Are any of you all  going to the show in Collinsville/St Louis later this week. This will be like my 18th year going

Have fun, chris. Has it always been across the river?

I think there was one year they came through twice. Once in February then again in the fall. That year the second stop was in St Charles . It's not anywhere as big as it was. One year they actually had paid seminars held at the hotel next door. I would take off and go the entire weekend but this year I'll probably go to the show Friday then hit Rockler and Woodcraft on Saturday and go home. I get a discount hotel rate through my employer so I get rooms cheap enough I don't have to drive back and fourth.

Well first day of the show wasn't much to write home about. Good size crowd  but the number of vendors is way down. Of course you can waste an hour wandering through the tool liquidation booth looking at a bunch of discontinued junk.

Sorry it was disappointing, Chris. With some exceptions, it seems most of the shows have been the same. 

They've pulled out of AZ, totally.

Sorry to hear that too Chris. I was unable to attend the show in Indianapolis again this year due to family matters. In fact haven't been since '14 due to conflicts. I always enjoy sitting though whatever Jim Heavey is presenting...usually good stuff...always sit through one session of Alex Snodgrass too...still can't tune a band-saw like he does or freehand cut the reindeer, but love to watch him.

 

I'm like you, typically hit Rockler & Woodcraft prior to the show since I'm already there. The show in Indy is held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...for me about an 1:15 to any of the three places.

 

Hoping to get things in place to be able to attend a one day seminar by Marc Adams. Our County Woodworking Club is hosting him for a day at one of the members shops. Cost/person is only $10...rest of the cost is offset by the Club.

1 hour ago, Kelso Chris said:

Well first day of the show wasn't much to write home about. Good size crowd  but the number of vendors is way down. Of course you can waste an hour wandering through the tool liquidation booth looking at a bunch of discontinued junk.

Chris, is you see any of our sponsors there, say howdy and thank them for supporting our Patriot Woodworker community, ok!

They came to ST.Paul Mn last year and it wa sgood to have them back but i guess sales were down and they didnt get the turn out they needed to make it proftable. Ultimately that is what it is all about. 

It didn't help that there was a home and garden show going on in the twin cities area that same weekend and for some who have an interest in both hobbies, or the other half who only has an interest in the other, guess who would probably win. The weather wasn't being real friendly either. 

As for the number of vendors being fewer, our hobby doesnt have the wide interest it had in the late 90's - 2000's when it was the "in" thing to be interested in. those yeas brought alot of new folks into the hobby, myself included but many people have moved onto other interests.  

Times change i guess.