Why isn't there one of these....

[Darth_Danton]

Why do they not have like a west and east coast saber dueling convention or something... Like a big old warehouse or something where people can get together and just have a fun day battling it out with friends and strangers alike!

[Master Lucien Kane]

It's a logistical nightmare to plan, and execute... Not to mention the saber world is kind of clique'ey and many communities just don't mesh well... For this to work well we'd need someone to unify all of the saber communities, and there's bad blood between many of them.

I for one would love to do this, It's just really difficult to plan.

[Darth_Danton]

If i had a place big enough to house it, i would try to tackle the nightmare lol

[Master Rel]

Legality is the main issue i would suspect.

Your best bet is to find one of the Jedi academies/gyms like

Saberwars
http://www.saberwars.com/

New jedi Order
http://www.newjediorder.org/

NY Jedi
http://newyorkjedi.com/

LA Jedi
http://rougejedi.proboards.com/index.cgi

MD Jedi
http://thecffa.com/coskumite.html

NJ Jedi
http://www.newjerseyjedi.com/index2.html

CT Jedi
http://www.saberwars.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=79

Chicago Jedi
http://www.saberwars.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=67

[Master Lucien Kane]

Hmm Legality shouldn't be an issue... as long as it's just a bunch of guys meeting up to duel... If we were meeting up to showcase vendors then that might be a problem... It would have to be a saberland swap meet of sorts.

[Darth_Danton]

The only problem is i live so far away from each of those gyms..

[Darth_Danton]

You are right legality could be a huge issue, but it all depends on the kind of person, most people i hope wouldnt try to make it a legal issue if they got hurt

[Master Lucien Kane]

It would have to be regulated and staffed with trained professionals... which in our field of expertise is hard to come by. Not to mention that staffed instructor/trainers costs money. Unless they just want to donate their time.

[Master Rel]

Hmm Legality shouldn't be an issue... as long as it's just a bunch of guys meeting up to duel... If we were meeting up to showcase vendors then that might be a problem... It would have to be a saberland swap meet of sorts.

Legality would be a HUGE deal.

I could see a minimum of a 2-3 million dollar event policy as a starting point...that works out to a single payment of $5-8k and $20-30 per person...

This sort of event would draw the best and worst of possibility...there are a lot of true wack jobs out there.

Now a sponsored event with every single person having to be a member of one group or another, established contact with someone who can stand for them...then maybe.

But if you gather 10, 50, or 100 people to conduct light saber duels, something is going to happen.

Not meaning malicious, but rather the potential for slips, trips, falls...opps I'm so sorries...I don't know what happened officer, he just grabbed his chest and slumped over...ahhhh my hand/fingers/eye/etc...and so forth.

A group of 5-10, that is easy to manage and deal with...50-100 now there are some logistics involved...will the event supply water, medial aid, rooms, insurance, where will it be held, permissions needed, laws broken?, is there and age limit, can anyone participate, inspections of equipment, restrictions on equipment (why can't I use my steel rebar saber? it is my practice saber), clothing requirements/restrictions, safety equipment...required? will it be supplied? one size fits all?, weight classes, experience classes, age classes, etc.

I suspect you would need to consider a value of $200-250 per person per day...break this down for a whole event...100 people @$225 = $22,500 minimum cash on hand to pay for sanitation, required fees, setup/cleanup, event location, security/police, ambulance retainer, lawyer retainer, insurance deductible, etc....so a two day event for 100, $45,000 in the kitty.

Now all this is just the way it is...that all said I would be 100% up for being involved and participating.

LARPers get away with it because they use padded and generally safe toys...I had a lawyer friend comment on this very thing when I was live steel training "if you are not willing to be smacked in the head with your tool of choice then it is not even worth considering safe play"

Big foam play weapon, whack hahahahha that was a good one.

Light saber, whack hahahaaoo ah aaah John you ok?...oh no, someone call 911...

[Master Lucien Kane]

That's one of the main reasons I'm working on lightsaber specific safety gear... That way it would be safer to duel.

That being said here would be some things to think about...

Only members of saber clubs dueling clubs, saber forums would be allowed to register... Must be a member for at least x amount of time.

Dueling would be handled tournament style with a "master" overseeing each duel. There would be a certain amount of dueling circles allotted and then anyone not in a dueling circle could be going through drills, getting instruction on techniques, or checking out various sabers for sale.

