CONVENTION COUNTDOWN #3:  THE FAIR-EST OF THEM ALL

“AN ALL-AMERICAN CAS CELEBRATION!”

 

The Ferris wheel makes its stately twirl. . .fireworks fill the air. . .the carnival sideshow beckons. . and eager crowds stroll the mighty Midway, arms laden with oversize plush pandas, caramel apples, and maybe a corn dog (or two!)

 

What is it? Why, it’s an old-fashioned, down-home county fair that’s what! And that county-fair spirit what’s in store Saturday, August 28th, as CAS Collectors presents our 2010 Convention: “An All-American CAS Celebration”!!

 

This year’s blue-ribbon get-together is designed to honor the ingenuity and creativity that established Ceramic Arts Studio as an American icon, with a fun-as-can-be gathering typical of those popular during the Studio’s heyday!

 

As they say at the ice cream stand, “here’s the scoop”:

 

  • The Date, The Time, The Place: The fun begins at 6 pm on the 28th, in the main floor Cedar Room of Madison’s Howard Johnson Plaza, transformed into a colorful county fairgrounds! Among our honored guests for the evening: former Studio employees Karl Ahlen, Ruth Paulson, Pat Hermsdorf and Itzy Sand, plus Tim Holthaus and Jim Petzold, who co-founded our collectors group, and co-authored the CAS book. A full event schedule appears below.

 

  • Registration, Cost, & Where To Stay: Don’t wait until “Fair Day” – now’s the time to register! Just use the handy form enclosed with this newsletter. The cost, $60 per person, includes all Convention activities, our delicious banquet (“Country Fare at the County Fair”), Door Prizes, and a 2010 Commemorative. For those traveling from out- of-town, our Convention lodging rate at the Howard Johnson Plaza is $89 per night. To qualify, call 608-244-2481, and mention that you are with CAS Collectors.

 

  • The Saturday Show:  Once again, the WPA (Wisconsin Pottery Association) is sponsoring an exciting Show & Sale at the Alliant Energy Center.  More than 50 dealers will be selling vintage and contemporary pottery and ceramics (including plenty of CAS!)  Among the dealers are several members of our group, who will certainly appreciate your patronage. CAS Collectors Board members will also be on hand, staffing a club information table, so be sure and stop by and say “hi”!

 

This year’s WPA exhibit is entitled “Wisconsin Pottery: 1930-2010”.  Show hours are 9-4, and admission is just $6. Those attending the CAS Collectors Convention will receive coupons entitling them to free parking at the Show — a $6 value!

 

  • A Plethora of Prizes:  As always, no one at a CAS Collectors Convention goes home empty-handed!  Names will be drawn for wonderful Door Prizes, provided courtesy of your Board. There’ll also be prizes for winning entries in the “On Display” contest, and the “Earliest Earlybird” drawing will bring an extra-special prize to one lucky early Convention registrant.

 

Plus, a first-ever “Club Raffle” is also being held this year. What’s the prize? A beautiful CAS-themed quilt, that’s what, donated by our resident quilter extraordinaire, June Behnke. Raffle tickets are just $5 each (or 5 for $20), and all proceeds benefit your club. Only those attending the Convention are eligible to take part in the raffle.

 

Best of all: each and every registered Conventioneer will go home with a 2010 CAS Collectors Convention Commemorative!  What will it be?  You’ll have to wait until the Convention to find out — but you can be sure it will be in keeping with our county fair theme!

 

Oh, and one more thing: if you attend the Convention in “fair-going” costume, you could win an extra-special additional prize!

 

  • And Lots More! In addition to our Convention and the WPA Show, there’s always plenty to do in the Madison area, so plan on making a full weekend of it! There are antique stores galore, specialty shops and historic sites just waiting to be explored, and unique restaurants ready for the tasting!  Your Convention registration packet will be overflowing with info on what-to-do and where-to-go when in Madison.

 

THE EVENING’S FAIR-LY ACCURATE SCHEDULE:

 

·        5:15 pm: attendees permitted to set up “On Display Contest” entries & auction items

·        6:00 pm: Doors open for social hour, carnival, and “On Display Contest” judging

·        7:00 pm: Dinner

·        8:00 pm: Break

·        8:15 pm: Annual Meeting

·        8:45 pm: Club Auction with guest auctioneer Shirley Baumann (last minute entries accepted!)   

