A Message to our Community
Dear friends,
Everfree Northwest would not be possible without the incredible support of our fandom community. This year, as with every year, we rely on the goodwill and enthusiasm of our attendees to support the convention with revenue from badge sales, high-floor hotel room sales, Sponsor+ registrations, and other purchases. Your support is not something we take for granted, and we are committed to delivering the best convention experience we possibly can.
In the interest of transparency, we would like to take a moment to inform you of some unique challenges that have arisen with respect to planning for EFNW 2024.
Conventions are expensive to run. Each year, the revenue we accrue through badge sales and other purchases quickly goes to work in order to prepare for the con. We do not accumulate excess funds; every penny leftover from one year immediately goes towards planning for the next. During good years we end up with a decent financial "cushion" to ensure we are in good shape to meet those upcoming obligations.
A number of circumstances have resulted in a different picture this year. Among those circumstances are expenses from last year exceeding what had been projected in a few key areas as well as underwhelming performance in sales particularly in regard to VIP autographs and certain sponsor-level perks. Additionally, an arrangement regarding charity funds not being fulfilled as anticipated has thus far resulted in the con essentially having to double-pay in order to meet obligations to our charity partner. This continues to be an evolving situation, and we are still working towards a resolution to recover the originally misplaced funds amicably.
To be entirely clear: The con currently has no outstanding financial debts. All obligations to the hotel, equipment vendors, and our charity partner have been met in full.
However, in order to make good on those obligations, we had to dip into funds from the current con cycle - funds which normally would be going towards planning for this coming year and not towards paying off last year.
This has significantly reduced the normal "cushion" of funds we should normally have at this time of year, leading to unusually difficult challenges and additional stress in our planning for EFNW 2024.
We are fully committed to accomplishing our mission of bringing Equestria to Earth for three days in 2024. To make that happen, we are asking for your help.
Everfree Northwest is seeking to raise up to $50,000 in order to ensure security for the con’s future, and to reduce financial and mental burdens on key members of our team. Measures are being taken to evaluate our budgeting and decision-making strategies and prevent any future shortfalls. Required changes to our approach have already been positively identified, and we will be implementing these changes for EFNW 2024 and beyond.
As a first step towards keeping the con on-track for this year and years to come, we are happy to announce the EFNW 2024 Registration Drive.
As with previous years, 3-day badge prices are set to increase incrementally over the course of the year. To help bridge our funding gap, we have decided to extend the current $60 price beyond its usual date of increase. From now until 11:59pm PST on Friday, 12/1, you can purchase your 3-day registration at $60! This is the lowest price that will ever be offered for this year. On 12/2, the price for a 3-day badge will increase to $70.
Purchases of badges during this period will go a long way towards raising the funds we need when we need them most. We also encourage attendees to consider purchasing Patron and Sponsor+ badges as well as Zephyr Heights Rise (High View) room reservations during this time. The purchase of Zephyr Heights Rise rooms directly through EFNW is one of the most effective ways to support the con. These luxurious and comfortable accommodations are located high in the upper floors of the Hyatt Regency towers and offer a variety of stunning views of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, Lake Washington, and Downtown Bellevue.
Our first goal for this Registration Drive is to sell 150 badges. Additionally, we are happy to offer a special perk for the purchase of Zephyr Heights Rise (High View) rooms:
If we sell out of our initial stock of Zephyr Heights Rise rooms by December 31st, we will be able to bring back custom souvenir EFNW hotel room key cards for all attendees staying at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue for EFNW 2024.
We are also excited to be bringing back Spirit Badges for those who wish to support the con but are not sure whether they will be able to attend this year.
It’s important to us that all of our attendees get something of true value in return for their continued support. We hope this Registration Drive will be an opportunity for attendees to save money on registration while also helping to support the convention during a difficult time.
We humbly ask for your support: If you are already planning to attend EFNW 2024, please consider buying your badge sooner rather than later.
If you would like to support the con by other means, your tax-deductible donations are always appreciated. Visit https://everfreenw.com/donate to donate directly. Everfree Northwest is a project of Pegasi Northwest, a 501(c)(3) federal nonprofit charitable organization.
Please keep an eye on our social media for additional information and updates regarding our current situation.
Thank you all for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you in August!
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The Chairs and Board of Everfree Northwest 2024