HPEF soliciting bids for 2007 Event

[Penny]

HP Education Fanon, Inc. (HPEF), the organization behind Nimbus - 
2003, The 
Witching Hour and Lumos, is currently accepting bids for a symposium 
for 
2007. While the HPEF Board will entertain bids for any host city, 
its 
preference at this time is a destination in the mainland United 
States. The 
successful bid team will need to submit its proposal for an event 
preferrably in July or August 2007 by March 31, 2006 in order to 
have 
sufficient time for organizing. HPEF does not require that any bid 
plan for 
an event in July or August 2007, though those particular summer 
months offer 
optimal attendance opportunities for most attendees of past HPEF 
events. As 
2007 is the tenth anniversary of the publication of the first Harry 
Potter 
book, HPEF is particularly interested in observing this milestone 
with a 
gathering of HP fans and academics equally dedicated to examination 
and 
celebration of this landmark book series.

While HPEF is most interested in bids for events in the Midwest 
(Chicago, 
Indianapolis, St. Louis, Dallas, etc.), so that we can better serve 
a part 
of the country that has not previously hosted an HPEF symposium 
(those 
locations being Orlando, Salem and Las Vegas), we will consider any 
bid team 
proposing to hold an event in a city possessing the following 
qualities:

* a hotel or convention center able to accommodate 1000-1500 
attendees for 
panels, presentations and/or workshops, including large keynote 
presentations and movie screenings

* a city near a significant transportation hub (to keep airfare 
costs down 
for attendees)

* one or more hotels within a short walk from the presentation space 
willing 
to set aside a significant block of rooms at a reasonable rate for 
1000-1500 
attendees (if the same hotel is not being used for the presentations)

* facilities priced at a level that will allow HPEF to keep the 
entry fee as 
low as possible for attendees while still providing quality 
accommodations 
and an appropriate atmosphere

Please write to the HPEF Board of Directors for more information 
about our 
bid process: hpeducationfanon at ...

HPEF is also prepared to assist bid teams who may not have a "theme" 
in mind 
for a symposium; the HPEF board will be posting several possible 
ideas for 
symposium themes on the website, which may either be used by bid 
teams or 
inspire bid teams to create their own themes. The theme does not 
need to be 
in place before the bid is submitted; HPEF is most interested in 
seeing a 
dedicated group of individuals who have the capacity and vision to 
plan an 
event that would help HPEF in fulfilling its educational goals. We 
can offer 
assistance to an accepted bid team when it comes to theme and other 
aspects 
of the event, such as acquiring special guests, and do not wish 
potential 
teams to feel stymied if they have not worked out all thematic 
aspects of 
the bid prior to submitting it.

If you are interested in putting together a bid team but do not know 
of 
others who may be similarly interested, there is a special forum 
that has 
been created on the Lumos discussion boards, so that you and others 
can find 
each other and begin to plan your bid. Go to:

http://lumos2006.org/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=11


HPEF is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the state of Texas, 
founded 
in 2002 to promote and produce educational Harry Potter themed 
symposia on 
an international scale. HPEF is committed to producing high-quality 
events 
that combine a professional and academic focus with the light-
hearted spirit 
of the Harry Potter series for scholar and fan alike.