Ron Delvaux provided another T-shirt option to consider
Here it is mocked up on a T-shirt:
Again, on behalf of GCCC, thanks for this option to consider. If anyone else has a creative touch, please reach out to myself (president@glensideccc.com) or our CoCoFEST! coordinator, Grant Leighty (cocofest@glensideccc.com).
As we say goodbye to 2023, and we ring in the new year, CoCoFest will be here in a few short months. I’m excited to see what this years CoCoFest will bring. I have already heard that there will be some rare hardware and several new projects that people are working on. Don’t forget that this year’s theme is Star Wars since the fest is on May 4th. I am encouraging all the vendors to decorate their tables in the Star Wars theme.
We have opened the registration for all exhibitors and attendees. We were able to keep the prices the same as last year. We will be selling 8-foot tables for $40 each, and 6-foot tables for $30 each. This year I have increased the maximum number of tables from 2 to 3. If you are thinking about getting a table, please get it now before they are all gone. Tables are going extremely fast this year. This is a good problem to have, and I have already been working with the hotel about setting up additional tables in another room and in the hallway of the hotel. I will be posting updates on the Glenside website, Discord, and the Facebook groups. Since tables are in such high demand, we will not be taking payment for the them at the door this year. The tables MUST be paid in full no later than April 17th. This way we can be sure that all the tables will be used and sit empty. If you would like to sign up for tables, you can do that at Tandylist.
If you would like to join us for this year’s for CoCoFest, you can. We will be at the same location as last year at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream (Wheaton), in Carol Stream, IL. The cost to attend this year’s fest will be free this year. The hotel has provided us with a block of rooms at a discounted rate. To book a room at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream, you can book your room online by clicking here. You must book before the cutoff date of Midnight Chicago time, April 17, 2024 for the special CoCoFEST! rate of $120 a night plus fees taxes for two queen beds, or a one king bed. There is an option for two rooms suite with a king bed for $135 a night plus taxes. They also have a two-room suite with two queen beds upon request. Please reach out to Grant Leighty if you are interested in this room. To get this rate, you must select any days between and including May 2nd to 5th and enter the CoCoFEST! group rate of GTS. You may alternatively call the Front Desk to book your room at 630-665-3000 and provide them the Group Code of GTS.
We will continue the tradition and will be having a buffet style dinner on Saturday night at the hotel. This year we will be offering a BBQ Buffet.
The cost of the Saturday dinner is $45 per person. You can register for the dinner at Tandylist. The dinners must be ordered and paid for no later than April 17, 2024. If you have a special diet need, please send me an email to cocofest@glensideccc.com and we will try to accommodate your needs.
This year’s theme will be Star Wars since the fest is held on May 4th. I encourage everyone to decorate their tables this year, and even wear Star Wars costumes to the show. We will be giving a prize to the best decorated table. Also, we will be selling t-shirts this year on our store website. Salvador has created one design option, and you can see it on the Glenside website. If you have an idea for a t-shirt design, please send it to me at cocofest@glensideccc.com.
One last thing, if you would like to give a presentation at this year’s CoCoFest, please send me an email with your presentation idea and I will get you added to the schedule. Presentations will be limited this year to only Saturday to allow more time for people to attend the booths. Remember that attending the CoCoFest is free this year. If you want to become a member of the Glenside Color Computer Club you can purchase a membership on Tandylist for only $15. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please send me an email at cocofest@glensideccc.com. I hope to see everyone later this year at the 32nd Annual “Last” Chicago CoCoFEST.
Given that this year the fest falls on May 4, Star Wars themed graphics are appropriate to consider. Salvador Garcia has generously shared one fest design option and provided an update.
Salvador provided an update, noting (correctly) that the CoCo units on the fighters were small and hard to recognize.
On behalf of the club, I appreciate Salvador’s creativity. If you have comments, please share, as I know Salvador is interested in feedback. I’m also eager to see if there are other options we should consider. If you have an idea, please send it to myself (president@glensideccc.com) or our CoCoFEST! coordinator, Grant Leighty (cocofest@glensideccc.com).
As of today, we’re less than 30 days away from the 31st Annual Last Chicago CoCoFEST! Like last year, admission is FREE! For those of you planning to attend in person or virtually, thanks for your support in allowing the Glenside Color Computer Club to hold this event; and I hope you are excited for the projects, presentations, and personal connections that truly embody the event. If you’re a presenter or preparing a demonstration, take heart! There’s still almost 30 days for you to finish debugging your project or slide show, designing your materials, and documenting all the items and aids you need to shuttle to the show!
