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After ten days of frantic rushing and last-minute efforts after a venue loss and indefinite postponement, Vancouver convention Anime Evolution is back on track with a new venue at the University of British Columbia.
Last night at approximately 7:15pm, Convention Secretary Katina Stachura made this official announcement:
Aug 22 – 24 Anime Evolution will be happening!!
On behalf of the Executive Team, I am pleased to announce, that we will be having Anime Evolution 2008, at UBC. Yes, the secret venue has been revealed. I have been in negotiations with UBC since July 13 and they are very excited to be hosting our convention for the first time and they are looking forward to welcoming everyone in August.
We have the contracts in place and all that remains is to finalize set up and equipment needs. I want to thank you all, especially those that offered great information and suggestions regarding UBC.
The Website will be updated tomorrow with Accommodation information and directions on how to get to UBC. Space is limited for accommodations on campus at UBC however the updated website will have a list of alternative accommodations
And yes, you can get to UBC by transit.
We will not be able to provide free parking at UBC. However we will update our website with details on UBC parking costs and location.
We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work out the details for Anime Evolution 2008 at UBC.
We are looking forward to seeing you all there.
Katina Stachura
Convention Secretary
Anime Evolution 2008
July 24, 2008
Needless to say, the local congoers are extremely relieved since it will all still be taking place on the same dates. Most, anyway, as there are some who simply can't cope with the change in venue regardless.
This was a long, stressful process for everyone involved, but convention executives, staff, and forum members all. No doubt once the convention is all over, there is going to be a long, hard evaluation of convention policies and processes to ensure this never happens again. Many people are still very upset with execs and how they handled things, and many are seeing a long road ahead for future planning.
In the meantime, however, Anime Evolution has a home for the year and west coast otaku have a convention.
The Vancouver, British Columbia summer anime convention, Anime Evolution, sent a message out yesterday that it would be postponed due to a scheduling conflict with a teacher's orientation at the usual yearly venue of Simon Fraser University:
With our sincere apologies, we regret to inform you that the Anime Evolution Convention scheduled for Aug 22 – 24 has been postponed.
The Convention has been postponed due to a conflict with an SFU event as such we are unable to proceed with our event, at our current venue on our scheduled dates.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. We intend to reschedule the Anime Evolution Convention to a later date; at which time we will update you with full details, when they become available.
We appreciate your patience during this time.
(Message from Anime Evolution's convention forum)
Needless to say, the forums are alight with angry convention-goers right now considering this is only a month before the scheduled convention dates. As a summer convention in the later end of August, this is basically the last weekend before younger attendees have to start getting back into school-mode. Others may or may not be able to reschedule time off of work for any upcoming changes. Of most concern, however, are out-of-town guests with booked buses, trains, and flights among other things. Naturally, the same is also true of anyone with a hotel booked.
Being the end of summer, any date change would conflict with the following weekend's Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington and Kumoricon in Portland, Oregon. That said, the usual American visitors to the Vancouver convention are especially caught in a tight spot.
It sucks. It really does. While it feels that Simon Fraser University should have been able to catch such a massive scheduling conflict sooner, the reality remains: this convention's venue is a school, not a convention centre; academic matters will always take precedence. But, if there's one thing I've ever learned from working three years in retail, sitting around telling each other about how upset you are isn't going to change things no matter how (apparently) soothing it feels.
At present the Anime Evolution staff are working overtime to find a new venue, possibly on the same date to still allow as many people affected by the newest turn of events to still come to the convention. Time will tell to see what comes of this.
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The important thing to take out of this is that this is neither the first time a convention has suffered a postponement, or sudden change in date or venue nor is it going to be the last. These things are very much a reality with conventions, especially relatively young ones still growing and developing (Anime Evolution in its present form is only seven years old this year). We'll definitely have to see how this pans out in the long run.
We're all hoping for the best. And, with luck, Anime Evolution can only grow more from here.
hey guys at the AX meetup on Saturday July 5 there well be some anime trivia for some cool prizes even maybe a Ouran High School Host Club picture signed by Vic Mignogna.... maybe so you guys may want to brush up a little.
Hey guys so Anime-Expo registration has sent out email's with a barcode for everyone who pre-registered. You need to bring this to onsite registration location at the Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall A. Just scan the barcode at any Pre-Registration counter and your badge will be printed. Valid photo ID will be required.
* if you can't see the barcode in your email click on the show images in the top left of your email.
-fallenangel8
DISCLAIMER
just a note before anyone gets there hopes up I don't know if the Anime-Pulse guys are going to make the meet up. I have not talked to them about it but I will try my hardest to make them come. I will spam there email, and at AX if need be I will hunt them down and tie them up and bring them to the meet up and I am a fangirl so I tie really good knots but I hope everyone who can come will. I am also hoping to get some video to post on the site as well.
So the largest Anime Convention in the U.S is in 6 days
. There will be a meet up. The place listed above is a starting area when everyone gets there then we will find a different area to sit and meet everyone and hopefully Ichigo and Batou will be there if they don't flack. So I will be bring tons of goodies so I need a head count so if your going to the con please post in the comment area!!!
