Frequently Asked Questions

While we obviously don’t have any frequently asked questions yet (we’ve just finished writing this thing!), we've tried to anticipate some of your questions, and get those answered up front. We’ll add more as we go on, but here are a few things you might be wondering about:

Q: What are the dates again?
A: We have selected Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, 2007 to be the official dates for Convergence 13, if we win the vote. These are great dates for many reasons, first and foremost because it gives many people an extra day to explore and party in Portland – Monday, May 28th is a national holiday, and many folks have that day off. For anyone wanting to extend their stay, Thursday through Monday gives them five days. And we’re planning activities for those days, to ensure our guests have fun and interesting things to do. Also, Convergence has for many years been a spring event, with a few exceptions. If we move backwards to April, we’re too early in spring, and the weather might not cooperate. Move it later, and we’re into the summer months, which translates into higher travel and hotel expenses.

Q: What about the weather?
A: The weather in Portland at the end of May is mild during the day, and cool at night. Daytime temperatures will most likely be in the 60’s-70’s, conducive to just about any style of dress you may choose to wear – vinyl, velvet, etc.

Q: Doesn’t it rain a lot there?
A: The amount of rainfall in the Portland area is about 37-40 inches per year – the same as most US east coast cities. Whereas it can rain 2-3 inches in a hour or two in Washington, DC, or many mid-western areas, it will take days to accumulate 2-3 inches in Portland. Nevertheless, we are in the Pacific Northwest, so there is always the chance of rain. In keeping with our Victorian theme, consider bringing a parasol (or umbrella). Also, we will be planning alternate activities, in the unlikely case that any outdoor event is rained out.

Q: What about the theme? Do I have to dress Victorian Goth?
A: No. As with other Convergences, the theme exists only as a fun and playful context in which we wrap our activities. We know that some people are going to go all out and do the Victorian thing, and for others, Victorian is not their thing. One of the beautiful things about our scene is the degree of diversity within it. Just be yourself and have fun!

Q: What hotel will we be using?
A: The Hilton Portland & Executive Suites. There’s a big section on where and why in the body of this proposal, or to view their website, you can click here.

Q: What if I don’t want to stay at the Hilton?
A: Portland has dozens of large and small boutique hotels to choose from within the hotel core, many with very competitive rates. We recommend, though, that you stay at the Hilton for a couple of reasons: Proximity to activities being held in the hotel, convenient shuttle service to many daytime activities and of course the evening events, and proximity to other attendees. We do understand that even with these benefits not everyone will stay at the same hotel, so we will provide a list of recommended alternate hotels that will fit a range of budgets and needs.

Q: How much will you charge for a ticket?
A: We hope to keep ticket prices as low as possible, in the $55-$60 range. To do this, we want to implement strategies that will help reduce costs – for example, offering some of the extracurricular activities ala carte, so you’re only paying for activities you want to attend, and by offering many free activities, such as the Picnic at the Pittock. If we win, we want to use our site as a polling space, too – when you buy your ticket you’ll have the opportunity to select items from a list that you have an interest in. This information will help us plan/schedule our activities according to interest. It’s not scientific, of course, but it will help.

Q: What do I get for that price?
A: Your C13 laminate will get you into all of the activities and services we offer at the hotel, C13 shuttle service, and all of the evening events, including the bands and DJ’s (of course!). Many of the activities we’re planning are free. Some tours, including the Chinese Classical Garden and Shanghai Tunnel Ghost Tours, will charge a nominal fee. We are working with those places to achieve a reduced group rate, but even the regular rates are just a few dollars. Some of the daytime activities, such as the Murder Mystery Dinner and Tea Party are not included in the price of the ticket.

Q: What forms of payment will you accept?
A: We’re looking at checks, money order, and PayPal right now, but there are also a wide variety of online credit card processing options to consider. For checks, we will of course need to wait until your check clears before sending the ticket.

Q: I’m 18. Can I get into the evening events?
A: Yes, even the pre and post Convergence parties. Just like anywhere else in the country, you have to be 21 or over to drink, but you can enjoy all of the events and activities we’re planning, even if you’re in the 18-21 age range.

Q: What about booze? I heard Oregon has very strict liquor laws...
A: Oregon has some very strange liquor control issues, few of which have a direct impact at the consumer level. One issue that we do need to plan for is that the laws provide no incentive for a liquor store to stay open past 6PM. The solution is simple – just catch us on the daily Apothecary Run (read: booze run via shuttle), and stock up. Alternately, you can find a wide variety of beer and wine in restaurants, brewpubs, and wine bars open late downtown, and you can drink at the venue, which serves alcohol until 2:00am. If you want to be drunk in Portland, there’s no reason not to be.

Q: What time does the venue close?
A: For Convergence, the Crystal will extend its normal hours until 3 or 4 am (we’re still negotiating that point.) The bar does by law have to stop selling alcohol at 2:00. If you really need the alcohol to keep flowing, simply head back to the hotel for a room party, or stay at the club and dance – both good choices.

Q: Can I smoke in the hotel/venue?
A: At the hotel, if you book a smoking room, you can smoke in the room. There are also designated smoking areas in the public places of the hotel. At the club, you may smoke all you want.

Q: How will you conduct your DJ selection process?
A: We plan on following the tried-and-true “blind taste test.” Basically, we’ll accept submissions, copy them onto a CD with a number only, and then sit the committee down to give them a listen. We’ll select the best qualified DJ’s based on the quality of the set, with no worries about politics and whatnot.

Q: What about bands?
A: For reasons most people understand, bands are a non-issue at this point – it’s way too early to predict the availability of any band at this time. Rest assured, the Portland C13 committee has years of experience in bringing together live musical events, and we’ll work very hard to bring the best to C13.

Q: How do I contact the Portland Committee?
A: You may email us directly at pdxc13[NOSPAM]@yahoo.com directly. Please include the nature of your inquiry in the subject line so we can forward it to the appropriate committee member.