Sunday, February 26, 2023

FAQs about the 2023 Philadelphia Paper Doll Party

 



THE BASICS

Is this a regional event or the annual national convention?

It’s a regional event, historically a 1-day event in rural PA, but we moved it to an airport hotel, and this year we added activities on Friday afternoon in anticipation of more interest from out-of-state because there is no convention in 2023. But it won’t have all the bells and whistles of a big extravaganza like the conventions, just a few tinkles and some toots.

When does it start?

2pm Friday

When is it over?

4pm Saturday when salesroom closes
(there will be time for sellers to pack up after 4)

How much does the paper doll party cost?

• $125 for attendees, $100 for guests.
• After May 1, the fee for attendees goes up to $140.

What is a “guest”?

• Guests must be accompany a full attendee.
• Guests don’t get souvenirs but otherwise have access to the salesroom and all activities.
• Guests can join us for snacks on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

What’s happening Friday afternoon?

• Show & Share - attendees, you are all invited to share one special item from your collection – something rare, a favorite piece, a childhood

treasure, or something you made... whatever you want to share! Space is limited so please bring only one item or a set of items that doesn’t need to be spread out, so that we have room for everyone.
• Programs - tentatively planning on three 20-minute programs, topics TBD.

Could I give a presentation / program?

Possibly! We still have open slots, all submissions are welcome. We want proposals for something that you yourself would present, not just topic ideas.

What about Friday evening?

Dinner is on your own, but we are hosting a welcome reception with some light snacks, where you can dress up with our theme in mind (more on that further down). As always at Embassy Suites, the Manager’s Reception from 5:30pm—7pm provides two complimentary drinks.

What’s happening Saturday?

Sales sales sales! The salesroom opens at 9am, closes at noon for lunch, and re-opens at 1pm. After lunch there will also be raffle drawings and a silent auction, followed by freebies. The salesroom closes at 4pm. (Sellers will have time to pack up after that.)

When can I see the exact schedule?

We will make announcements as things develop, and provide a tentative schedule in our attendee packet, which will be sent to those who are registered, probably in March. The schedule is always subject to change, but our plans are not all that complicated so there shouldn’t be any major changes.

What’s for lunch?

Lunch will be a DIY sandwich buffet with salads, breads, assortment of meats and cheeses, condiments, chips, and a dessert of cookies and brownies

HOTEL

Can I still book a room at the hotel?

Reserving rooms at the hotel has been a shifting landscape. Call 1-800- 321-3232 to make a reservation, and if you have any issues contact Linda or Valerie.

How much are hotel rooms cost?

Our group rate is $179 per night, and applies to Wednesday May 24 through Monday May 29, and will be honored through 4/25/23. After that date you would have to book a room at whatever the standard rate is at that time.

Will hotel rooms for our group sell out?

It’s possible our room block will sell out and rooms would have to be reserved at the standard prices. The earlier you reserve a room, the better your chances!

What is the fee for parking at the hotel?

We have a discount parking rate of $10/day

Can I ship boxes to the hotel?

Yes, but there is a fee structure. Call the hotel for details: 215-365-4500.

Does the hotel offer free breakfast?

Yes! We were told there is no need for a breakfast ticket, so just show up and you’ll have access to a full breakfast buffet.

SALES ROOM

Is there a charge for sales tables?

No, but you must reserve in advance. Please fill out the registration form, where you will find a place to indicate that you want a table.

How long is a sales table?

6 feet

Can I reserve 2 sales tables?

It’s too early to know how many sellers will attend or how many tables will be requested, so at this time we are allowing one table per person, with a wait list for a 2nd table. Please fill out the registration form, where you will find a place to add your name to the wait list for a 2nd table if it becomes available.

What will be for sale in the sales room?

Everything from rare antiques to current paper dolls; greeting card paper dolls to boxed sets; paper dolls sold by the artists who made them to current artists’ paper dolls published by Paperdoll Review (Jenny Taliadoros will be there with back issues of Paper Doll Review magazine!). There might even be some hand-made doll clothing, greeting cards, coloring books and other items on offer, but mostly it will be paper dolls galore: just about any kind of paper doll you can think of!

RAFFLES & FREEBIES

Will there be raffle items?

Yes yes yes! This is an important feature of the event because raffle ticket sales help us cover our expenses. We also plan a silent auction with original artwork and rarer paper doll items.

How does the raffle work?

• Donated paper dolls and pd-related items will be on display throughout the day in the salesroom, and raffle tickets will be on sale.• You buy some tickets, you write your name on the back, and put your tickets in the paper bags of the items you hope to win.

• Drawing: Toward the end of the day on Saturday, in the salesroom, raffle tickets will be drawn and winners will get their prizes to take home with them.

What is the process if I want to donate something for the raffle?

• Send a description of your raffle items to Linda Ocasio in advance so she can make labels (this is a laborious process and it really helps us to do as much of it in advance as possible).
• We ask that you bring raffle items with you rather than shipping to us. We’ll have limited space in our cars.

• Shipping to the hotel is an option, but there is a fee - call the hotel for more info: 215-365-4500

What about freebies?

After the raffle drawing is completed, we will set out the freebie items (also donated), and when we are done setting them up, everyone can look through the piles and take what they want.

What is the process if I want to put something in freebies?

Bring your freebie items with you! No need to tell us in advance.

ROOM SALES

Will there be room sales Friday night?

Yes. We will have a sign-up sheet that is posted with room numbers.

Will there be room sales on Thursday night or Saturday night?

It is a possibility, but is not part of our official schedule. We may or may not be able to distribute a list, it very well could be word-of-mouth only.

SOUVENIRS

What will be included in the souvenirs?

TBD, we will make an official announcement when we get that all figured out. As it stands now, we have 4 artists lined up: Jayne Keller, Kwei-lin Lum, Renaldo Barnette and Mary Lacro-Sienkiewicz.

Can people who can't make it order souvenirs?

TBD, we will make an announcement when we decide on that.

DRESSING UP

Will there be theme-related dress-up?

Dress-up is Friday evening, but only if you want to.

How do I dress up for the theme?

Anything goes! Whatever you can think of relating to space, sci-fi or futuristic fashion. Shiny silver, spacesuits, steampunk, or other obvious choices are great. Mod counts, that was forward-looking. Or just wear fancy duds and say that is how people will dress in the future, it’s pretty open-ended. 

Did we miss a question you have? Just ask!

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