Posting on behalf of HP Education Fanon

[heidi]

Pimping this for the HPEF Board:

HP Education Fanon, Inc. (HPEF), the organization behind Nimbus - 2003, The Witching Hour and Lumos, is currently accepting bids for a symposium for 2007. While the HPEF Board will entertain bids for any host city, its preference at this time is a destination in the mainland United States. The successful bid team will need to submit its proposal for an event preferrably in July or August 2007 by March 31, 2006 in order to have sufficient time for organizing. HPEF does not require that any bid plan for an event in July or August 2007, though those particular summer months offer optimal attendance opportunities for most attendees of past HPEF events. As 2007 is the tenth anniversary of the publication of the first Harry Potter book, HPEF is particularly interested in observing this milestone with a gathering of HP fans and academics equally dedicated to examination and celebration of this landmark book series.

While HPEF is most interested in bids for events in the Midwest (Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Dallas, etc.), so that we can better serve a part of the country that has not previously hosted an HPEF symposium (those locations being Orlando, Salem and Las Vegas), we will consider any bid team proposing to hold an event in a city possessing the following qualities:

* a hotel or convention center able to accommodate 1000-1500 attendees for panels, presentations and/or workshops, including large keynote presentations and movie screenings

* a city near a significant transportation hub (to keep airfare costs down for attendees)

* one or more hotels within a short walk from the presentation space willing to set aside a significant block of rooms at a reasonable rate for 1000-1500 attendees (if the same hotel is not being used for the presentations)

* facilities priced at a level that will allow HPEF to keep the entry fee as low as possible for attendees while still providing quality accommodations and an appropriate atmosphere

Please write to the HPEF Board of Directors for more information about our bid process: hpeducationfanon@gmail.com

HPEF is also prepared to assist bid teams who may not have a "theme" in mind for a symposium; the HPEF board will be posting several possible ideas for symposium themes on the website, which may either be used by bid teams or inspire bid teams to create their own themes. The theme does not need to be in place before the bid is submitted; HPEF is most interested in seeing a dedicated group of individuals who have the capacity and vision to plan an event that would help HPEF in fulfilling its educational goals. We can offer assistance to an accepted bid team when it comes to theme and other aspects of the event, such as acquiring special guests, and do not wish potential teams to feel stymied if they have not worked out all thematic aspects of the bid prior to submitting it.

If you are interested in putting together a bid team but do not know of others who may be similarly interested, there is a special forum that has been created on the Lumos discussion boards, so that you and others can find each other and begin to plan your bid. Go here and join the discussions!

Background info: HPEF is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the state of Texas, founded in 2002 to promote and produce educational Harry Potter themed symposia on an international scale. HPEF is committed to producing high-quality events that combine a professional and academic focus with the light-hearted spirit of the Harry Potter series for scholar and fan alike. I am an advisory member of the board, after having served as Sposnorship Chair for Nimbus - 2003.

Comments

[telepwen.livejournal.com]

So... the Rising Phoenix thing in NOLA isn't affiliated with the regular string of symposia?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Well, there's always been different groups doing different events, like Accio last year. But no, the NOLA project is not an HPEF event.

[telepwen.livejournal.com]

So, what does that mean for the event? Is it less likely to succeed?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I can't see why both events can't be successful - I mean, Comicon and Worldcon both take place every summer and they're both quite successful (and both about 10-15 times larger than either of the HP events will likely be). But I'm not privy to their planning process so I don't know how they'd define "success" for their event.

[royalmidnight.livejournal.com]

As Francis Bacon used to say, "Screw that, throw the shindig in Hawaii!"

That is all.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

What, and get lei-d?

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

. . . .

DALLAS!!!!!
Friggen heck, the second largest anime convention is held here every may. We have hotels walking distance from the DFW airport that can accomodate over 10,000 people!

Must check on price though.
And how much actual conference space there is since the anime convention is mostly about the dealer room ^^

Well now actually . . . I think there are at least 20 events going on at any given time, just most of the audio video stuff that I don't want to watch.

Must find group . .