·        Distribution of Door Prizes, Raffle Prize, “Early Bird Prize”, Commemoratives, and more!

 

OUR ANNUAL FAIR-AND-SQUARE CLUB AUCTION:    

 

Back to bring us the best deals at the best prices is professional auctioneer, Shirley Baumann.  Our club Auction will follow the annual meeting, and it’s shaping up to be “the best ever”, including many must-haves from the collection of Evelyn Boonenberg. 

 

Our best auctions always include a terrific variety of items, so now’s the time to comb through your collection, and pick out any duplicates and don’t-really-needs to include on the auction bill. It will add to the evening’s enjoyment (and even better, you can earn some extra cash to cover your own auction purchases!)

 

Please send your auction listings to Tim Holthaus by Monday, August 16th, so Tim and Jim can include them in the auction program. Listings received after that date may not appear in the program, due to printing deadlines. As always, however, we will do our best to accept a limited number of “last-minute” submissions on the evening of the auction, depending on time available. Auction listings should be emailed to Tim at: tjholthaus@tandj.us.

 

For your reference, a complete rundown of “Auction Guidelines” appeared in the Spring edition of CAS Collectors Quarterly.

 

(Remember: only those attending the 2010 Convention will have the opportunity to bid in the Auction.)

 

“ON DISPLAY” 2010:  FAIR GAME!

 

Our seventh annual “On Display Contest” will again present a fun-filled creative challenge for Convention-goers. This has become one of our most anticipated Convention activities, and we know the entries for 2010 will shine even more brightly than those of the past! Here are all the details:

 

Each attendee is invited to bring creative displays showing off CAS figurines to their best advantage. There are 12 display categories, and each Convention-goer may have a total of three entries. While other ceramics may be included, CAS pieces must make up the bulk of any figurines included in the display. Decorations and accessories of any and every kind are acceptable -- whether display stands, cabinets, flowers, furniture, background pieces, or what-have-you. Display setup begins at 5:15 pm Saturday evening.  Judging will be done that evening by all Convention attendees, and terrific prizes will once again be awarded in all 12 categories, plus a “Best of Show” award to the overall favorite entry. (Plus, this year there’ll even be an additional “On Display” prize-winner, drawn from the names of all those who submit at least one contest entry!)

 

Here are this year’s categories — some old, some new, some tied directly to our 2010 Convention theme, “An All-American CAS Celebration” – but each and every one a winner!

 

  • “Most Imaginative” (The “Millie, Flossie, Martha, & Rose Memorial Award”)
  • “Funniest” (The “Reuben Sand Memorial Award”)
  •  “Best Use of Accessories (CAS or non-CAS)” (The “Sid Foye Memorial Award”)
  • “Raciest” (The “Margaret Purucker Memorial Award”)
  • “The Mighty Midway: Best Use of CAS Figurines in a Carnival Setting”
  • “Step Right Up: Best Use of CAS Figurines in a Sideshow Setting”
  • “4-H Forever: Best Use of CAS Children Figurines in a Fair Setting”
  • “Animal Fair: Best Use of CAS Animal Figurines in a Fair Setting”
  • “A Little Bit Country: Best Use of CAS Figurines to Depict A Country Song”
  •  “That’s America To Me: Best Patriotic-Themed Use of CAS Figures”
  • “An All-American CAS Celebration: Display Best Conveying Our Convention Theme”
  • “As Betty Intended: Display Best Capturing The Style and Spirit of Betty Harrington”

 

What a lineup! A dozen delectable categories, plus the “Best of Show” prize winner to be voted on from the winning entries in those categories.  As always, there’ll be plenty of colorful and creative entries on view -- meaning plenty of great new display ideas for all of us!

 

CONVENTION 2010: “AN ALL-AMERICAN CAS CELEBRATION”!

 

IT’S THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (or at least in Madison) !

 

When? Saturday, August 28th! Where? Madison’s Howard Johnson Plaza!

Why?  Why not??

 

MEET YOU AT THE FAIR!