create a new account to register for the conference. Thanks for your support, and we can't wait to see you in June!

http://www.ahaconference.org/news/do-you-believe/
 
Yes, Philly.
It's getting to the point where they could start to raise prices and/or make the registration earlier. It's a sellers market, so you'll have to be ready to buy within hours.
 
What they need to do is sell their tickets as a per day event. Or even package things per day with all events of the day being price A and a daily price for just social and no seminars price B. Each day would be a different price based on the nights events they offered. I think if they did it that way they realistically could charge more, or tailor things to the people going to the event. The downside is it could be a ticketing headache.

On a side note if you get there the weekend before (fathers day weekend) I believe the Washington Brewers Festival will be taking place in Kenmore again. Great fest if you want to take in the local commercial brew scene.
 
For future years they should offer tickets to former attendees first, then after a few days open up the flood gates after that. It'd be sad if next year half of us don't get to go because we clicked too slow to register the day they started selling tickets online. It worries me.
 
Soperbrew said:
For future years they should offer tickets to former attendees first, then after a few days open up the flood gates after that. It'd be sad if next year half of us don't get to go because we clicked too slow to register the day they started selling tickets online. It worries me.
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I disagree. So the people who just missed it this year would have little to no chance next year? Seems unfair.. How about open it up to former attendees plus former wait listers? That way, if you missed it this year but put your name on the wait list you could have first crack at it next year.

Or better yet... hold it in a larger convention center so that we can accommodate more people.
 
Is there any other way to get tickets? Will any more open up, or will people be selling the ones they don't use? I had no idea it would go so quick and it's in my back yard this year.
 
I was all set to go, until they announced the dates. They just had to schedule it to coincide with my wife's birthday on the 22nd.

I will consider Philly next year...we have corporate offices in that area so I could potentially piggy-back it onto a business trip.
 
weirdboy said:
I was all set to go, until they announced the dates. They just had to schedule it to coincide with my wife's birthday on the 22nd.

I will consider Philly next year...we have corporate offices in that area so I could potentially piggy-back it onto a business trip.
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It looks likely to fall on the same weekend in 2013, I'd imagine.
 
olllllo said:
It's a sellers market, so you'll have to be ready to buy within hours.
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Meh, if it's turning into such a hipster event that you have to drop everything to buy tickets for an event that 4+ months down the road that's gonna cost $1500 when all is said and done, I'll pass...
 
AZ_IPA said:
Meh, if it's turning into such a hipster event that you have to drop everything to buy tickets for an event that 4+ months down the road that's gonna cost $1500 when all is said and done, I'll pass...
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Invisible hand. That frees up 1 ticket in 2013.
 
Got my tickets an hour after they went on sale. This will be my first NHC. Can't wait. FYI, the hotel is already booked up though at the discounted rate. I went with the discounted rate at the overflow hotel (Westin) which is supposedly connected via skybridge.
 
Pretty much an OT post...

I'm in Seattle tonight (2/6), where can I go for a beer and decent grub? My hotel is near the Space Needle. Something within a 10-15 min drive would be great.

thanks muchly



EDIT: Disregard this. I just remembered one of our members has a brewery here. Naked City, here I come!
 
See, I think traveling far from home is the IDEAL NHC to attend. You already know the local beer scene and this is a chance to see what's out there with the town buzzing with people who really like craft beer. It's similar to going to GABF in that way, but way more geeked out.
 
Spring_Chicken said:
Is there any other way to get tickets? Will any more open up, or will people be selling the ones they don't use? I had no idea it would go so quick and it's in my back yard this year.
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There's a waiting list you can sign up for on the conference website. The AHA expects quite a few will probably drop out but they probably won't be able to accommodate everyone.

They didn't expect this much growth, the hotels have to be booked far in advance and this one was locked in around the time of the Minneapolis conference and has 20% more capacity than that conference.

Bobby_M said:
I think people get excited about it and buy up tickets even if they aren't sure they can go. What is the cancellation policy on the event?
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They have until March 31 to get a refund.
 
blizzard said:
I was planning to go, but was really disappointed it was actually in Bellevue and not Seattle. Poor choice, IMO.
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Meh, it's not like there's much time to really go anywhere. You're pretty much busy the whole time except for very short meal breaks.
 
blizzard said:
I was planning to go, but was really disappointed it was actually in Bellevue and not Seattle. Poor choice, IMO.
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The NHC takes bids for the conference center and the hotel. They are looking for a good price on the conference center, and also a reasonable hotel rate for attending members. Bellevue obviously beat out the Seattle convention center.

I wouldn't sweat it too much. There has been much discussion among the larger local beer clubs here and WAHA (Washington Homebrewers Association) We will make sure there are events planned in Seattle and elsewhere that are documented, mapped, and will likely have transportation to.

As to the tickets going so quickly, that is just a symptom of the growing popularity, as well as the hotbed of homebrewers in the Portland and Seattle area. It is a shame, as I'd love everyone to attend who wants to, but look on the bright side. At least ticket master isn't running it!
 
SPLASTiK said:
Meh, it's not like there's much time to really go anywhere. You're pretty much busy the whole time except for very short meal breaks.
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Zen_Brew said:
The NHC takes bids for the conference center and the hotel. They are looking for a good price on the conference center, and also a reasonable hotel rate for attending members. Bellevue obviously beat out the Seattle convention center.

