{"id":10944,"date":"2023-08-11T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/?p=10944"},"modified":"2024-01-15T13:05:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T18:05:37","slug":"2023-dc-pen-show-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/2023-dc-pen-show-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 DC Pen Show, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

How to Make it Even Better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I want to start this post by ensuring any reader knows that I\u2019m not writing this to denigrate the DC Pen Show<\/a>, the show organizers, or the venue. This post is going to seem negative since I\u2019m writing about issues I had with the show and venue. But, nothing is perfect, and you can\u2019t improve without input. So, that\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to do: provide input and suggestions for improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also want to acknowledge that Barbara and her team have improved the DC Pen Show<\/a> by leaps and bounds. Their work to better the show for vendors and attendees deserves recognition. I want to help the show organizers continue to make the DC Pen Show even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, with my purpose explained, let\u2019s dive into the few issues I had with and at the DC Pen Show and some possible ideas for mitigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Accessibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve written about pen show accessibility<\/a> before, so I won\u2019t harp on it too much. I would like to believe that some of the biggest issues here stem from working with new room layouts. Side note: if you attended the DC Pen Show last year \u2014 or read my posts<\/a> \u2014 you know that the hotel was undergoing construction. It\u2019s done now, and some changes include a new room (the Alexandria Room or smallest show room) and a completely redone room (Ticket Lounge or medium show room).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know there\u2019s a difference between seeing a layout on paper and experiencing it in person with all of the crowding of a show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both the medium and small rooms were rather tight. I spoke to several people using mobility devices, and I\u2019m sad to say there were aisles and areas they simply couldn\u2019t access. In some cases, their devices (wheelchairs, walkers, and motorized chairs) wouldn\u2019t fit between tables. In others, aisles were so narrow and busy that someone unsteady on their feed wouldn\u2019t be willing to test themselves against the flow of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensory Overload<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beyond mobility issues, anyone with a touch sensitivity would likely have been uncomfortable in the smaller rooms, and even some areas of the large room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As happens at conventions, the show got loud, especially at the busiest times of the day. When combined with the crush of people \u2014 or perhaps even on its own \u2014 the general show atmosphere could easily get overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Remedies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the possible remedies I can think of for these issues aren\u2019t great. You\u2019d have to reduce the number of vendors \u2014 not ideal \u2014 or increase space \u2014 there is the downstairs area from last year, but it isn\u2019t large, and I don\u2019t know if any other spaces exist in the hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better balancing the aisles could help the smallest room. The aisle closest to the doors was quite a bit wider than the aisle closest to the wall, which resulted in bottlenecks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the DC Pen Show happens in August, and DC is grossly hot and humid at that time, exiting the show to cool down from overstimulation may not work. It would be nice if a boardroom somewhere was set aside as a cool-down\/quiet room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vendor Grouping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the past few years, the medium room (previously the small room) has been the \u201cmaker\u201d room. Nearly all of the vendors in that room are independent pen makers. The large room has housed the retailers and manufacturers, vintage pen sellers, and overflow indie makers. The smallest room this year house some new, small, retailers and indie makers. While this seems like a good idea in theory \u2014 go to room A for indie pens, go to room B for vintage, etc. \u2014 in practice, I think it might be killing sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You all know I adore indie pens, so forgive me for a moment when I say that many of them are \u201cpretty ink sticks.\u201d This isn\u2019t a bad thing, and each maker has nuances that make their pens unique. But if you\u2019re feeling even remotely overwhelmed, it\u2019s far easier to see the similarity than the differences. This perception isn\u2019t helped by many makers displaying their pens in a similar manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an example, if you had your favorite dessert every day after each meal, you\u2019d likely grow tired of it quickly, and want something different. However, if you only get it once a week, or once a month, it\u2019s a delightful treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Remedy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think it would be helpful to spread the various types of vendors (indie, manufacturer, retailer, vintage, and pen-adjacent) throughout all of the show areas. I got so tired of seeing vintage pens in the large room that I skipped a whole row at one point without even realizing it. Some visual diversity to the products for sale would keep things interesting and fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In general, I think advertising is still the DC Pen Show\u2019s weakest point. While I know social media isn\u2019t the end-all and be-all, the DC Pen Show Instagram account<\/a> hasn\u2019t had a post since September 16, 2021, and their Facebook page<\/a> hasn\u2019t had a post since July 12, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information on seminars and workshops is also lacking quite a bit. It was hearing Azizah<\/a> of Gourmet Pens<\/a> mention her workshops on the Gourmet Pens Club podcast<\/a> that reminded me to look at available workshops. Sadly, at that point, the ones I\u2019d have been most likely to attend were already full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cadvertising\u201d within the show \u2014 AKA signage \u2014 could also use some improvement. While signage at the entrance from the parking garage and at the entrance of the small room was pretty good, I heard many stories about issues with the medium-sized room. There was a DC Pen Show pull-up banner, but that banner wasn\u2019t exclusive to the entrance to show areas. Right next to it was a sign reading \u201cPen Show Ticket Lounge,\u201d which apparently led many people to believe that you had to have an extra ticket to enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"signage
