ELK Blankenberg 2012

[Amanda W]

Can anyone tell me when this is this year, and how I go about booking?
Must be a secret society - can't find direct details anywhere on the web :-(
Amanda

[McFarland]

Hi Amanda,

yes it seems there is hardly any info around about this, I found out about it through an article in an old journal and through much google searching and so on managed to find some info.

Here's the website: http://users.skynet.be/fa109074/

UK rep is David Rushforth, david.rushforth@living-rocks.com

I believe it's always first or 2nd weekend of September every year, in this case thats friday 7th, sat 8th and sunday 9th.

you don't need a ticket or anything to get into the lectures or sales areas, but I believe accommodation for the UK is full up, so you can go as long as you can find somewhere to stay basically. I will be booking a cheap hotel room or something like that in the town for 2 nights, which is only slightly more expensive than booking the on-site rooms

[Amanda W]

Many thanks for that info - I best get booking a hotel then!

[Aiko]

Here's the website: http://users.skynet.be/fa109074/

Or more suitable for memory: www.elkcactus.eu, refers to the above address.

[McFarland]

Amanda, Bill on the forum here is going there for the weekend and may have space in his big jeep if you were to ask him, worth a shot and might save you a bit of dosh

[Stuart]

Hi,
Apart from the website, is there any ELK advertising anywhere or is it all through word of mouth. The general feeling amongst nurserymen was that the attendance was lower in 2010 and the car park was not as full as usual. As there's no admission cost, there's no way of knowing attendance figures. It would be quite easy to go on a day trip from Dover - Calais on the Saturday. It's only a 90 minute drive along the coast. The lectures are quite good in that if you don't like one, you can quietly leave and aren't stuck for the whole talk!!
stuart - Plantlife

[McFarland]

Stuart I've found it notoriously hard to actually get info about the event. Doesn't help that the website is garbage (in my opinion) and not linked to from anywhere (havent seen any links on cactus mall or bcss?)

All that said, I'm really really looking forward to it

[Stuart]

The ELK website was, and maybe still is, built of 'frames' and it's possible to get to one of the frames from Google which just shows part of the site minus the navigation buttons. It's a pretty straight forward website with lists of nurseries, speakers, prices and contact details etc and should work OK. The problem with most cactus events is that they're organised on a small budget with very little advertising and rely on word of mouth. I doubt if there's any advertising budget for the National Show this August though I'd like to be proved wrong!
Stuart

[McFarland]

Maybe I missed it but from memory I don't really recall seeing any time recently since september any thread about ELK2012, it would be in the BCSS' interest to drum up a bit of interest wouldn't it, doesn't the bcss have a stand there or something? Anyway I hope to attend

[Bill]

Amanda, Bill on the forum here is going there for the weekend and may have space in his big jeep if you were to ask him, worth a shot and might save you a bit of dosh

You may have just talked yourself out of a lift

Speak to me nearer the time if you do want a lift Amanda.

Bill