As we count down the final month before CoCo and Tandy enthusiasts descend into the Chicago area (and set up for our virtual attendees), make sure we don’t mistake you for one of those Atarians or the Fruity Apple folks by jumping over to https://glensideccc.myspreadshop.com/ and grabbing one of the official CoCoFEST! T-shirts. Merch is also available, and every sales nets valuable proceeds that keep the show on future schedules.
If you’re not local to the greater Chicago metropolitan area, snag one of our block of hotel rooms at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream before March 31. The group code is GCT (Glenside Color Technology? 😊). It’s probably also a good time to note that we’re moving this year to the Carol Stream Holiday Inn, which is newly renovated and is only a few miles from the Heron Pointe location (from I-355, you get off at the same exit as for Heron Pointe, but travel West instead of East. Fear not, Portillo’s is just down the road a few blocks from the new location, as is a host of other eating establishments (no driving out of an industrial zone to find food).
Once you have your attire and a place to crash, we’d love to host you at our Saturday evening dinner buffet, as we’ve done in the past. Don’t wait too long to secure your spot at the table; we have to let the venue know a final attendee count by April 14. Regular, vegetarian, vegan, and special request plated meals are also available. Please let us know when you purchase.
The “No Minimum Bid Auction” is back again this year, having inspired other events over the course of the many years we’ve held it. Jason Timmons (of VCF-Midwest fame, among other pursuits) will once again step in as auctioneer. The past few years have yielded an overabundance of interesting auction items, and this year is no different. Of course, cash is king, but we’re prepared to handle credit cards and other electronic payment options. That said, we cannot be responsible for breaking the news to friends and family of your plethora of purchases.
I would like to take a moment to thank Retro Rewind for graciously helping to sponsor this year’s show. If you or your business would like to help sponsor the show, there is still time. Please contact Grant Leighty, 2023 CoCoFEST! Coordinator. Speaking of Grant, be sure to grab him and thank him for handling all of the details inherent in holding our show. As well, thanks to Tony Podraza, coordinator emeritus, who is providing an assist.
In year’s past, we’ve enjoyed live or recorded podcasts and videocasts and this year continues with Amigos Retro Gaming planning a live CoCo-themed broadcast during the show. They’ll be doing so as part of our packed weekend of scheduled presentations and live events, as noted on the show schedule. Frank Linhares of Retro Rewind will present our keynote, with additional presentations by Fred Provoncha, L. Curtis Boyle, Ken Waters, and John Strong. As in year’s past, the late night Jam session is once again on (BYOI – bring your own instrument), while Brian Schubring will kick off both show days off with national anthems.
When you’re not perusing the auction items, soaking up material from our presentations, or enjoying Amigos Retro Gaming during their broadcast, please focus attention on our 3800 sq ft show floor. As of today, 48 of the 49 exhibitor tables are sold. No matter your specific interest, you can find it among the projects, products, parts, as well as software, systems, and storage available at the show. The show floor is a great place to grab great purchase deals, request impromptu demonstrations, and enjoy impassioned discussions with project developers. And, if you’re wanting that one remaining table, it’s available for purchase at our table registration site.
Though show admission is free, please consider joining or renewing your Glenside Color Computer Club membership. It’s only $15.00/year. And, if you’d like more detail on any aspect of the show, please visit our show web site at https://www.glensideccc.com/cocofest/.
CoCoFEST 31 is coming up fast and things are starting to come together for another awesome year. Over the past couple of shows, I have heard that people would like to purchase a t-shirt for CoCoFEST. I am happy to announce that we are selling t-shirts this year. I’ve created a Spreadshirt store for Glenside where we can sell t-shirts, mugs, buttons, tote bags, and several other items. Glenside does make a little bit of money on each purchase to help pay for CoCoFEST. I would like that thank both Ron Delvaux, and Salvadore Garcia for submitting their designs this year. You can purchase your t-shirts, and other items now at the Glenside store at https://glensideccc.myspreadshop.com. Please show your support for CoCoFEST and purchase your t-shirts, and other items today. Make sure to wear your t-shirts at CoCoFEST this year.
It is hard to believe CoCoFEST is only a little more than three months away. We are looking for people who would like to give a presentation at this years CoCoFEST.
