I was reviewing the 2007 Vent Haven Convention and am considering attending in 2008. I have never attended before. Can anyone give some insight as to the approximate cost to attend the convention as well as hotel and meals cost. Nothing actual. I just want an idea of what I should plan for.
Hi Tiebe..Here is the site for the convention...http://www.venthaven.com/.
I can't believe the 2008 subtitle is already up! On the left side are a number of categories which might take a day or two to read(the histories of past events). Also the Drawbridge Inn info is there. Peruse it and enjoy. Basically a lot of North America's top vents are there and they perform free for you. Also in attendance are every range of vents. The hospitality is most fine. I believe, however it would take a most patient partner to attend unless they are open to many, many gorgeous hours of mostly men playing with dolls. I LOVED it. Ron
HI,
I went to the conVENTion this year for the first time. I am also new at ventriloquism. The hotel across the street (Hotel 8 ) is only about $49.00 a night and I have resv. for next year already. There is a great deli up the street a few blocks. Hotel 8 has ref in each room and I bought meat and fresh rolls and had a great meal every day. There are 2 cafe in the Drawbridge Hotel one is always open, food is good and it is great to mingle. Take lots of bussines cards, you will meet many people you want to trade names with. I checked planes (too much from OK) trains to long and buses 30 hours one way but only $104. but I wont take the bus again!!!! I really didnt want to drive. I checked campground. About $10. a day but I had to rent a car and pay gas round trip 1/2hr each way a day. So it was cheaper to go to Hotel 8. Oh yea and Hotel 8 gives you a all you can eat contenial breakfast. Take you puppet with you always, You can share and learn more that way.
Your will want money for books and dont buy a puppet unless you have one in mind already. I learned that the hard way many times! Do you want a bird puppet.. Ha ha. Just not my style. To limiting.
Ribbons the clown,
Ribbons the clown
Robin Bremer
www.ribbonstheclown.com
www.youtube.com/user/ribbonstheclown
Thanks Ribbons the clown. I am only about 8 hours away so I'm sure I'll be driving. Could you please post the phone number for the Hotel 8. Also, I've checked Vent Haven Site and unless I'm overlooking something, I can not find a price to attend the convention. It only says something about a $50 day rate if you're not going the entire time. What was the cost to attend the convention? Like you, I am female. The earlier post says it's mostly men. Did you bring someone with you?
Sorry Tiebe for the wrong spin. Yes, there are many men but there were also many women in attendance. If I may be so bold I
could hardly think of a more welcoming, well-mannered lot than the vents. I see no reason for not making a solo visit to the convention. Ribbons, of course, could comment more fully.
Ribbons, good to hear from you again. How long did it take for you to get from the 8(is it Super 8 motel?) to the convention at the Drawbridge. I brought the little Kellogg's cereal boxes and Carnation tiny cans of milk and some buns I'd buy the night before. This with the free coffee was a great breakfast for me. Sorry folks but the thrill of hotel breakfasts had faded by the time I was 20..a young newsman learns to despise hotel rooms. Lunch was some sort of well made sub or sandwich. Supper was in the Drawbridge and it was here that I made my best contacts including Stevo and Keith who of course were both on the stage.
My hotel room was about $84,00 an night. My air fare from Toronto to Cleveland to Cincinnati and from Cincinnati to Chicago to Toronto, with tax, was just under $500. Our dollar is almost par with yours now. If I had to do it again I would fly only Continental and avoid United Airlines and Chicago's O'Hare Airport. I also brought cans of Canadian beer but they went as gifts too quickly. The atmosphere was safe and welcoming. Ron
Hi
The cost of the conVENTion was $118. I think. I paid in advance to get that out of the way.I dont have the number of the hotel at the moment, but I'll get it to you. I went alone, I wanted to go so bad I didnt even think of being a lone female. It was ok I met lots of people. There was only one jerk there and it seemed everyone avoided him. He only talked about dirty jokes. The people were friendly and safe. I wasn't nervous at all. The walk to the hotel was only about 1/2 block. Just a parking lot cross a small road into your door. I walked with A friend who also roomed at Hotel 8 one of the nights cause it got to be about 1:00. I spend alot of time after everything in the Hospitaly room. It is a room to welcome you. There were babies and kids in there alot. Some drinks are served I dont drink and am a licensed minster so I made sure I had my bottle of water with me wherever I went. I really enjoyed meeting and talking with the people in that room. I made lots of friends. One of the nights they broke out guitars and sang old songs. It was a fun time. My husband is worship leader at our church so I really missed him that night!! He likes old songs too.
I am wondering have any of you went to the Christian Ventriloquist event. Ifest? HOw does it compare with this event? I want to see which one I should go to next year. I cant go to both cause I have a Christian week long event to go to the first week in Aug. and weekend one in Sept so I cant do it all.