I borrowed this image from Mike Matteson’s walk-through video.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the show organizers assume that everyone knows there\u2019s another room because there has been in previous years. However, with the hotel renovation, that room has a short hallway to the entrance, so you can\u2019t take a quick peek and see that there\u2019s another whole room of vendors to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Remedies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It would be helpful to resurrect the Facebook and Instagram accounts. It wouldn\u2019t take much to dedicate a post to each seminar and workshop. They would serve the dual purpose of advertising the DC Pen Show and raising awareness of the various classes, paid and free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of that, it would be helpful to offer a small handout at the registration desk. I spent a bit under an hour \u2014 most of that time was fixing formatting on text copied from the website, which the show organizers wouldn\u2019t need to do \u2014 to put together a one-page, bi-fold handout<\/a>. With the information included, attendees would know where the show rooms are located and what and when the seminars and workshops are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"handout<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"handout<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s budget for a second page, then information about giveaways and show specials could be included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As to signage, despite how obvious the various show rooms may seem to the organizers, I think additional \u201cEven more pen show this way\u201d signs pointing to the rooms \u2014 like above the doorway to the medium-sized room \u2014 would be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\""Even
I also borrowed this image from Mike Matteson’s walk-through video.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hotel Staffing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every year, the hotel has the same issue with staffing in the restaurant and bar. Unfortunately, whereas before the renovation the bar and restaurant were separate, now they are in the same area and served by the same staff. The entire weekend, I saw two servers at any given time, and they were clearly run ragged, even with most of us trying to be kind and patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make matters worse \u2014 in my opinion \u2014 the few times I was in the restaurant area, there was at least one manager, sometimes two, standing around nagging the servers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Remedy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I have no idea if it would have any<\/em> impact \u2014 and it\u2019s possible that the show organizers have already done this \u2014 but perhaps a requirement for additional staff for the weekend could be added to the contract?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pen Show After Dark<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the hotel bar \u2014 and restaurant \u2014 now moved to the lobby, that\u2019s where everyone congregated after the show. This was not an improvement. While the lighting is better in the lobby, there is less seating and more noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As to the former, the hotel clearly didn\u2019t consider the lobby a major gathering area, so there are a handful of seats, but no real place to congregate and share pens, inks, paper, etc. As a result, this altered the feel of the gathering. It was more about socializing than sharing. This wasn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing, though. For the more timid among us \u2014 myself included \u2014 it was easier to chat with people since they weren\u2019t in large groups around big tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, with more groups came more noise. On both Friday and Saturday nights, the sound levels in the lobby became uncomfortable several times. Between the high ceiling and various smaller open areas around the lobby that helped reflect noise back into the crowd, the gatherings were a true cacophony. The natural swells in conversations would reach crescendos that were nearly deafening. I literally felt as though the sound was swelling inside me, and not in a good way. The occasional ebbs were blissful breaths of relief, granting me enough calm to be able to carry on with the evening without a full sensory overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, before you think I\u2019m exaggerating, I had to yell to be heard by the person sitting about 6 inches to my right. When I sat next to Jim, no more than a foot away, it took all of my concentration to filter his words out of the m\u00e9lange of voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possibly Remedy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t really have a solution for this one. I understand both why everyone congregated in the lobby \u2014 the bar \u2014 and why it was so loud \u2014 the architecture. Unless the hotel were to reopen the old bar so that we could spread out some or encourage<\/em> people not to loiter in the lobby, I don\u2019t really think there\u2019s a fix. If it\u2019s as noisy next year, I may need to take some \u201cquiet time\u201d breaks up in my hotel room or in the bathroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrap it Up!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OK, I\u2019m sorry, this got really<\/em> long. Before I close this out, I want to make sure to state that I really enjoyed the DC Pen Show, regardless of how this post may make things sound. Most of the show was really good, and I applaud the hard work of the show organizers and DC Pen Crew volunteers who helped make it so. The show has come so far already, and I want to see it become the best show it can possibly be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Did you attend the DC Pen Show? If so, did you notice any of the issues I mentioned above? Is there anything I missed? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. Make sure to subscribe to my blog<\/a> or follow me on Instagram<\/a> so you don\u2019t miss any posts. I generally post at least once a week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My second of 3? posts about the 2023 DC Pen Show. The show has greatly improved over the last few years. But everything is a work in progress, and I’m sharing some suggestions I have to make it even better.<\/p>\n

Keep Reading2023 DC Pen Show, Part 2<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[417],"tags":[392,83,81],"class_list":["post-10944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pen-shows","tag-2023-dc-pen-show","tag-dc-pen-show","tag-pen-show","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/dc-show-23-2-featured.jpg?fit=288%2C288&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Z77k-2Qw","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11001,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/2023-dc-pen-show-part-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":10944,"position":0},"title":"2023 DC Pen Show, Part 3","author":"Rachel","date":"August 14, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"My final post about the 2023 DC Pen Show. 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