C16 utah bid

Ghosts of the Old West

Convergence 16 Park City, Utah Bid

For your kind consideration, your friends from Utah invite you to a one-of-a-kind experience in the finest spot in the Rocky Mountains: Park City, Utah!

Convergence 16: Park City is slated for August 13-16, 2010.

(PS: I'll be adding photos and links when I'm not getting ready for my last night DJing, so please check back in a day or 2.)

Your Mountain Guides

The C16 Utah Committee is led by Madelyn Boudreaux and Paul "Wookie" Lohrenz. Both have been in the goth scene for ages, and you've met them or at least seen one or both of them at C5, C6, C7, C9, C10, C12, and C14. Madelyn has run the roll call since C5, and is on the C15 committee as Volunteer Coordinator.

Heading up the music portion is Jeremiah "Madmiah" Stratton. Miah has been at C7, C13, and C14, and has headed the band committee for Salt Lake's Dark Arts festival for several years.

Handling vending is Skylar Stratton, who has also worked on the Dark Arts Festival for many years and attended C7, C13, and C14.

Donna Rhodes of Arsenic Fashions will be handling the Fashion Show. She attended C7 and C13, and has run the Dark Arts Festival and other fashion shows for several years.

Several other members of SLC's net.goth / Convergence attending population have agreed to handle various duties, should we win your vote. We will likely follow the recent trends and involve long-time Convergence attendees and planners from elsewhere as needed.

Like Long Beach and Tampa before, our focus will be on the people -- YOU -- who make Convergence what it is. A "gothapalooza" this will not be! You'll be coming here to revel in the company of your net.goth friends (including the ones you don't know yet) and to enjoy exploring a place many only see once a year on the Independent Film Channel.

Theme

Ghosts of the Old West. Park City has cred as a former Ghost Town, and our theme will mirror the gritty Old West Victorian era: saloons and dance halls, with a touch of steam punk in the fashion of Wild Wild West.

Location

Park City grew up as a Silver Mining town in the days of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but by the Great Depression, it had fallen into official "Ghost Town" status. Until the 1980s, only a handful of people called in home. Until one Mr. Robert Redford, knowing a good thing when he sees it, decided it would be the right place to make his stand as only the Sundance Kid could: by starting an international independent film festival. These days, the festival draws the likes of Paris and her latest BFF, and is anything but small, but the independent spirit pervades.

Park City itself has stayed true to its roots in many ways, and has preserved its old Main street beautifully. The shops themselves no longer sell flour or spurs, but an endless supply of alpine gear, art, photography, and clothing from fancy to just plain weird. Window shopping is great fun here, although we will be the first to admit that you're not going to be shopping for Lip Service stuff. However, if a pair of freak-friendly cowboy boots or a movie-starlet's parka in on your list, you just might find it here!

Weather

Why swelter in the lowlands when you can enjoy highs in the low 80s during the days and lows in the cool 40s at night, little humidity, and almost guaranteed clear skies?

Hotel

Park City's Treasure Mountain Inn, at the top of Main Street, offers gorgeous views at excellent prices. They've quoted us a rate of $129/night for double-occupancy, with several additional room styles, sleeping up to 5, available. Rooms are unlike the usual hotel rooms, but are gorgeously appointed suites, each with a full dine-in kitchenette including full-size stove and fridge, and a seating area. Most rooms overlook the courtyard and have a balcony; others overlook Main Street.

The hotel is quite small and has maximum occupancy of about 149, so book early if you want to stay there. Luckily, there are many options for overflow, if needed, from two Marriott's in close vicinity to condos, resorts, and several other hotels in EASY walking distance.

Official day-time events will occur here as well, and it is a mere 5 minutes' walk from several potential venues for evening events, including the World Famous Harry Os.

Because of the small size of the hotel, we are in talks about potentially booking the entire place -- always a boon for our crowd. The hotel hosts Slamdance and MTV as well as many other freak-friendly events, and are well suited to our eclecticism. If we can book out the entire hotel, we are assured latre-night use of the courtyard and, yes, the hot tub! This depends on our ability to book all rooms

Thursday

Arriving early? We'll enjoy a low-key evening event at a Park City lounge. Or, if you prefer to stay in Salt Lake for the night, we'll hook you up with our long-running Goth night at SLC's own Area 51.

Events

Of course, every Convergence has some things in common: vendors, meals, and the evening events. Ours will be no different.