Ribbons the clown
Ribbons the clown
Robin Bremer
www.ribbonstheclown.com
www.youtube.com/user/ribbonstheclown
You asked about I-Fest the International Festival of Christian Puppetry and Ventriloquism. I have been involved with that for 8 different years and had a really good time. I've never had a chance to go to Vent Haven, so I can't compare the two, but I know people who do their best to go to both so they must be fairly comparable.
I-Fest has great meals on campus but the housing is NOT great. Local motels are much better than the dorm rooms. There is some family housing. However, you'll save the cost of a rental car if you stay on campus.
You can go to www.onewaystreet.com and pull down a listing of the schedule for the conference. It starts early and ends late. About half of the people are local and go just for the last few days, but there are almost 500 people there all week long. (Mon. afternoon to Saturday afternoon).
You know, I didn't really tell you much about I-Fest. I have really enjoyed myself. In magnitude it is larger than Vent Haven. Although you may not have heard of many of the instructors (like myself) they are top notch. Judy Buch, Ventriloquist of the Year/ Dennis Lee, does about 400 school programs each year, Tim Cowles, owner and figure maker of www.dummyworks.com, Jim Adams, former comedian at Disneyland for 12 years, Steve Parker, Police officer who does school assemblies, etc. The common bond is their belief in Jesus Christ and the desire to see the gospel presented.
Each morning begins with a chapel service (after a great breakfast) and then you have 3 sections to choose from: Puppetry, Team Leaders, Ventriloquism. Each 60 minute ventriloquism hour offers 3 choices, ranging from beginner to advanced. They have a systematic system if you can go for 3 years and you will earn a ventriloquism certificate.
Competitions are also available and encouraged in musical vent, novelty vent, junior vent, and senior vent. The competitions are in the late evening and are attended by all the other vents. (Out of the 500 who stay all week there are probably 100 ventriloquists. Then some more join for the weekend.)
The exhibit hall fills up a gymnasium. The chapel area seats 900 people and is standing room only for the final shows. At each chapel there are a couple of 15 minute performances. Usually one by a seasoned ventriloquist and another by a puppet team. Those are always amazing to watch! The emcee has been high caliber as well with such great performers as Dennis Lee, Liz VonSeggen (another ventriloquist of the year), or Duane Laflin, preaching magician.
You definitely should plan on going at least once to see which you like better. I hope to go to Vent Haven someday, myself.
Tony, how do you pronounce the name of the place where your convention is held? Couldn't it be a little strange to have so many non-ventriloquists involved in workshops for vents? And actually I applaud you for being able to use your former job to teach entertainers. Ron
Actually, the teachers of the Vent workshops are all ventriloquists with many years of experience. For example, the police officer that does assemblies uses ventriloquism in his assemblies, as does Dennis Lee. And the figure maker also performs ventriloquism.
The city is Bourbonaisse, IL (pardon my French) which is next to Kankakee, IL. You'll have to ask a Canadian how to pronounce it, but I'm pretty sure the ss is silent. As in Illinois itself. The college is Olivet Nazarene University. Wonderful people on staff there, though you don't really see them.
Speaking there for 8 years was part of my job. It is nice. I'm hoping that Steve Axtell will hire me to speak on a cruise! Or perhaps a conference in Hawaii.
I started studying in February after a shoulder injury prevented me from continuing to perform behind the stage puppetry. I perform as a church worker and as an outreach within the community. I have a full-time job that pays the bills. Therefore, vacation time must be requested and planned. Now that I know the costs are within my budget and the atmosphere is pleasant, I definately plan to attend next year. It's already written on the department's calendar. Thanks again.
To all, I am registered and just sent my reservation in to the drawbridge inn. Now all i have to do is find a way to get there! I am reading with interest all that you write about vent haven, and am already excited! Ribbons, What would you suggest i look for as a first timer?
And which puppet should I take?!!!!!
ahem..... An Axtell puppet of course! Think about the group photo. If you want to be seen well bring something that has a big face. If it's really small like a Folkmanis finger puppet....chances are it won't be seen well in the group shot.
There is usually an AXTELL FAMILY photo as well. Here is a pic of that...
(yes a couple of foreigners slipped in on the left side...unaware of the Axclusive photo.)
Take two puppets. Take the one you are most comfortable with in case you decide to perform.
Also take the one that you would like to use but you just can't think of enough ideas on how to use it. There will be lots of suggestions, or people will slip it on and show you some cool Axtell facial expressions or movements.
I reserved my room almost as soon as I got back from last year. What an amazing time!
Personally I like staying at the hotel where the convention is, even if it is a few extra bucks because for one the hotel goes out of their waty for us and two - I don't want to miss anything!
I got a great deal on my airfare (Vancouver BC to Cincinnati return for under $400 CANADIAN), so I am registered, have my room reserved, my flight booked and my wife has to stop me from packing my bags
I am bring my new Beaver puppet with me this year. Horton came last year.
I am also going to be presenting a couple of puppets to the museum that belonged to local vent (recently passed away) Peter Rolston.
