Hi there!  Well, unfortunately I couldn't attend the AMICA Convention.
It sounds like it was a successful event.  However, I'm going to try
very hard to attend the rally in Leavenworth, Washington, from 15th
through 17th August 2008.

Carl Dodrill wrote in 080622:

> The festival is sponsored by the Pacific Can-AM chapter of AMICA
> and the COAA.  Social events are part of the weekend to meet other
> enthusiasts.  Come, bring an instrument if you can, and enjoy!
> There is no registration fee for this event.

I should have been reading this carefully and with lots of scepsis.
The wording "sponsored by" is, in my opinion, a bit misleading.  The
key for an eyebrow-raising should have been the last sentence about the
(lack of a) registration fee...

Being from Europe and not having attended _any_ rally in America at
all so far, I approached this with the same expectations as for (most!)
European rallies; but I should have known better.

I suppose the organisational part as well as (I'm guessing) the social
events are indeed "sponsored", however neither travel expenses nor the
local boarding as well as any other meals aside the social events are
covered for.  This is surprising, as the local Chamber of Commerce
should easily be won over to carry these expenses in exchange for the
benefit of having a major tourist-attracting event take place in their
district.

Reading it over I'm shocked at even the hint of the idea that one
might have to _pay_ a registration fee for a similar event elsewhere.
Is it really so bad that one would need to feel delighted to be able to
buy oneself into the honor of being allowed to play, rather than being
the one lured to participate by the prospects of compensation?

Enough of my ramblings.  To each their own, and it goes to show "other
cultures, other traditions" stands true again.

For those MMD'ers interested in meeting me in person this will be an
opportunity within the boundaries of the USA.  I'm going to bring along
my Stueber and Ariston as well as my own arrangements to listen to,
and if my delivery comes through in time I even might have a few select
CDs to offer as well.

Musically,
I. Krause
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany

 [ My 7 kg dictionary of 1927 says about sponsor: "One who binds
 [ himself to answer for another's default; a surety."
 [
 [ The sponsor guarantees to meet the costs of the event without
 [ expectation of direct income.  -- Robbie