I want to keep a record of the promotions sent out so far for Paganicon, so here they are:
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(sent January 11, 2011)
Greetings beautiful you,
Paganicon is coming, March 25th through the 27th. Come celebrate Spring with us!
John Michael Greer will be the guest of honor! How cool is that! We got John Michael Greer our first year!
In preparation for Paganicon (March 25 - 27) there will be a Programming & Volunteer Meeting at the Sacred Paths Center this Saturday, January 16, from 1-3pm. Please stop by and find out how you can help. We'll be answering questions, assigning roles, collecting programming submissions and having fun. Come on by!
We need volunteers to help prepare, before and at Paganicon.
It's not too late to contribute to the programming at Paganicon. We are looking for people to host workshops, panels, presentations or entertainment. We have a revised deadline of February 12 for programming this year, so there's still time!
If you can't make it, you can email info@tcpaganpride.org with questions, offers of help, or anything else.
And don't forget to register for the event!
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration Let's face it, at some point we've all thought about how great it would be to have an event like this in the Twin Cities, and now there is one. This really is like a dream come true.
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(sent February 8, 2011)
Greetings beautiful you,
Paganicon is getting closer and bigger!
A lot of people have already registered, but there's still plenty of room before we reach the 250 venue cap. So please register. It's only $60 before March 4, which is an excellent deal for all we're offering. You can register by clicking here
Our Guest of honor, John Michael Greer, will be offering three programming items during the event, and doing a book signing. Read more about him by clicking here
There are so many programing options that we'll easily fill three tracks of programing, and we might have to actually turn away some proposals. Thank you to everyone who has submitted such wonderful programing that we are having the choice of too much wonderfulness. Please check out the programing page by clicking here
Unfortunately, a lack of Heathen programing has been submitted. Given the enormity of the local Heathen community, that absence is quite noticeable, and we would love to see it rectified. We are still willing to make room for excellent programing options, but the deadline is quickly approaching and difficult decisions are being made.
Please note that people submitting programing must also register for the Con. Even the organizers are paying to get in (which is pretty standard for Cons).
The food at the hotel is very nice (we ate there last weekend) and there are lots of great food options within easy walking distance. Paganicon is also hosting two food events, a tea (which will be accompanied by live acoustic music) and a dessert.
There will also be musical entertainment, featuring Kari Tauring, Drew Miller (from Boiled in Lead), Bedlam, and Murphy's Midnight Rounders. Read more about the
music by clicking here
We're extremely honored to have Llewellyn as one of our sponsors. You can read about Paganicon on the Llewellyn blog by clicking here
We want to hear from you about a variety of things.
We had one person contact us about setting up a healing room. If you are interested in hosting a party room (a generic term for a room associated with the Con, but not officially sponsored by the Con) please let us know soon so that we can include it in the program.
There are still vending opportunities available. Paganicon will be the size of a nice Pagan festival, so it should be a good venue for vendors.
Sponsorships are available which offer a variety of benefits. There is also advertising space available in the program.
As with any event of this type, it is run by volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering, please let us know, and what sort of volunteering you'd like to do.
Help spread the word. Here are links to official Paganicon posters which you can print and post: Poster & Poster with Tear Tabs
check out the Facebook event and the Facebook group.
Most importantly, don’t forget to register for Paganicon
We look forward to seeing you there.
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(sent February 15, 2011)
What: Paganicon
Where: Doubletree Park Place in St. Louis Park, MN
When: March 25-27
Web:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/ We often talk about how Paganicon will be great with it's great programing (four programing tracks), great guest of honor (John Michael Greer), and great entertainment (local reality TV star Kari Tauring, Drew Miller from Boiled in Lead, Renn fest favorites Bedlam, and Murphey's Midnight Rounders). Besides being great, Paganicon is also important.
