Darren,

Overall, the presentations I attended or heard about were "decent" or "good" and of reasonably consistent quality.  This year I only attended four myself ("Rural Wit & Wisdom", "The Stu Osthoff/Rob Kesselring Show",  "Survival Sense" & Deb Kraiker's presentation on preparing meal plans for wilderness tripping).  Deb Kraiker's presentation was - by far - the best of THAT lot.  By the way, I hope your Rutabaga observers took note of presentations where room size didn't nearly match the flood of interested folks.  Deb Kraiker's presentation was a good example of where the room was NO match.  What an overflow mob!

Where I think you might improve some would be in the accuracy & detail level of the promotional piece relative to each show.  For instance, I guessed very wrong on the Jerry Apps "Wit & Wisdom" presentation based upon the content available in the promotional material.  Nice guy, decent presentation for the right crowd but Jerry was serving pablum when what I was looking for was steak.  Many of us here are looking for more advanced canoe-tripping related stuff specifically related to Quetico, the BWCA, Woodland Caribou, Wabakimi, etc..  I've heard several comments from QJer's about how they walked away from a presentation or two feeling like they were served very "intro" type material versus what they were hoping for.  In short, you might do well to consider offering more advanced trip-oriented programs for heavily-experienced Copia visitors.  Personally, IF I attend Copia next year, it is NOT likely to be "programming" that brings me back (unless I see more of what I've mentioned above).  Nor is it likely to be the "opportunity to purchase gear" that brings me back... despite my severe "buying" addiction (even I have limits!).  I'm not seeing the stuff I'm really looking for.  I've driven from the Twin Cities for 7-8 straight years, I'm stocked up on all the fundamental equipment, and I'm looking more for high-tech niche items (example: didn't see any hammock tents, GPS equipment, SPOT Messengers, etc.; maybe I didn't look hard enough).

That's not to say I won't attend Copia & make a day of it (though I'm not likely to buy all-weekend passes as in the past).  Your great event has become mainly a marvelous social opportunity for many of us here.  The folks on the other Canoe Country discussion boards probably feel much the same way.  I submit, however, that you may be missing opportunities to market niche stuff that well-seasoned crowds may be seeking.  Also, there are presentation-types that I've not seen much of at Copia.  I suspect if you were to ask members of these boards what shows & products they would like to see (six months in advance), the lists of presenters & sponsors would differ considerably from yours.   Perhaps you are limited in this respect by vendors currently supplying Rutabaga?  I simply don't know....

Please understand I do not mean to tell you WHO your market should be.  You know where you make money (&, as my wife would tell you, you have certainly earned a LOT of mine!) better than I do.  I simply believe you are missing opportunities.  I also suspect that many of the more experienced folks (such as those who frequent these boards) may be finding less of what they are looking for IN the Alliant Center and more of it over at the local restaurants where they meet up with their discussion board pals.

You continue to run a great show with CanoeCopia (as evidenced by the crowds).  However, for me the show itself was "greater" years ago than it is for me now.  I'm sure it is just fine for a lot of the folks you sell to.  Nevertheless, to be a truly great show for folks like me again will require significant change to both programming & gear offerings.

Thanks for your contributions to our QJ luncheon "door prizes" and, in general, to this forum.   Your event has brought a lot of us together and, for that, we will always be thankful.

That's how I see it, anyway.  Thanks for asking.

Jimbo   8-)