Can those that have attended the SoCal events explain how they do it? For example, I hear there is a really popular one in Encino. How does it work?
I once remember seeing a thread where a bunch of tanks were set up in a hotel and people had their own space to sell (like a booth at a flea market). If something like that were even desired in our area, do they also have a regular frag swap for free as well? Thus, making it sort of a combo event?
A few weeks ago, I found this thread about a SouthWestern Coral Farmers Market in Ontario CA on 2/18/06.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=696853
Here is the link to the event:
http://www.sw-cfm.com/ Steve Tyree seems to be one of the main backers of it. I can't go; but, it sounds like a great excuse for a road trip.
From another thread I posted, it looks like a few farmers in the Bay Area were thinking of getting a booth
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=697969&highlight=ROY
To date, all of the swaps I have been to (BAR, MARS and SEABay) have had some side trades and informal buying and selling on the side. For me, the main focus is still on free trading of frags and critters; but, I wonder if we would get better participation from the people growing the rare stuff in our region if a more formal buying and selling area were permitted off to the side. Would giving them the opportunity to make a few bucks and get more widely known, be an incentive for the local farmers to place more items into the free swaps?
I'd be curious to hear what your experiences with other (especially SoCal) events have been and what you think about being able to openly buy and sell at events.
Best of luck,
Roy