regional Frag Fare?

[andyman]

Hey I remember a while ago a couple guys were thinking about putting together a northern california frag swap/trade. Any more thoughts to this? I know it was gonna be similar to the LA frag swap where people bring their stuff to sell. Should be interesting to see what kind of deals can be had.

andy

[sfsuphysics]

hehe Andy, yes I remember the infamous SF frag swap/fare (from BARE days??) it started at someone's house and then exploded into someone who had a whole warehouse, then fzzzzzzzzzzzzz*PLOP* no more.

[Blizzard]

I'm down to help organize something like that. We'll just need a place to hold it.

[andyman]

I wonder if Ron is still up for that. He mentioned he had a warehouse and would be down for something like that (right before it went plop).

[racrumrine]

Can those that have attended the SoCal events explain how they do it? For example, I hear there is a really popular one in Encino. How does it work?

I once remember seeing a thread where a bunch of tanks were set up in a hotel and people had their own space to sell (like a booth at a flea market). If something like that were even desired in our area, do they also have a regular frag swap for free as well? Thus, making it sort of a combo event?

A few weeks ago, I found this thread about a SouthWestern Coral Farmers Market in Ontario CA on 2/18/06.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=696853

Here is the link to the event: http://www.sw-cfm.com/ Steve Tyree seems to be one of the main backers of it. I can't go; but, it sounds like a great excuse for a road trip.

From another thread I posted, it looks like a few farmers in the Bay Area were thinking of getting a booth http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=697969&highlight=ROY

To date, all of the swaps I have been to (BAR, MARS and SEABay) have had some side trades and informal buying and selling on the side. For me, the main focus is still on free trading of frags and critters; but, I wonder if we would get better participation from the people growing the rare stuff in our region if a more formal buying and selling area were permitted off to the side. Would giving them the opportunity to make a few bucks and get more widely known, be an incentive for the local farmers to place more items into the free swaps?

I'd be curious to hear what your experiences with other (especially SoCal) events have been and what you think about being able to openly buy and sell at events.

Best of luck,

Roy

[Blizzard]

We should get a list of people who want to organize this and start getting things rolling. I'm definately interested in helping out. Once we get a planning "board" of people, we can assign tasks to even out the work.

Who's Interested?

[andyman]

i'd be interested.

[andyman]

you know free is nice but it really doesn't bring out the interesting stuff from vendors or collectors. I find that the average person values rare items more when they had to work for it. It means something special to them because the labored for it in some fashion or another. I'd love to see an event where we can have both a swap with no cash involved and also a commercialized venue where people can actually get involved with some financial incentive. I bet we'd see more stores joining which is why the L.A. event is so big and popular.

[Blizzard]

I agree with you andyman.

Let's get up a group of say... 5 people. Then we should probably start organizing and getting ideas of what we need to do.

I know a warehouse that for sale right now that's pretty big, plenty of parking, and is right next to a huge food plaza. I could see how much it would be to rent out the place for a day.

I'll keep you guys updated. In the meantime, more people!

[racrumrine]

If this were to become a regional faire/swap, I would strongly suggest trying to coordinate the date with the calendars of the local reef clubs listed here. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=719468

Since it takes awhile to grow frags, the timing of this (especially if it is big) could really hurt another already planned event. For example, SEABay's first swap was held about 3 weeks before the MARS swap. I know for me, that reduced the number and quality of the frags I could bring and share at MARS.

I'm not saying that you need to wait this long; but, BAR just decided to do away with it's Summer swap (usually held in July) and focus on only having one a year (February). If you want to hold a big regional event, I would snag July ASAP because it's about 3 months before and after the MARS swap cycle (I don't know if SEABay is planning to do another October swap. Also, if people know when the other clubs traditionally hold their swaps, that would be good to know and we can post that info on this forum in the sticky section).

Meanwhile, you could organize a smaller, more casual event to get the kinks and details flushed out before organizing a huge widely publicized regional event.

If it's decided that the event would have sanctioned selling, that would make it unique compared to the other swaps I have been to so far.

Best of luck,

Roy

[Blizzard]

A july swap sounds good =) along with some smaller casual ones.

[raddogz]

Originally posted by andyman
you know free is nice but it really doesn't bring out the interesting stuff from vendors or collectors. I find that the average person values rare items more when they had to work for it. It means something special to them because the labored for it in some fashion or another. I'd love to see an event where we can have both a swap with no cash involved and also a commercialized venue where people can actually get involved with some financial incentive. I bet we'd see more stores joining which is why the L.A. event is so big and popular.

Swap with no money involved is my kind of swap. I too would like to see where vendors can come and sell their "wares" as well.