The Minnesota Twin Cities area has a wonderful Pagan community. Anyone who has ever read Paganistan Weekly knows that this is an astoundingly active Pagan community. Despite that, we didn't have our own Con. We have nearby camping festivals, which are great for people who are willing or able to camp, but that leaves out a huge chunk of the local community. Also, Cons bring in people from outside the community, which allows us the opportunity to showcase how wonderful we are. You also know that every week there are many gatherings for Pagans which last a few hours, but it's rare that there's a gathering designed for the general Pagan community that lasts days. Paganicon lasts long enough to really allow people the time to get to know each other and create lasting friendships, which again makes our community stronger. With all the programing that's lined up, and all the people who have already preregistered, Paganicon is poised to be a significant community gathering.
Paganicon isn't just significant for what it is, but for what it is likely to become. Cons allow local people to easily commute, and out of town people an easy access to a place to spend the night, which makes them far more accessible than camping festivals, and much more likely to grow quickly. Paganicon is likely to grow larger than any nearby camping festival within a few years. Beyond that, we'll just keep getting bigger, better, and more national attention. It all begins this year.
Why does Paganicon exist? The Twin Cities Pagan Pride celebration was becoming more like a con, and less like Pagan Pride. Pagan Pride celebrations are generally one day events out in a place with plentiful walking traffic, allowing them to serve as outreach to the rest of the community, as well as a place where Pagans can openly celebrate. By contrast, our celebration was a two day event in a reserved building with multiple programing tracks. The most reasonable solution was to split the two and create the programing intensive Paganicon, and then have a separate Pagan Pride celebration. Also, a successful Con could help fund the Pagan Pride celebration which will be in the fall in a park.
Creating a new event of this magnitude is a monumental undertaking, which makes it all the more impressive how well this Con is really coming together.
Your registration includes:
All programming and workshops
All musical events, including the Saturday night big music event
Saturday’s dessert buffet
Sunday afternoon tea
Any other convention event we come up with.
Our hospitality suite (with light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks)
So be sure to register. If you've already registered, don't worry, this is a mass mailing, so we're not implying anything. However, if you haven't registered, please do so soon. The registration deadline is March 4. We're having several food events and we need to have accurate numbers for ordering food, so we need people to pre-register. Registration is $60 by March 4.
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration Paganicon really looks like it is going to grow into one of the most important events in the region, and it all begins this year.
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(sent February 22, 2011)
What: Paganicon
Where: Doubletree Park Place in St. Louis Park, MN
When: March 25-27
Web:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/ You only have 10 more days to register for Paganicon:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration If you have not yet registered, now's the time. We're having food events so we need to know how many people are going to be there so we can order food. Please pre-register.
Until March 4, you can register for $60. That gets you:
All programming and workshops
All musical events, including the Saturday night big music event
Saturday’s dessert buffet
Sunday afternoon tea
Any other convention event we come up with.
Our hospitality suite (with light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks)
It is going to be a wonderful gathering. Let's explore what the weekend will be like in more detail.
After you stop at the welcome table and get your badge, you'll pass by the vendors suits on your left, and an info table on the right. The vendors will be there from 9am to 5:30pm on Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sunday. If you have a group or event you'd like to promote, please leave the information on the info table.
This will be a programing intensive Con, and the programing really gets going at 7pm Friday night, and doesn't end until Sunday at 4:30 pm. Check it out at
http://paganicon2011.sched.org/ and you'll see all the great programing we have in store for you.
Friday we'll have our opening welcome, followed by a keynote address from our Guest of Honor, John Michael Greer. Then Murphey's Midnight Rounders will perform for us.
Saturday, we'll have four tracks of programing going from 10 am to 8pm. That's a lot of programing. Then we'll have a dessert buffet followed by Saturday night's main event concert. Kari Tauring & Drew Miller will open for Bedlam
Sunday we'll have four tracks of programing from 10am to 3pm, followed by afternoon tea featuring an acoustic music set.
In between all that, you'll run into old friends, hopefully meet some new friends, get to know people better, and establish bonds which will last for years.
What you do after each day's programing is done will hopefully continue to enhance your Paganicon experience. Please obey all relevant laws and hotel rules.
It all starts by getting registered.
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration If you're already registered, then we hope you enjoyed this email. If you're not registered, hurry up because you wont want to miss this.
We look forward to seeing you there.