Friday

Meet and Greet / Sign In -- the traditional opening event. Sign in, get your laminates, and enjoy the scenery -- gorgeous goths and the incredible mountain views! Death Rock Mountain High -- Rip up your stockings and spike the mohawk for a little bit of Utah blasphemy. DJs round out the night, keeping it dark, darker, and darkest.

Saturday

Dry Goods Market -- One thing you can't do much of in the mountains of Utah is shop for cool goth stuff. But that's okay; we bring it to you! Daytime Excursions -- Take a trip over the mountains to Park City, or head down into Salt Lake City. Plan your own early group dinner, or take a ride on the zip line, alpine slides, or aerial tram. Head up a trail for some amazing wildflower photography. You can even take a horseback ride. Fashion Show -- Of course! See the beautiful designs against an equally beautiful setting. Big Gothic Rock Tent Revival -- Tonight's the night for corsets and nice boots. We'lll remind you why you fell in love with the dark in the first pace, and the DJs will keep you dancing all night long.

Sunday

Dry Goods Market -- A day of rest? No way. Finish your shopping! Daytime Excursions -- If you didn't go see the wildflowers yesterday, seriously -- grab the nearest hot model/photographer and a camera, and go walk around. Or check out one of the other options for things to do on your summer vacation. The Silver King Underground -- Break out the goggles and the New Rocks! It's industrial night. (Want a tie-in? Industrial Worker of the World, Joe Hill, worked in Park City's Silver King Mine at the time he accused.) Crunchy tunes and DJs with fake German-sounding names get you ready to welcome our benevolent robot masters!

Monday

So Long, Farewell... Another year wrapped up, another hangover from hell, and another 3000 photos to post. Join us for a farewell breakfast, get your last lungful of alpine air, and then make your way back down to the airport.

Unofficial Events and Excursions

Hop on the Park City Town Ski Lift (yes, it runs in the summer, too!) and take a leisurely ride to the Park City Mountain Resort which, in the summer features all manner of fun. From Ziplines to alpine slides to horseback rides, you can go as fast or as slow as you desire! Take the larger ski lift for an aerial tour of the mountain, or hop off at one of the stops to hike through meadows of the most beautiful wild flowers you will ever encounter. Don't forget your favorite model and/or photographer.

Goths On Ice -- For those wishing to take to the ice, Park City features its own ice arena, located at the intersection of SR 248 and Hwy 40.

CorpGoth dinner -- Park City features scores of dining options, most of them right on Main Street, many with banquet facilities. Group dining information and comparisons of banquet size and prices can be found here: http://www.parkcityinfo.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=519

Goths on the Greens -- Wookie has recently taken up golfing, and wants to get a group to hit the greens. Utilikilts optional but highly recommended!

Wondering about the Mormons? We do, too. Head down to Salt Lake City for a tour of the Temple. (Just PLEASE observe their rules about smoking, and dress nicely. They can handle goths, but visiting the Temple is similar to visiting any house of worship.) We may plan a Salt Lake guide for some of the more interesting sites -- how about a VW-sized sphinx with Joseph Smith's head? -- if there is enough interest.

How about a train ride through the mountains? Your best bet for an easy ride through stunning scenery. There are several offerings from the Heber Valley Rail Road, including an option for river rafting with an experienced guide.

There's plenty to do during the day, but don't over-do it; the mountain air will tire you out faster than you realize. Same some energy for the evening events!

Getting Here

Salt Lake International Airport is home to 17 airlines and more than 900 flights. Average flight times are 2 hours from most West Coast cities, 3 hours from the midwest, and 5 hours from the East Coast.

Once you're on the ground, Park City is a 35 minute drive through some of America's most beautiful canyons. 15 shuttle companies offer round-the-clock SLC-to-Park City service, ranging in price.

Getting Around in PC: Once you're here, getting around town is equally convenient by foot or the town's free transit system.

From 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. every day, buses will take you just about anywhere you need to go in Park City, for free!

Daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Main Street Trolley connects the Old Town Transit Center and Main Street.

Park City also has a number of taxi services.

If you plan to hit the Park City Mountain Resort for a day of Alpine Slide, Ziplines, or walks, take the Park City Town Lift. Yes, Park City has its own municipal ski lift, and in the summer, it takes you right to the best things in town.

