FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - "Oz Fest #9" – Canberra Australia - Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, 2012
Old Sep 1, 2011, 8:48 am
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ozstamps
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"Oz Fest #9" – Canberra Australia - Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, 2012

"Oz Fest #9" – Canberra, Australian Capital Territory - Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, 2012

There have been 8 successful OzFests so far - in Sydney, (twice) Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart Tasmania, Cairns Queensland, Adelaide South Australia and Darwin in May this year.

There are near no other annual FT Doos outside the USA that have chalked up 9 years running AFAIK.

Polling of FT'ers on the Darwin thread, and via many private emails seems to have decided that the very narrow winner over Perth for the 200TWELVE venue should be Canberra - the capital city of the Australian Captial Territory. (For Americans - rather like the District Of Columbia.)

The location of which, for the benefit of our overseas members is shown below - right between Sydney and Melbourne.



See Australia - via OZFESTS!


Democracy rules supreme with all OzFest’s, and after some unofficial polling, and emails with Itsalongwaydown who also agrees on CBR, and several other regular attendees, I have started this thread today to officially kick off OzFest #9.

Hobart had 40 members signed up - pretty amazing seeing only one attending was a local, Cairns saw 59 turning up – just beating out by 1 the previous record attendance of any OzFest - number #2 in Sydney - 58 attendees.

Adelaide was a little too big, with 75 attendees, but not all of whom were active FT'ers causing some issues, and the slightly less accessible Darwin kept numbers down to previous sort of levels - 44.

The "OzFest #5" thread had about 50,000 page views, and attracted well over 1,000 posts, and set a view record for a FT Doo thread.

The “OzFest #6” got very near that, with about 40,000 page views and over 1,200 posts – a record number.

Only to be outdone by Adelaide OzFest #7 with 55,000 page views, and over 1,300 posts.

And Darwin #8 had over 57,000 page views - a new record - and about 1,100 posts, and 44 Platinum attendees.

MargoZ and I will certainly be among the first confirmed starters to attend, barring any calamities, and as with all the other Oz Fests, I'll be pleased to assist where I can, and if required.

Regrettably I do not have as much free time as I once did and can't add much to the mix as I know nothing much about the city, but hopefully we can get a Canberra local or three to step forward!

Itsalongwaydown and I have been in contact several times today, (until well after midnight!) and Bill and Sue are also certain starters for CBR. Bill as always has offered to lend a willing hand in the planning and cat herding, that is associated with these large events.

Not to mention we hope they score a MEGA Suite as he and Sue did in Darwin! Their generosity is turning it into Party Central one evening was most gracious.

Other volunteers will I am sure add links to activities and suggestions for Canberra in the next few posts, so we get it all moving along.

Mwenenzi has offered really invaluable back-up to Bill and I and all the many others helping organise all the previous Ozfests, and I hope he’ll be able to assist again – I am sure he will "place-marker" several early posts to add to later.

He will hopefully be tracking attendees and hotels and activity sign ups etc via his legendary and super detailed Excel spread sheets, and trust he can join us in person for this one. These are incredibly time consuming to keep updated, and all attendees owe him a huge vote of thanks.

Serfty looks to be the “king of airline movements” for attendees to and from, and his most useful link to that aspect for Cairns and Adelaide and Darwin helped lots of members buddy up for Cabs etc, and book seats together, and cut costs etc.

And hopefully we can once again call on the falconea’s to be name tag supremos, and we are well on our way!

Markis who did a wonderful job assisting Sarah and Hubby in Darwin has said he will try and help out for Canberra - and hopefully all 3 can make Canberra.

There are a strangely limited range of ‘major’ brand Hotels in Canberra ... I'll let others expand on that aspect. That is a bit of an issue.

Having ONE central hotel location that most folks use, is a VERY large plus I always feel.

And it gives the organisers some leverage to extract a great group booking deal, instead of 50 FT’ers being like Brown’s cows and all doing their own thing.

The May "Memorial Day" weekend seems very popular with USA based Flyer-talkers, and that is the weekend that was most favoured by far. We have bowed to that request and again chosen that weekend - as we have for all other OzFests. Around half the attendees are US based each OzFest.

That public holiday in the USA is Monday May 28, 2012. Remember if you LEAVE Sydney on the afternoon of Monday May 28, you ARRIVE back in the USA also on the morning of Monday May 28. Tons of time to get back home, unpack, have an early night and get organised for a day at the office next day etc.

Mid afternoon is the flight time back for United, who have direct daily flights from SYD to the west coast (to both LAX and SFO) ex Sydney.

Near all USA attendees fly UA to OzFests to either MEL or SYD. In several of the last years there have been Double EQM deals announced for May, to the enormous joy and delight of those who had already booked!

DRIVING to CBD from Sydney is a cinch – a few hours. A bit further from MEL.

The weather for the past 8 "Oz Fests" has been in general, superb and sunny. Despite June 1 - a few days later, being our official Winter start date. Even in Tasmania our most southern city, we were truly blessed with unusually nice weather.

Canberra WILL be a weather challenge for sure, but fingers crossed.

Those words "Snowy Mountains" right next to Canberra on the map above, are there for a reason!

I get the feeling this as usual, may also turn out to be a very long thread.

Glen

Last edited by ozstamps; Sep 2, 2011 at 2:38 am
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