Monday! Monday! Monday!

Last year's amazing turn out - both with sellers and with buyers - created one of the most amazing flea markets in years! But the massive crowds interested in checking out the flea market showed us we need to make some changes and move the event to larger facilities.

Unfortunately, since we host over 600 different events over the course of the weekend, there are no spaces large enough to accommodate the large crowds of the flea market... until Monday morning.

To this end we have given over the open gaming/CCG area (the lovely large area sharing the room with the dealer's room) over for this year's flea market for Monday.

These spacious digs will ensure plenty of buyers, many sellers, and tons of games to choose from!

We encourage you to make your weekend plans such that you can enjoy this new format.

Now for the details:

There is no charge to shop for items, but you MUST have a convention attendees wrist band on to get in. NO EXCEPTIONS!

If you wish to display your wares and sell stuff, you'll need to purchase space. You can purchase a space for $5.00 with a convention preregistration through the Web site or for $10.00 onsite.

It's first come first served for the spaces. We are trying to have tables for all spaces. Sellers can set up 45 mins before Flea Market opens. NO SALES UNTIL 9AM

Comments from the Producers

First, the producers of KublaCon thank our attendees for their passion and commitment to helping make KublaCon the incredible success that it is.

We’ve heard from some of you about your concerns, questions, and... dissatisfaction... with our plans for a Monday-only Flea Market. While both Jon Caudill (MINS Coordinator) and Jeff Wilcox (Special Events), have posted responses - and explanations - for what was a very difficult decision, we producers of KublaCon are providing additional perspective behind the decisions. (Jon and Jeff’s comments are below.)

For those of you who know Anthony and me, you know we love gaming. And we love bringing a great gaming experience to our attendees. Both of us also attended Pacificon “back in the day.”

When we make our way through the thousands of decisions that lead up to the opening moments of KublaCon, we always ask ourselves, “Where’s the fun?” Our goal, our bottom line, is fun.

Of course, “fun” can mean different things to different people... and certainly, for this message’s audience, “fun” means the flea market.

But, as producers, we also have to ask even more questions.

There’s a Native American ritual in which the elders, in the middle of the ritual, stop. They all turn to each other, and they ask the question, “How are we doing?” Rather than charging headlong into their process merely because they had started it, they pause to assess.

We have had to pause to assess. On so many levels, the flea market, as it was going, was a disaster waiting to happen.

Please consider this: The Burlingame Fire Marshall had been on-site no less than three times over the course of KublaCon 2004. Had she walked into the fabric-draped tent, packed with people beyond its capacity, unable to move easily on Saturday afternoon, one or all of the following things would have happened:

1) She would have immediately shut down the flea market (no surprise there.)

2) She could have fined us... possibly to the tune of thousands of dollars.

3) She might have shut down the ENTIRE event. (Unlikely, as we had no prior violations... but possible.)


Again, the ramifications of these, from a producers perspective are enormous. I really don’t believe that anyone reading this, who had just invested the better part of eleven months preparing for an event, would want to risk - in any way - the possibility of bringing the entire affair to a grinding halt. Furthermore, a violation of this sort could affect our ability to get liability insurance. Simply said, no insurance, no event. For anyone.

As we considered our options, we continued to ask the question, “Where’s the fun?”

As I’ve heard from many of you... there are alternative scenarios that you may feel are better. Outdoor flea market, ongoing flea market room, and “don’t change the damn thing” flea market. All these scenarios have their pros and cons. And all of them have “fun” somewhere in the equation.

But in the end... we decided to move it to Monday morning, when nearly 9,000 square feet of space becomes available to us. This decision required a team effort, with various event coordinators all agreeing to find alternate space for their Monday events.

A Monday morning event addresses our safety and space issues in the best way possible. There will be plenty of aisle space for vendors, and buyers, to push their game-laden handcarts. There will be ample space for vendors to get in early and set up. And quadruple door access into the hall will eliminate long lines of waiting to get in.

And for those who are “certain” there is NO FUN in this Monday scenario, let us at least list a few reasons for you to re-consider:

1) For five years we have pushed Monday events to our staff and to the public. And we have been successful. Many of our scheduled events on Monday are well attended... and we schedule more events on Monday than any other local game convention. We have always touted the fact that KublaCon is a FOUR day convention... and people have responded by staying longer.

2) Because of the depth and breadth of our event offerings... our Sunday night room pickup is nearly 80% of Friday night’s. In producer-speak, this “rocks.” That’s a LOT of rooms for Sunday night. These people will check out Monday morning... and if they know there’s going to be a flea market... THE flea market... they will schedule their exit plans around attending it.

3) In my conversations with several people who SELL at the flea market, there was agreement that the BEST selling... and buying... happen in the first TWO hours of the event. This doesn’t happen because it’s the first two hours of the event on “Saturday,” it happens because it’s the first two hours of the event... period. The reason past Sunday and Monday flea markets are generally less attended is because all the good stuff is gone. So, if all the “good stuff” hasn’t been sold on our space-challenged Saturday or Sunday, buyers will plan their weekends around attending the flea market Monday morning.

4) We know many sellers turn right around and spend their money in the dealer’s room. For this reason, we’re keeping the dealer’s room open after the flea market is closed.

5) We've arranged with the hotel for a late checkout for our Flea market vendors. Just inform them that you're vending on Monday... and you'll be able to check out at 1pm instead of 12pm.

We are not blind to the disruption - and change - that many of you may experience... particularly for those who have sold in the flea market in prior years.