There would likely be a limit on how many people could come

Edit: I.E. There would be 200 spots for duelists, and x amount of spots for sabersmiths to come and showcase their work.

It would be first come first serve with no preference to any community. Any smith could donate sabers for raffles or just to be showcased. I already know the area I would hold it.

[Waxman]

This is an idea that could potentially function in the future, kind of like Renaissance Faire's.

Instead of one convention, there would have to be multiple conventions where vendors can sell their products and a patron might witness staged performances by separate guilds and groups all acting under a central figure, be it the Chancellor, Grand Master or Grand Darth or possibly even Naboo Queen for all continuity sake.

Obviously, legality is a big issue, but just like Ren. Faires, there would probably be a separate caste of performers, much like the jousters and the other guilds can put on shows within their own guild-yards or territories.  They could also probably do joint-performances between other guilds, but again, it would have to have some sort of safety net, like maybe someone could construct a fun-noodle with a hole big enough to fit it over a saber?  That would probably work.

Unfortunately, the only things we know about SW in terms of theatrics, is the lightsaber dueling, the force, the technology, the military and bounty hunters, only the popular races and the Jedi.

Other than maybe Blue-Milk, some sort of Corn Soup, a Pear, and a Butter-Finger as food rations, we really don't have a very good perspective on the culture and general living environment of the day-to-day citizen.  We know about pod-racing and some sort of Zero-G water dance, but nothing specific.
Sure the books help expand it, but usually when a kid thinks of Renaissance Faire, they think of a Turkey Leg almost immediately, at least in terms of food.  We have movies to thank for that.  Star Wars up until the Clone Wars, hasn't really put an emphasis on the plethora of cultures in the SW universe, so unfortunately, most kids don't really know anything other than Rebels, Jedi, Sith, and Empire.

Basically, it could work, but SW would have to be so immensely popular, (which it is) but to the point where there are tons of vendors and tons of guilds, not just 6-8 official ones.  Small groups could pass as there tends to be a different guild but the same general idea in a specific state, but they would still have to have SW-accurate apparel, items and general appearance.

Unfortunately, there will always be competition and politics between vendors and guilds.  That's just the nature of business and groups.  There will always be conflict and seldom does it get resolved.  I have witnessed tons of conflict during my time at Ren. Faires, as I am part of a guild.  I seldom choose to get involved, but it is sad to see.  It's kind of like the Senate in the SW-Mythos.  Lots of talking behind backs and smear campaigns all in the vain attempt to get some sort of favorable position of power, even for just a few weeks.

Anyways, I've talked enough.  You have a cool idea though Darth_Danton.

[Luna]

I like Waxman's idea... more of a fair than a convention. If it was just a dueling convention I would be hesitant in the utmost to participate, as there are tons of noobs out there who don't know anything beyond what they've seen in movies... eyes would roll, in and out of their sockets.

[Master Lucien Kane]

Pool noodles fit right over a 1'' blade rather nicely.

I feel there is enough to go off of to make a good fair type setting

Correlian Whiskey

Nerf steak

Acklay salad.

Tarisian salad.

Ride the Reek.

I could think of a ton of things.

[Luna]

There is a ton of information regarding civilians in SW, wander Wookieepedia for long enough and you'll see.

[Master Uilos]

I like Waxman's idea... more of a fair than a convention. If it was just a dueling convention I would be hesitant in the utmost to participate, as there are tons of noobs out there who don't know anything beyond what they've seen in movies... eyes would roll, in and out of their sockets.

Yeah, I'd be hesitant if there was only Sparring/Dueling. LucasArts doesn't cotton much to the whole "Whacking with sticks" thing, and to be perfectly frank, anything remotely centered around Star Wars that he doesn't have some kind of spin control over. As far as LucasArts are concerned, they have Celebration, they're fine. So getting a place, vendors, space, permits, that isn't too much of a problem (I know too many promoters for it to be) but it's going to be Lucas protecting it's own ass in this.

One of the major things we can do to make sure Uncle George's Nazgul lawyers (That's right folks, they're so evil they aren't even from the same Universe!) doesn't have much to hit us with is to only focus on non-licesened materials. Ie; no replicas, modded or otherwise.