Presentations can any length in time between 30 minutes and a 1-1/2 hours. This will also include time for the audience to ask questions. The presentation will need to be given in-person and be about the Color Computer. We will provide a computer for you to show your PowerPoint or presentation on a projector and a screen. If you need any additional equipment, please let us know.
If you are interested in giving a presentation this year, send an email to Grant Leighty at cocofest@glensideccc.com. Please include the name of your presentation, a short description of what your presentation will be about, and how long it will be. We would also like to have a short bio about you that we can put on our website.
We look forward to another great CoCoFEST this year and some great talks about the CoCo.
Now that the holidays are behind us, and the start of 2023 is here, it’s time to start thinking about the 2023 CoCoFEST. I am happy to announce that vendor registration has officially opened, and it is time to get your tables. This year we will be at a new venue which has changed a few things. The big change is that we have two tables sizes, the blue tables are the 8 foot ($40 each), and the pink tables are 6 foot ($30 each). We have also put a two-table limit, but if you need more than two tables, please send an email to Grant Leighty at cocofest@glensideccc.com. Please book your tables now as they are expected to go fast this year.
We have also had the menu finalized for the Saturday night dinner. The dinner will be held at the hotel and the cost is $43 per a person.
Saturday Night Dinner Menu:
You can register for both, to reserve a table, and the dinner at www.tandylist.com. Please click on the 2023 CoCoFEST! logo at the top right of the page. Fill out the form and pick up to two tables. You can also purchase the dinner. Review your order and then pay via PayPal or send a check to the treasurer. It is important that payment is received no later than April 1st to make sure that your table(s) are reserved. If you want to send your payment later, you can send it to our PayPal account at treasurer@glensideccc.com. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Grant Leighty at cocofest@glensideccc.com.
Also don’t forget to book your hotel rooms for CoCoFEST. We have moved to a very nice new location this year. We also get the group discount for ALL four days, Thursday – Sunday. To book a room at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream, you can book your room online by clicking here. You must book before the cutoff date of Midnight Chicago time, March 30, 2023, for the special CoCoFEST! rate of $119 a night plus fees and taxes for two queen beds, or a one king bed. There is an option for a two rooms suite with a king bed for $134 a night plus taxes. They also have a two rooms suite with two queen beds upon request. Please reach out to Grant Leighty if you are interested in this room. To get this rate, you must select any days between and including April 20th to 23rd and enter the CoCoFEST! group rate of GCT. You may alternatively call the Front Desk to book your room at 630-665-3000 and provide them the Group Code of GCT. The Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream will continue to accept reservations after March 31, 2023 but are subject to availability and at the regular prices.
It’s now official, CoCoFEST! has a new home for 2023. After weeks of searching online, and dozens of phone calls, and even a 500-mile trip to Chicago, we found a great hotel to host CoCoFEST! next year.
It was not easy finding a new location. With inflation the prices have increased sustainability. It was harder to find a place within our budget and the square footage we needed. Some the locations had a great price, but were too small, and others were a lot more expensive and too large. The new location is right in the middle for both the price and square footage.
I believe everyone will be very happy with the new location. It is located with more restaurants, shops, and gas stations within walking distance. There is even a Portillo’s just a mile down the road. This hotel is on the same road as the Fairfield Inn Heron Point location, just to the west 5 miles. We can still touch the heron for old times’ sake.
We will be having CoCoFEST! 2023 at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream (Wheaton) on April 22nd, and 23rd, 2023. We have three rooms to choose from at a discounted price.
The discounted room block is available to be booked now. You can call the hotel at 630-665-3000 and provide the group code: GCT. Special rates are available if reserved before March 30, 2023
You can also book online at www.holidayinn.com/chi-carol
UPCOMING FOR THE SHOW!
We still need to come up with a theme for next year’s CoCoFEST! I would like to hear your ideas. Please send them to cocofest@glensideccc.com.
If you would like to give a presentation at CoCoFEST! 31, I want to hear from you as well. We will be opening the table registrations in October, so please stay tuned for more updates.
Please contact me at cocofest@glensideccc.com with any questions or concerns.
