Coming Events

[Bill Edwards 1,514]

Dear All

 

Prior to 2015 @Mike Willis compiled and published a list of Coming Events for us. In 2015 @Gary Witcomb maintained an on site database. I am very grateful to Mike & Gary for their efforts - THANK YOU! However, the general consensus is that it is too much work for one person to research, compile and publish a comprehensive list of Coming Events. We decided that for the 2016 season we would have a 'community effort', that is EVERYONE would enter the details of the events they knew about in Coming Events forums. This has been a failure and will be abandoned at the end of this year (I estimate that only about 25% of fairs from this season have been listed).

 

There is ample evidence that members know about events, but are not sharing the details - we have funfair reports & photo sets from fairs that aren't in the events forums. Members ask questions where it is clear they know about a fair, but don't supply details.

 

I seek your opinions as to where we go from here!

 

Do we want a Coming Events list? Is it useful? My own personal view is that it is an important part of the site, but what do you think? Are you able to offer an insight as to why the Coming Events forums were so poorly supported? Why members weren't sharing events?

 

I am looking at and researching alternative methods of listing events, but unless members are prepared to support it and offer details of events they know about then ANY system put in place is doomed to failure. 2016's Coming Events forums was a last chance, but I am prepared to give this one last go if there is sufficient interest and support.

 

All the best

 

Bill

[Ian Parker 139]

I definately want to see the Coming Events section continue. Even if members are only posting 25% it's better than nothing.

As I don't subscribe to Worlds Fair magazine I'd be lost without this. It's the main thing I use this site for. I'm guessing most peoples posts of events come from this source as most operators websites are very poor at advertising coming events.

I've visited more fairs this year than ever before and it's all down to becoming a member of this site last year.

Without the coming events section I may as well give up on finding new fairs to visit.

[Paul McHaddan 15,034]

I want coming events section to stay! i post as much as i can in any of the sections reports, coming events if i have the information

 

If i can help in any way with coming events or any other sections of the forum let me know!

[Graham Vaughan 3,182]

Does anyone know if the section secretaries of the Showmen's Guild hold lists of fairs in their particular areas, and subject to any relevant Guild Rules, would it be possible to share the information with this forum?

[Mike Willis 15,381]

When I enquired some years ago they only held details of the fairs operated by their Guild Section.

[Chris Russell 21,800]

Although I do attend some events through the year, I am not involved enough to have my finger on the pulse of exact dates of particular fairs. Hence, I do end up knowing about some fairs, but not until the last minute, which means it's too late to list the event here to benefit forum members. Some showmen, especially in my area, are not forward in publicising their fairs and so that makes it hard to advertise in advance. I'm sure others, who attend many more fairs than I do, would pick up on more dates and could possibly share more than I can. I would hate to see the facilility withdrawn and has been said, even if not all are included, even some are a welcome tool of our hobby.

Cheers

Chris.