[andyman]

July it is. Now we just need to get the a planning group together to work out permits, insurance, sponsors, etc. The only real problem is something like this really needs to be organized and be incorporated to reduce the liability on the planners.

[Blizzard]

A mix of a free frag swap and vendors would be ideal.

Those who have rare corals could also setup booths, and people can walk around and checkout different corals. They could then do swaps between themselves as well rather than the rotating free for alls

[andyman]

well i think we need to get a comittee together to talk about viability of this plan. While we're doing that, we need to take a poll at whos interested in such a thing. Let me start a poll in a new thread.

[crazzyreefer]

it wont be untill feburary untill I have a parking lot big enough, but thats all we need and a system of heating and pumping water, whitch is easy and cheap!,insurance, yes it will be nessasary, but if you get a person with commercial building parking we could use that. you have my help Andy, and signage machines.

[plankton]

Years and years ago, when I when a member of the San Francisco Aquarium Society, we'd have an annual frag/equipment raffle where not only were fish and corals raffled, but equipment as well. End of year 'garage cleaning' if you will.

Said raffle was often the biggest event of the year and most if not all people went home with something they needed or at least wanted.

Is this what you mean, or do you mean more like a 'flea market' approach where people aire their goods and sells to whomever offers the asking price or best offer?

Sound interesting no matter what. Can we bring equipment to the meet?

Scott

[racrumrine]

Personally, I think being able to buy/sell/trade equipment would be a nice thing. It would certainly make this event unique in our region.

However, if you are going to buy/sell and also participate in a frag swap and raffle we would have to work out the logistics of doing two things at the same time.

Perhaps you could have the swap and raffle during one part of the day and the buying and selling at another part.

Hopefully, we'll get ideas from how they do things in SoCal.

Best of luck,

Roy

[crazzyreefer]

there is always some to watch over your stuff

[crazzyreefer]

space isnt cheap, and insurance is high..... so how about we do this in a flea market, we can get unlimited amount of space, either out here or sf, and it would give the vendors more markeing power, and we would have large spaces, we could further divide up with tables. no permits and we just make a bulk deal for space with the market. and its done!

[sfsuphysics]

Out of curiosity what is the insurance part of things for? I mean I know to protect your butt incase someone slips and falls or something, but can't you get away like those yellow floor signs that say "Slippery When Wet" that fast food places seem to get away with as far as proper warning.

I know for a large event you'd want insurance without a doubt, but I'm just curious about if someone were to set up a "garage sale" type of thing in their garage or something (for the case of having a smaller type event). I mean even look at the MARS frag swap at Pam's place in Dixon, I don't think she has insurance for that event beyond that of whatever homeowners insurance she has.

But keep up the good ideas, sounds like a fun event in the works. I just ask because I've always thought that having a garage sale type one in my garage/basement always seemed like a fun idea since I have lots of space (it needs to be cleaned though).

[crazzyreefer]

well if its large then yes insurance is needed, and space and parking costs, within a flea market you get the area of 10X15 space for 20.00 for 200.00 we can have an area of 100X30=3000sf this is quite large, in this area, we can have tables set up for vendors, and frag swap, No admittance to the general public, but for equipment and sales of corals, it can be open to the general public. since only people pay for the needed space... a table it would be like 5.00-10.00 including the rented tables, we dont need a organizing team to get the area, it can be reserved. and its no hassle, if we need more space we just ask for it. there is already parking, and food. vendors would love it becuse it would get them in front of more people, and its easy to acclomplish.

[racrumrine]

Once the Holidays are over, we should start to plan this if everyone is still interested.

Happy Holidays.

Roy

[racrumrine]

Since BAR has just concluded a successful swap and MARS will not be having one this Spring due to the WMC, we should start thinking about whether or not we'd like to do the Regional Frag Faire.

Best of luck,

Roy

[Kinetic]

That would be exciting =) count me in to help

[racrumrine]

Did anyone attend the SW Corals Farmers Market? If so, how was it? Would it be something we should try to duplicate here?

This thread has lots of comments and pictures. Overall, the comments seem positive.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=779524&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

One thing I noticed is that Atlantis says we are going to have a similar one in Northern California in the Summer.

"I'm sure I'll see you in the summer for the NorCal farmer's market."

Other than what we have been thinking/talking about doing, is something already being planned for this Summer?

Best of luck,

Roy

[Reefugee]

Roy,

If I heard correctly - they are going to have one in Northern California (somewhere in the Bay Area?). You might want to check with Pam (Budgetyourself).

Minh

[dswong01]

http://www.coralfarmersmarket.com/

[racrumrine]

Wow. Thanks for the link.

It's nice to see that we have something to look forward to June.

I'd still like to see a swap component as well. Perhaps we could arrange/organize a swap around the same time.

Thanks again,

Roy