– Grant Leighty
150 South Gary Avenue
Carol Stream, IL 60188
King Bed Deluxe Room with Refrigerator and Microwave
$119 a night +tax
Two Queen Beds Deluxe Room with Refrigerator and Microwave
$119 a night +tax
Two Room King Bed Suite with Pull Out Sofa Bed with Wet Bar
$134 a night +tax
These discounted rates must be reserved before March 30, 2020 and are good for Thursday – Sunday night, April 20 – 23, 2023
Hotel Amenities & Service
We will have a breakfast buffet for Saturday and Sunday mornings.
With many thanks to all who provided feedback on our recent CoCoFEST! and Grant Leighty for working tirelessly on initial 2023 CoCoFEST! planning; Grant and I, on behalf of the GCCC board of directors, are pleased to confirm the location and date for the 2023 31st Annual “Last” Chicago CoCoFEST! The event will be held, as previously noted, on April 22nd and 23rd, 2023 at the Holiday Inn & Suites Carol Stream. Grant and I apologize for the delay in confirming the dates, though it was necessary since we will be hosting at a new venue.
Though many event logistics details will continue unchanged (Friday evening vendor/exhibit setup, event start/end times, etc.), we’ll share more details as we continue to plan out the event over the next 4 months. For those wondering, the venue has an on-site restaurant and we are planning to continue our on-site Saturday evening catered meal. As with previous shows, there will be a block of King and DOuble Queen rooms for $119/night available for purchase withing the 140 total hotel rooms available.
The recent global situation as well as inflationary pressures have increased venue pricing in general, and our 2023 event costs as well. As such, we’d appreciate hearing from past attendees, presenters, exhibitors, and vendors on creative ways to fund the 2023 event.
Outsiders may sniff that spending time in a group such as ours is a waste of time, but beyond the community and technical aspects of belonging to this organization, I am so thankful for the opportunity to plan events like this. It has given me a new appreciation for both the costs needed to successfully hold such an event, how venue operators financially view such functions, and the sheer amount of planning necessary prior to the event date.
Of course, the event does not thrive without vendors, exhibitors, presenters, and attendees. We have 8 months until the 2023 show, so I will make the initial call for new and revised exhibits, interesting presentations, and interesting and economical products.
As most of you are aware, our 2022 CoCoFEST! utilized the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village location. Fewer may also be aware that the venue changed ownership a mere 2 weeks before our May event. As is normal, we paid our 2022 venue rental bill at the end of the show and sat down to sign the 2023 rental agreement. However, the venue stated they wanted to wait a few weeks as they were in the process of validating pricing and such. Grant Leighty, CoCoFEST! coordinator, and I, agreed, but I stipulated we needed to lock in our April 22/23 dates so we did not lose them in the meantime. The venue agreed.
A few weeks later, we received the updated rental contract from the venue and were shocked that the 2023 rates were considerably more than in the past. After Grant verified the pricing was not a clerical mistake, we discussed options. We knew rental rates would be climbing given all of the changes happening, but we felt the new pricing was unrealistic, so we started checking pricing at other venues to better manage expectations. To put things in perspective, we paid approximately $0.38/sq ft while while in Lombard (Heron Point), and that number moved to $0.53/sq ft while at Elk Grove Village (Holiday Inn). For 2023, we would be asked to pay approximately $4.50/sq ft for the same amenities.
After checking a number of venues in the approximate area, we firmly believe the Elk Grove Village rates are unrealistic. That said, it’s also probably unrealistic of the club to expect pre-COVID pricing to continue. To use the same comparison, other venues in the area are quoting rates from $0.80/sq ft to over $1.62/sq ft, and those quotes don’t include all costs, like tax, service fees, beverage costs, etc. Therefore, we do need to adjust what we consider normal in 2023 and beyond.
Another concern is venue size and location. Taking size first, we’ve outgrown the 2100 sq ft main hall of Heron Point, while we don’t quite fill the Holiday Inn’s 4559 sq ft main hall (but there’s room to grow). Ideally, we need about 3-4K sq ft for the main exhibit hall, and 600-1200 sq ft for the presentation/auction room. Grant looked at a number of venues, and the locations mostly seem to be much smaller (Heron Point size) or much larger (Clarion Inn size, where VCF-Midwest is held).
Consider Clarion Inn, for example. Tony Podraza, Grant, and I chatted with the venue coordinator in person last weekend, and here’s some things he wanted us to consider:
So, though we only need 4-5K of space, we’d need to pay the minimum full venue rate for the weekend, and that rate changes depending on the date. The coordinator noted that during the wedding season, he doesn’t rent out the facility for less than $30K/weekend (which gives you an idea of wedding costs). Mind you, the rate quoted to us was much lower, but we’d need to steer clear of wedding season. Guess where the normal CoCoFEST! dates are located?
