An Open Letter to the G-Fest Committee

Dear G-Fest Committee,

My brother and I will be attending our ninth consecutive G-Fest this year (XXVII). The convention has been a wonderful means of bringing my brother and I together during this same period as we live about eleven hours apart and it gives us an opportunity to share our love of a common hobby: Kaiju.

To say G-Fest is something we’ve looked forward to over these nine years would be an understatement. It’s been great to be around like-minded people at the convention and to enjoy some of the panels and the usual festivities along with the Dealers’ Room and the special guests every year.

However, the last two to three, including this year, have been periods of non-excitement when it comes to anticipation of the convention. Part of that is due to the fact that we’ve been attending for a while and that new experience feeling has long since worn off. But we realized, along with other long-time attendees who’ve expressed similar beliefs on social media, that the main reason our excitement has waned so considerably has more to do with the lack of new events/panels/festivities during the convention over the years.

During the previous eight conventions we’ve attended, very little has changed with G-Fest. The most significant change has been Dojo Studios no longer producing some of their content during the actual convention like they did while producing Billy Dubose’s Godzilla: Battle Royale during our first couple of years attending the convention. Dojo Studios, now, is nothing more than a large hall used to display some of the suits used in some of the productions and to discuss movie-making. That’s not a bad thing, but the same information, more or less, will be re-said year after year.

The usual panels are still nice, for the most part, and I understand they are a staple of any convention. I actually enjoy quite a few of those during most years.

My solutions for attempting to change-up G-Fest every couple of years are minimal. A decent part of this is due to not having attended any other conventions, so I don’t have any specific ideas as to what G-Fest could borrow from other conventions to potentially implement.

However, I do think developing a committee of several individuals to change/add events/festivities every year or two could be one solution. This committee could be made of individuals who have previous experience in attending other conventions and could come up with some possible ideas that could be implemented in G-Fest that other conventions have used. But previous convention experience isn’t necessary. Any individual who expresses interest in wanting to develop even one decent event to change things up at G-Fest would work.

Perhaps renting a larger place to hold the convention? A larger hotel or renting the convention center across from the Rosemont Crowne Plaza? Sure, renting a convention center would cost extra money and some of that may need to be passed on to the attendees. But, if done right, perhaps very little would be passed onto the attendees.

Let me explain.

I know J.D. has stated he’s not interested in making G-Fest go corporate or to add sponsors. This is admirable as I understand G-Fest would not partially be beholden to those sponsors. On the other, if particular sponsors were approached that are partially tied into the kaiju/tokusatsu genres (let’s say Mill Creek Entertainment, for the sake of this example), then, maybe, they can be an extension of the convention, so to speak. Using the example of Mill Creek Entertainment, they are currently releasing some of the classic and contemporary Ultraman shows and movies. Having them for a sponsor could add to the convention as they could provide, not just some funding, but ideas that would work within G-Fest and sell some of their products. Perhaps even creating some events/panels and other fun things themselves. I understand this goes against what J.D. has expressed in the past and that maybe getting a sponsor like Mill Creek could be a longshot, but you never know until you’re willing to try.

I’ve enjoyed G-Fest over the years, but it has begun to get bland for those of us who’ve been attending for quite some time now. My brother and I have decided, after this particular G-Fest, of taking a couple of years off, at least, from attending. Other long-time attendees have said they don’t plan to attend for a few years, either, and one individual said he wasn’t going to attend for an indefinite period of time.

I’d hate to see G-Fest potentially lose more people as a result of not doing some unique things every couple of years. I think it’s imperative for any convention to try and change things up every so often. I believe G-Fest is no different.

Thanks, so much, for the memories and I hope that, perhaps, G-Fest can be even better in the years to come!