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Planner's Perspective

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Mary Ann Sell
Member
National Stereoscopic Assn.
Portland, Ore.


Describe your event.

We had our seven-day annual convention in Boise in July. There were about 450 attendees, and we used The Grove Hotel and the Boise Centre on the Grove for all our workshops and trade show. We are a nonprofit that promotes study, collection and use of stereographs, stereo cameras and related materials.

Why did you decide to host the meeting in Boise?
We have a member there who agreed to be the chair and help with arrangements. Also, Boise invited us.

What surprised you the most about Boise?
At first, our members were reluctant about going there because they knew nothing about it. After the meeting, we received nothing but enthusiastic praise for the city.

What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
We are photographers, and all the side trips we did were just grand—rafting, hikes up the Sawtooth Mountains and a trip to the Old Pen. They were very different activities compared to things we do in other cities, like visits to gardens and museums. I think they also enjoyed all the great restaurants downtown, some open even on Sunday evenings, which is not the case in a lot of other cities. A good number of eating places and shops are independent and local, and they really enjoyed those.

How does Boise compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
It is one of the top two—next to Riverside, Calif., another city where everything you need is right downtown and close by. I call Boise a “big little city.” It has everything you want without some of the minuses of a big urban area. For our group, there were fantastic photo opportunities everywhere in and out of the city. It’s also a great city for those who want to get into the Old West culture. The locals are among the friendliest people we have ever encountered. It is a great community and we would love to return, though our organization doesn’t often repeat destinations.