See the tail end of the other thread if you’re interested – but there’s been a request that we set a specific date now for the annual celebration. (By specific date, we mean something along the lines of “third Saturday of X month,” not “the 24th.”) At the time, the discussion focussed on June and July, with a decision made for the third Saturday of July – now it turns out that not everyone is happy with that decision.
Imagine my astonishment.
There are actual advantages to picking the date now and making it standard – specifically, if we reserve far enough (i.e., a year) in advance, we can get dibs on the pavilion closest to the playground, which is a Good Thing considering the number of kids who attend. So, let’s accept as given the idea that we want to set a standard date.
Said date might take place in May, when the weather would probably be cooler and more pleasant. Mother’s Day is traditionally the second Sunday, so we probably wouldn’t want that weekend; Memorial Day is usually the last Monday, so we wouldn’t want that weekend. How do people feel about the third Saturday in May?
Robin, we could still have a cake for you (why not? There’s never a shortage of desserts, anyway!), but I’d vote for earlier in June, when the weather’s usually cooler. But, all in all, I’d prefer June to July or August.
2 hours and under isn’t long distance, IMHO. I’d like to hear from the Burghers, Virginiites, folks from Joisey, as they are the ones most effected by the kidlet/school/travel distance issue.
Other than that, let the majority rule, and all of that Democratic stuff.
The disadvantage being that people who live REALLY far away from Gettysburg (like me) are the people most unlikely to come in any given year anyway.
We haven’t heard from Rubystreak, who felt rather strongly that June was No Good because she teaches throughout June. (She’s probably still in Gettysburg.) I’m still not sure why she couldn’t make it a weekend thing in any case, but she seemed to feel rather strongly that setting the date before July would make it difficult for her to attend.
I currently lack kids, don’t know what the job/school situ will be like a year from now, etc.
However. Given the chance to be out in 75-degree weather or 950 (ask me if that’s one number too many)-degree weather, three guesses which I’d rather.
I frankly have no idea if I’ll go next year, as it will depend on factors I doubt I’d be able to predict with an accuracy. It would be nice if it were held in temperate weather, but even holding it in May/June is no guarantee that there won’t be a weather spike, just as July/August confer no guarantee that it won’t be unseasonably cold. Having it earlier in the year does offer some protection, though, from “OMG TEH HEAT!”
Caveat: the weekends nearest July 1-2-3 should probably be excluded from consideration, since I expect Gettysburg gets more than its usual share of tourists and re-enactors right around the anniversary of the battle.
I second twickster’s idea of the Saturday nearest the Solstice. That would be June 23 next year, I believe.
I would prefer a June date, actually. I would really NOT like the final date to be the 3rd weekend of July for sure, as that’s the usual weekend that my mother’s parish’s festival falls on, and while Gettydope won out this year, I don’t know if I can take a lifetime of denying myself pasta e fagiole and pizza fritte so I can go to a Dopefest…
Mid-June is a problem for me if I’m still at my current job in the future (although how likely that is is still a matter of debate), as the Saturday before Father’s Day is our big tent sale that absolutely no one can have off, not no way not no how. Beyond that, I’m reasonably flexible. Y’all only wanted me there for the nametags anyway.
The problem for me is that it’s a 5+ hour drive, and taking a day off in June is just a nightmare. If it were the last weekend in June, I could do it, but please don’t try to schedule around me on this one. If I can make it, cool. If not, maybe another year, I will. Actually, Mike and I liked Gettysburg so much that we might try to see the reinactments next year, which would put us out of the running for Gettysdope attendance anyway.
In July there’s already a Mensa RG and the local science fiction convention to juggle. There’s also an SCA event I used to enjoy, although it’s been a few years since I’ve hung out with them. While Gettysdope might make a great geek trifecta, I seem to be running out of weekends fast. I’d like to attend next year’s, depending on when it’s scheduled.
(FTR, that’s June 26.)