On the other hand, Grant found a few venues that were eager to work with us, but they only have 2000 sq ft of conference room space. We simply can no longer fit into that small a venue. It’s a shame, too, as the coordinators seem very flexible and ready to customize things to fit our budget and needs.
Location is another concern. Besides the obvious location concerns (a preference for locations near O’Hare and not in high crime areas), some of the venue were just hard to get to. One sits at the corner of two main freeways, and just driving to the venue required extreme diligence to not miss the turn or be in the wrong lane. For years, we’ve enjoyed easy access to the venue. Heron Point was at the corner of 355 and North Avenue, but about the only tricky part was getting to the parking lot from the East on off North Avenue, and most folks figure out the shortcut by cutting through the Heron Point parking lot from the East entrance. Elk Grove Village was likewise pretty easy to navigate.
I don’t want to discount other considerations, like quality, cleanliness, and number of hotel rooms, venue loading/unloading options, on site food, etc. But, the size concern alone shortened the list considerably.
We’d love feedback on the possibility of holding the 2023 show at the Holiday Inn Carol Stream: (https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/carol-stream/csril/hoteldetail/events-facilities#). We felt the venue aligned well with our needs:
As noted, Grant is discussing venue costs with the location. The initial quote is much more reasonable than the Elk Grove Village option, but still strains the fest budget. We’re hoping to negotiate a bit more favorable terms.
Another option to consider is the Clarion Inn venue (VCF-Midwest). To do so, we’d need to make two changes. The first is absolute:
The next option concerns cost. For off-season, there’s a minimum charge rate, regardless of sq ft usage. We have a couple ways we could meet the minimum charge:
The first change is not that hard to make. Choosing which direction to pursue for the second change is harder. Each option poses concerns, and it may be unrealistic to find a suitable hosting partner, but there are upsides. The venue needs to charge out a minimum rate but wants to work with us. Obviously, this venue offers plenty of room for growth. In addition to the 12000 sq ft in the ballroom, there’s probably 9000 sq ft in the foyer area and another 2000 sq ft in the side hallway that could be used to support additional smaller groups or special presentations or exhibits now and in the future.
I’m awaiting better pricing on a third option (Marriott Schaumburg). Like Clarion Inn, the venue is too large for our needs (~9000 sq ft), and the initial quote was the same as Clarion (given the same cost, we’d probably prefer the Clarion Inn location), but there may be opportunities to lower the price. Unlike the Clarion Inn location, the Marriott Ballroom has two 2340 sq ft middle sections and then 8 (4 per side) 490 sq ft sections on the sides that can be individually configured. Like the Carol Stream hotel, this one is renovated ($22M), offers easy access, provides easy loading options, and remains close to restaurants (Portillo’s is about 5 mile away :-)).
Initially, I thought we’d gather some additional quotes to help with negotiation at the Elk Grove location. But, based on feedback Grant has received from other organizations previously using the Elk Grove Village Holiday Inn location, it appears everyone has seen the same rate hikes. Unfortunately, no one has seen much success negotiating lower rates. While I know there were no major issues with the venue during the most recent fest, I do know the hotel portion suffered some complaints. Those attendees will most likely not shed a tear if we pick a new location for the 2023 show.
Tangentially related, Grant found some nice venues that are simply too small to hold CoCoFEST! Two such venues were Holiday Inn O’Hare and Holiday Inn Hoffman Estates. The O’Hare location was bigger (3100 sq ft ballroom), but it is the one situated at a busy corner of two main highways. The other was smaller (2000 sq ft), but also sports easy access and the venue coordinator is extremely interested in working with groups like GCCC to rent the venue. While neither will work for CoCoFEST!, I have long personally thought a “retro hackathon” weekend would be nice to organize in the Chicago area, and such an event could be more easily fit into a smaller venue like this. I’ve not even inquired on GCCC’s position concerning such an event, but the eagerness of the venue coordinator at Hoffman Estates creates even more personal interest to consider something like this. If others are interested in this or something else that can utilize these venues, feel free to reach out with ideas.
As always, we welcome feedback and are happy to answer questions on this topic. Feel free to contact us via email, Facebook, or the CoCo mailing list.