I have been to about 20 or so full registrations at the conventions. I was a trustee for GSBF for 5 years as well as chairman of the Grants and Scholarship Program for GSBF. (I have Boon's thank you letter). The banquet on Saturday night is where all the awards are given out for the year. New members to the board, trustees and chairs are recognized (sometimes) the prize for small club newsletter and large club newsletter are given out. Every other year the outgoing President speaks and the new President is introduced for a boring speech. The chairs for the next years Convention make their pitch as to why you should not miss their convention as it promises to be the best yet and the talent for the next convention is introduced, sometimes with a video showing all the sights available for the patrons. Most of this takes place while dinner is served.
All of the headliner trees are brought in and the talent introduced for a round of applause or boos depending on who comes. As the dishes are cleared and desert is served the demo trees are auctioned off. Many reach into the thousands and are a great deal if you came prepared to spend that much money. Trees from collections are auctioned sometimes too as well as dead members who have donated their collection to the convention to raise money.
Then finally John Thompson will begin the raffle which can take 45 minutes to go through the Sat. nite banquet table of goodies. I buy tickets $100.00 at a time to get all the colors. They sell five colors so if you don't purchase all of them you could be out of the running when John calls yellow ticket and you have none.
Whole thing lasts about three hours. If your lucky Kathy Shaner will call the meeting of Caca-kai to order in a banquet room. That can last till 2 AM.
There are lunches and and other meals where there are raffles also like Friday nite and Sunday afternoon. Tickets are good for all the raffles. GSBF's way of getting you to stay for the whole thing and spend more money. Money well spent, right?
My ole friend Harry Hirao with a fist full of yellow tickets
This tree by Ryan Neil went for less than $3000.00