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(sent March 2, 2011)
What: Paganicon
Where: Doubletree Park Place in St. Louis Park, MN
When: March 25-27
Web:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/ Pre-registration for Paganicon ends March 4th, so be sure to sign up right away:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration. Once this date passes, you will not be able to register to attend Paganicon until it begins on March 25th. Onsite registration is not only more expensive ($75), but you run the risk of being turned away if we reach our attendance cap of 250. Also, food will be ordered according to the pre-registration numbers, so you might not be able to participate in the food events. Be sure to indicate on your pre-registration form if you have dietary restrictions or any food allergies, so we can take those into account.
The special Paganicon hotel room rate of $87 is only available through the end of pre-registration as well, so if you are interested in staying in the hotel, please make your hotel reservations this week:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/hotel Also, March 4th is the deadline to request advertising in our program book, or to sponsor Paganicon and obtain other benefits. All donations to Twin Cities Pagan Pride are tax deductible. Details are available at:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/sponsorship Paganicon is really filling out. We've received more programming submissions then we could find slots for, the vendor area is completely reserved, several great entertainment acts are scheduled and a whole lot of people are signing up as attendees. This is going to be a major event.
You can check it all out at our interactive schedule. You can sign in and actually set up your own schedule which you can then access from your smart phone. Also, this lets us know which events are the most popular so that we can make sure to put those in the larger rooms.
http://paganicon2011.sched.org/ Local Pagans have waited a long time to have our own Con, and it's almost here. This is amazing and exciting. This is history in the making. Years from now, we'll be saying that we were there when it all began at the first Paganicon.
Pre-registration ends March 4. Please sign up this week.
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/registration --------------------------------
(sent March 26, 2011)
Blessings Beautiful You.
We are at Paganicon right now, and it is wonderful. There are so many hugs. It's like coming home. Our special guest, John Michael Greer, is a really good sport, and seems to be getting into the con. Tonight's ritual brought together a wonderful sense of connection. Murphey's Midnight Rounders sounded great. The hospitality suite was always filled with socilization. Everyone seems to be looking forward to the workshops. There seems to be Pagans everywhere. It is great to be here.
The really great news, now that we are at the hotel and talking and figuring things out here, we worked it out that we can bring in another 40 people! So if you still want to attend, there are now spots available. We are happily surprised to be able to offer this opportunity.
We're at the Double Tree Park Place in St. Loius Park. The programing starts at 9am, and the activities seem to just keep going. It would be great if you decide to join us, because now you can.
We look forward to seeing you today at Paganicon.
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(sent April 1, 2011)
Blessings Beautiful You,
Thank you to all who attended our first Paganicon, although everyone seemed to agree that it did not feel like a first year event. Everything ran so smoothly, the guest of honor was delightful, the programing was top-notch, even the desserts were delightfully delicious.
If you would like to make sure you get notified about next year's Paganicon, including our early registration rates, please subscribe to the info list on our website:
http://tcpaganpride.org/ Many thank-yous to everyone who helped to make this event happen; the sponsors, the volunteers, the vendors, the presenters, and every last attendee. Because of everyone, this was a far more successful event then any of us could have hoped.
Less than a week out from the event, and we already have a web-page dedicated to it. You can check it here:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/paganicon-2011 Many people asked for copies of John Michael Greer's keynote address so we have that posted on-line:
http://tcpaganpride.org/paganicon/paganiconkeynote2011.pdf We are collecting links to posts about the event which you can review by clicking here. If you have a link to add, or would like to give your own testimonial about the event, please contact us at info@tcpaganpride.org. We are deeply honored by those who wish to publicly praise Paganicon.
We are very interested in the opinion of everyone who attended, and we're carefully looking at the feedback forms. If you didn't have a chance to fill out the feedback form, or if you thought of something else that you would like to add, you can do so on-line here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B93BGVP We love to hear about how great the event was, but we are especially interested in opportunities for improvement. This is our first year, and as great as it was, we are dedicated to improving this event.
We should have details about the 2012 Paganicon up and ready within the next two months. We'll try to keep you in the loop, but you can ensure it by subscribing to the info list on our website at:
http://tcpaganpride.org/ Thank you for helping to make this first Paganicon such a wonderfully successful event. We look forward to seeing you at next year's Paganicon, and at this fall's Pagan Pride Day celebration