This past weekend I attended the Midwest FragFest. The two-day event was well- attended and held at the Clock Tower Resort in Rockford, Illinois. There were frags galore for swap and sale, engaging speakers, several photography workshops and a surge workshop, vendor booths as well as raffles supporting reef conservation. The annual April event is hosted by Rockford Reefers Reef and Marine Aquarium Club and sponsored by Freshwater And Marine Aquarium and Aquarium Fish International magazines.
I met up with FAMA Advertising Territory Manager Scott Berkowitz there. We had a booth right at the entrance. One of our goals was to have attendees fill out a brief survey with a couple of questions pertaining to FishChannel, FAMA and AFI. We are always interested in how our website and publications are perceived and what we are doing right and where we need to improve. For those in the blogosphere, we always appreciate whatever feedback comes our way. If you have a great idea for a story you’d like to see in one of our magazines or on FishChannel, let us know. If you think there’s something we could do better, let us know. If you like something we’re doing, let us know. We like to be scratched behind the ears occasionally, too. You can find a contact form here.
I’m a big advocate of hobbyists branching out by attending one of the many freshwater and marine aquarium shows and conferences that are held every year across the country. By taking an extra day for sightseeing, aquarists can design their own inexpensive, aquarium-themed vacation. These shows and conferences are a great way to interact with experienced coral growers, expert aquatic photographers, fish breeders and accomplished hobbyists who have seen and experienced it all. If you find yourself on a shoestring budget, look for a local show; buy a day pass rather than staying overnight at a hotel associated with the event, and you’ll be able to enjoy the same vendors, speakers and raffles as those spending money for hotel stays. Day passes are usually $15 at the most and are often $10 and as low as $5 in some cases.
Here are some aquarium shows and conferences coming up in the next few months. I hope you will consider attending one. To get the most out of the experience, come armed with questions, network and incorporate the things you learn into your own aquaria upon returning home. Some notable upcoming shows are listed below, and you can also check out their websites.
ACA Convention, July 30 – Aug. 2, 2009, Cincinnati, Ohio; 2009aca.com
IMAC West 2009, July 31 – Aug. 2, 2009, Long Beach, Calif.; imacwest.com
MACNA XXI, Sept. 25 – 27, 2009, Atlantic City, New Jersey; macna2009.com
Reef-A-Palooza, Oct. 24 – 25, 2009, Costa Mesa, Calif.; reefapalooza.org
For even more events, click here to go to our complete listing of fish happenings.
In the meantime, enjoy this brief slide show of my recent trip to the Midwest FragFest.
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