Hey everyone;
It's still a few months away, but I wanted to start an official thread for the next Florida Laser Enthusiast's Meeting. It will be held on Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th, 2016 at the Triangle Boat Club meeting hall in Tavares, Florida. T]he boat club meeting room is off of highway 441 in Tavares, just before you cross over the Dead River bridge between Tavares and Leesburg. (It's on the right if you're headed west on 441.)
I plan on getting to the venue around noon on Friday. We usually spend all afternoon setting things up. True, because it's such a small venue the setup goes fast, but we spend a lot of time talking and geeking out while hauling stuff in and hooking it up, so it always takes longer than it should! Basically I'm saying all that to say this: if you can't make it until later, don't feel like you're missing out on a whole lot. (But if you can make it early, I'd welcome the help setting up!)
Normally we finish loading-in and setting up around 6-7 PM and go out for dinner. There's a mom-and-pop Italian place just up the block (Angelo's) that is really good! If you can make it in time for this, DO SO! The food is great, and the conversation is even better.
After dinner we go back to the venue and stay until around midnight. By this time we've got music playing and lasers running, but we're also geeking out the whole time... So yeah, at this point you could say the event is definitely up and running. Most people end up getting a room at the Holiday Inn Express across the bridge (on the other side of the road) from the venue. Rooms run around a hundred per night, give or take.[/COLOR]
Saturday is the main event. We kick things off at 9 or 10 in the morning, and we often run until 2 or 3 in the morning. I hope to see Bill Benner on Saturday (schedule permitting), and some of the locals who have to work on Friday often can't make it until Saturday as well. So if you have to pick one day to attend, Saturday it is!
We will have lasers running, music playing, and lots of separate conversations going on pretty much all day. If Bill can make it I'm sure he will have cool stuff to show us. (Last year we got to see the FB4 before it was officially released!) I'll probably bring a bunch of my quad-copter stuff, and I think Chris will bring some of his gear as well. If you have something you need to fix, bring it! Chances are good that someone there can help you with it.
Like before, I'd like to pack up and CLEAN UP Saturday night. That way when I get up on Sunday I can just hit the road back to Charleston without having to return to the venue.
I will be bringing the sound system, a pair of Advanced ILDA routers, some foggers, a hazer or two, and probably a shitload of projectors, along with all my control stuff. I might even bring my truss... Not sure yet if I'll be bringing a trailer or not. (Probably will though, as I have too much stuff to otherwise fit it in the Jeep.) The venue has 50 amps of 220 available via the stove outlet in the kitchen, but no 3 phase power.
Cost is free. I've covered this one out of my pocket for the last several years. (Unlike SELEM, this venue is stupid-cheap!) I only ask that others chip in for soda, chips, and so on, and help out with the clean-up. [/COLOR]
Looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple months! Reply below if you plan to attend, and if you have any special requests be sure to state them now. That way if anyone decides they have exactly what you need, they will know to bring it.
Adam