Rental cars

Due to the size of Park City, rental cars should not be necessary, and the hotel discourages them. http://www.parkcity.org/citydepartments/parking/parkinginparkcity/overnightparking.html

F.A.Q.

Q. Why is it "Utah" and not "Salt Lake City"? A. Although the committee is located in SLC, and you'll go through it to get to C16, in fact, the event itself will take place entirely in Park City. Therefore, it's not really C16 SLC. Don't get us wrong; we love Salt Lake City! It's a great city. We just thought we'd try something different, and Park City's unique offerings will allow us to do more and make the event really special.

Q. How do we get from the airport to Park City? A. Ground transportation from SLC International Airport to Park City runs regularly, for prices as low as $20/person. Rental cars are also available. Depending on the need, we may set up some type a ride-share process of some type to help you get from the airport to PC as cheaply as possible.

Q. Isn't Park City expensive? A. Park City is a ski town, meaning they make almost all their money in the winter. Summer finds local venues dropping their prices radically just to keep something happening.

Q. What will the weather be like? A. Well, it's hard to predict... but average temperatures in Park City in the summer are awesome. The daily average maximum temperature in August is 78F, and the daily average low is 48, according to Wikipedia.

Q. Isn't Utah a weird place for goths? A. Park City hosts Sundance. We are far from the weirdest people they will ever see!

Q. Blah blah blah ALCOHOL? A. Yes, you can drink in Utah. Park City has two liquor stores which are open every day but Sundays. One is a few yards from Treasure Mountain Inn; the other is HUGE and is a ways out but not any farther than liquor stores usually are from the hotel, and there are busses and other options to get there. Furthermore, at this altitude, you will notice that you get drunk faster than you may be used to.

Q. What about Private Clubs? A. The Private Club rule is often misunderstood. It works basically like paying a cover at the door in most cases, so when you pay for a ticket to a show, that includes the temporary membership. In other cases, one person with a membership can 'sponsor' other people. For our venues, we will either have enough membership holders at the event to sponsor every attendee, or we will have worked out the necessary membership requirements ahead of time. There is also some chance that the "private club" requirement will be lifted by 2010.

Q. Same question, but about coffee? A. Trust us; we have coffee. Park City is especially coffee friendly.

Q. How will the altitude (7,000 feet) affect me? A. Everyone is different, although staying hydrated helps a lot. Don't forget: Utah is a high desert, and you will need lots of water while you're here. Some people get headaches from the altitude, and alcohol will almost certainly hit you harder than it does closer to sea level, so if you drink, do so slower than you're used to. Common annoying but non-threatening symptoms include a headache combined with one or more of the following: Lack of appetite, nausea, or vomiting, Fatigue or weakness, Dizziness or light-headedness, Insomnia, Pins and needles, Shortness of breath upon exertion, Persistent rapid pulse, Drowsiness, General malaise, or swelling of hands, feet, and face.

Symptoms that may indicate life-threatening altitude sickness include a persistent dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath even when resting, or a headache that does not respond to analgesics, unsteady gait, increased vomiting, and gradual loss of consciousness. These symptoms typically occur at altitudes over 10,000 feet, so you'll be considerably lower than that and not likely to be at risk.

Q. Won't the Mormons have a problem with us looking freaky? A. Maybe, maybe not. They're not really as straight-laced as you might think -- not any more than norms anywhere. But you actually probably won't be around them much. Park City is used to hosting people from around the world. If they can handle Paris and her crew, we won't phase them. And, as always, you get out what you put in: be nice, and most people will be nice right back. Be an ass, and you just make it harder for those of us who live here.

Q. Swimming pool, hot tub? A. If we can book the entire hotel, we will have all-night access to the courtyard hot tub.

Q. After hours? Again, if we can book the hotel out completely, we will have access to the courtyard at night. Otherwise, we have options for after-hours permits at one of the local venues.

Q. Will the events be kid-friendly? A. Yes and no. As is often the case with Convergence evening events, they will most likely be 21+ only. However, the day-time activities are extremely family-friendly and great fun for everyone. We will have someone in charge of finding a babysitting service if needed.

Q. I hate ______ kind of music, which you have on _____ night. What do I do? A. By breaking the music out like this, we are trying to give you a night to hang out with friends or relax AND a night to dance your butts off. There will be plenty of space to hang out with your friends, or enjoy a nice late-night dinner.