And realistically, we expect that the Monday flea market for 2005 will fall short of the attendance for Saturday 2004.

But we do feel that a Monday flea market has a solid chance for success.

Between this message, Jon Caudill’s and Jeff Wilcox’ explanations, our hope is that you at least understand this decision was not taken lightly.

And our highest hope is that - at least some of you - will accept the challenge to change, and help make our Monday event successful by attending as a vendor or buyer.

Our commitment to help Monday succeed comes as a personal commitment to anyone who sells in the flea market:

We will print up to 50 full-color flyers for you to distribute over the course of the weekend - touting your presence in the Monday flea market - and outlining the things you plan to sell.

We’ll help you tell all your friends, “Come Monday morning and get first crack at all these great games I’m selling in the flea market.” Simply e-mail Japji a one-page PDF with your flyer by May 1st, and we’ll make sure it gets printed.

Again, thank you for your support of KublaCon.

Japji Khalsa
Executive Producer, KublaCon
japji@kublacon.com

Anthony Gallela
Producer, KublaCon
anthony@kublacon.com

Jon Caudill's comments on the flea market change.

OK folks. The decision to move the Flea Market to a Monday only event was made after a lot of discussion and debate amongst the Kublacon staff. We are fully aware this change will not be poplular with some people, but we do think it is the correct move and can only test it by doing it.

We realize this may affect peoples attendance, perhaps even causing some to choose not to attend. Our goal is not to drive anyone away, but also to make the convention a fluid event that offers opportunities for everyone to participate in all events. That said, this move may make it difficult or impossible for some to partake in the Flea Market and to those, we can only offer our apologies.

Roger asked why and said he didn’t want to hear it was because of space issues, but frankly that was one, but not the only, of the problems. Other factors leading to the change are logistics, fluidity, crowds and lines.

Space at Kublacon is an issue for all events, not just the Flea Market. Moving the Flea Market to Monday helps relive scheduling and space issues for several other events. Two years ago we tried holding the Flea Market in the open gaming area in the main ballroom.  This forced us to close the opening gaming for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday and also caused long lines through the foyer and into the hotel lobby. We recieved many complaints about this from both our attendees and the hotel.

Last year we held the Flea Market in the tent. This put a lot of pressure on the tournament events held there to finish early, pack up and be out. Our voluteers were spread very thin and worked very hard to break down and rearrange tables and chairs from the gaming configuration to the Flea Market configuration.  During this transition, a long line began to form outside the tent and allthough this was not very disruptive to the con, we still recieved complaints.  Fortunately the weather cooperated, but who knows what each year will provide.

After the Flea Market closed, once again our volunteers busted their behinds to rapidly change the configuration from Flea Market to the evening events.  Our volunteers were back bright and early at 7:00 am Sunday morning to reset the area once again for the tournament events held there. Sunday afternoon: well just start reading the paragraph above once again.

We asked a wide range of attendees last year about making this change. Many were opposed to it, some even stating they would not return to Kublacon. But most people were supportive and understood. A surprising amount were even excited about the change.

Who knows what the Kublacon 2006 Flea Market will look like. As for Kublacon 2005, the Flea Market will be on Monday only. It will be held in the open gaming area starting at 9:00 in the morning. The open gaming area will still be in operation as will the adjoining dealers room. Yes all will be open and running at the same time.

Our hope is this change will increase the Kublacon experience for the majority of people. Most attendees will likely not even notice the change but will benefit by a smoother run con. For those of us that live and die for the Flea Market, the change may be painful. To those people, we do apologize.

Jon Caudill
Historical Miniatures Coordinator

Jeff Wilcox's comments on the flea market.

This is Jeff Wilcox, Special Events Coordinator for KublaCon.

First - let me apologize for this rather long-winded post. I felt a
little background was needed to really answer concerns about the flea market.

I love flea markets at conventions. I used to go to PacifiCon for their
event and I have always wanted to have that sort of flea market at
KublaCon.

Towards that end I think we have been successful. KublaCon's flea
market has been growing every year - getting larger both in terms of
sellers and buyers. Last year was the largest. We had 45+ sellers and
many (many) hundred buyers.

We also had the many complaints. We also had people waiting in line to
get in for 30 minutes. And we had too many people in the buying area ˆ
creating a scary (at times) situation. (This was the reason the line
was halted at the door and new people were let in only after others had
left.) And more. We (KublaCon) were lucky the event went off with few
major issues.

But KublaCon is pushing 2,500+ attendees this year - a full twice the
size of the old PacifiCon. We could draw 600-900 to a flea market. And
the space we have can hold, safely, maybe 300 at a time.

I love our flea market. It is something I have worked towards for
years. But now it is too big.

>From a convention organizer point of view - there is a reason GenCon
does not have a flea market... there is no place they can hold 8,000
buyers for 2-4 hours. It just isn't feasible. They hold an auction
instead.

KublaCon is having the same issue. A flea market is a small/regional
convention event. Once a convention gets past 2,000 attendees it gets
harder and harder to have. KublaCon is at that point.

Our choice was to end the flea market or hold it on a day when we still
have space. We love the flea market so much we opted to do the later.
(Plus Monday's flea market last year was a delightful, modest success.)

It is our hope that sellers will join us and buyers will hunt for great
stuff and the Monday flea market will grow.

And I hope you will join us as well.

Best regards,

Jeff Wilcox
Speical Events Coordinator
KublaCon

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