I wouldn't sweat it too much. There has been much discussion among the larger local beer clubs here and WAHA (Washington Homebrewers Association) We will make sure there are events planned in Seattle and elsewhere that are documented, mapped, and will likely have transportation to.

As to the tickets going so quickly, that is just a symptom of the growing popularity, as well as the hotbed of homebrewers in the Portland and Seattle area. It is a shame, as I'd love everyone to attend who wants to, but look on the bright side. At least ticket master isn't running it!
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I understand that it's a busy event and the AHA wants to do it for a reasonable price. But, if the location doesn't matter, they could have it in BFE rather than a major city, and save a ton of cash. If location (and the beer scene) really doesn't matter, then why bother with Seattle, or San Diego, or any place that people would want to actually visit? Bellevue is a nice enough place and they are aggressively building and marketing themselves where they can, but it isn't the beer Mecca that Seattle is. And combining an event that involves drinking with a drive across the lake doesn't seem too smart. But mostly, I'm just disappointed to hear the conference would be in Seattle and then find out it isn't.

Having said that, thanks to WAHA for getting some events in place. Hopefully people can enjoy the East Side and Seattle.
 
SPLASTiK said:
There's a waiting list you can sign up for on the conference website. The AHA expects quite a few will probably drop out but they probably won't be able to accommodate everyone.

They didn't expect this much growth, the hotels have to be booked far in advance and this one was locked in around the time of the Minneapolis conference and has 20% more capacity than that conference.



They have until March 31 to get a refund.
Click to expand...

For Oakland I had to cancel well after the last date for a refund. There were still people on the waiting list and I still got a refund.

So my guess is that despite the published policy, there will be full refunds as long as there is a waiting list.
 
blizzard said:
I understand that it's a busy event and the AHA wants to do it for a reasonable price. But, if the location doesn't matter, they could have it in BFE rather than a major city, and save a ton of cash. If location (and the beer scene) really doesn't matter, then why bother with Seattle, or San Diego, or any place that people would want to actually visit? Bellevue is a nice enough place and they are aggressively building and marketing themselves where they can, but it isn't the beer Mecca that Seattle is. And combining an event that involves drinking with a drive across the lake doesn't seem too smart. But mostly, I'm just disappointed to hear the conference would be in Seattle and then find out it isn't.

Having said that, thanks to WAHA for getting some events in place. Hopefully people can enjoy the East Side and Seattle.
Click to expand...

Because no one in BFE puts together a conference bid. I'm guessing that it takes about 150 volunteers to put on the conference and 25 full-time dedicated people working throughout the year. I'm giving up about two evenings a week running my club, I can't even imagine the legwork for a conference.
 
blizzard said:
I understand that it's a busy event and the AHA wants to do it for a reasonable price. But, if the location doesn't matter, they could have it in BFE rather than a major city, and save a ton of cash.

If location (and the beer scene) really doesn't matter, then why bother with Seattle, or San Diego, or any place that people would want to actually visit?
Click to expand...
Ton of cash saved on expenses for the AHA... but will people be able to make it out to BFE? It's only been the past few of these that they've actually begun to break even through explosive membership growth. The AHA tries to strike a balance between affordability and ease to get there since a majority are from out of town. And does BFE have a club that could even put the event on? That's a major undertaking... There's events with similar amounts of people attending at the convention center downtown that cost 2-3x the full conference package and discounted hotel rates are $100 more per night on top of it.

I don't really think the locations/beer scene matters much though. The event is more about showcasing homebrewing than it is craft beer and you get your fix of tasting beer from the region at Pro-Brewers Night. It's more about the club being able to handle such a large event and they generally just happen to be near a major city with a good beer scene because if there's a good beer scene there's typically a thriving homebrew scene that can pull it off.

I don't know, I understand wanting to explore the city but the only time you really have to explore the city, assuming you're there to do the conference stuff like most people (attend the presentations and the events each night), are events before and after the conference.

If you think Bellevue is bad... look at where [ame=http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Sheraton+Bloomington+Hotel&ll=44.862941,-93.352225&spn=0.010631,0.026157&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Sheraton+Bloomington+Hotel&hnear=Sheraton+Bloomington+Hotel&cid=0,0,9842710101815403398&t=m&z=16]Minneapolis was held[/ame]. At least in Bellevue I'll be able to grab a decent lunch and not have to resort to Subway or TGI Fridays.
 
blizzard said:
I understand that it's a busy event and the AHA wants to do it for a reasonable price. But, if the location doesn't matter, they could have it in BFE rather than a major city, and save a ton of cash. If location (and the beer scene) really doesn't matter, then why bother with Seattle, or San Diego, or any place that people would want to actually visit? Bellevue is a nice enough place and they are aggressively building and marketing themselves where they can, but it isn't the beer Mecca that Seattle is. And combining an event that involves drinking with a drive across the lake doesn't seem too smart. But mostly, I'm just disappointed to hear the conference would be in Seattle and then find out it isn't.

Having said that, thanks to WAHA for getting some events in place. Hopefully people can enjoy the East Side and Seattle.
Click to expand...


Did you go to the one last year in San Diego? It wasn't in San Diego per se, either. But there were plenty of opportunities throughout the conference to head downtown and get your beer geek fix. With bus service provided, I should add.

Seattle is no less inaccessible from Bellvue as the strip in San Diego was at last year's conference. It is a friggin' 15 minute bus ride.
 

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