The 33rd Annual “LAST” Chicago CoCoFEST! Saturday Jam Session
The 33rd Annual “LAST” Chicago CoCoFEST! Day 2
The 33rd Annual “LAST” Chicago CoCoFEST! Day 1
CoCoFEST! Eve
‘Twas the night before CoCoFEST, when all through the hall
The prez had just closed the room with “last call!”;
The computers were arranged on the tables with care,
In hopes that there would be some power to spare;
The faithful’d arrived via drive, ride, or flight,
Enjoying the chatting far into the night;
The emcee had long ago left for some sleep,
To get up early for a show time to keep.
We’ve projects aplenty, for attendees to view,
And relevant talks from voices both old and new.
There’s vendors in spades, with something to sell,
I may’ve snapped up bargains, I’ll never tell.
If you can’t come Friday, don’t you dare start to fret,
We’ve a complete second day, so time you have yet.
With double the fun, and double the talk,
I dare you to find a reason to balk.
The auction’s the highlight of our second day,
Jason’s back to drive up prices, in his special way.
The meal has been catered, if you paid for your share,
Then back to the hall and music jam if you dare.
Now, CoCo! now, MC-10! now, Dragon! and Alice!
Choose your favorite, but don’t harbor malice.
All are good friends with a passion to show,
We hope you’ll leave here much more in the know.
So, come to the fest, in person or on line,
Your presence alone will make the show shine,
But, take all your stuff, pack it out as you dash,
We’d hate to render precious items into the trash.
Have a great time, with friends new and old,
Try something new, go big and go bold.
Learn something new, go from not knowing to clear
Do this again, at about this time next year!
20 IF COCOFEST > 1 AND COCOFEST < 3 THEN GOTO 30: REM PACK AND TRAVEL
It’s hard to believe it’s almost here. Safe travels to those on the road or getting up earlier for a flight. Remember to cushion your CoCo, it’s not a fan of bumpy rides!
As we get ready to enjoy another show, here’s a reminder of the 2024 show:
10 TODAY = CoCoFEST – 3
I’m writing this as I pack up for the show, and I assume others are as well, especially if they have long drives. It’s 2025, the 45th anniversary of the birth of the CoCo (unless you count the proto CoCo units), and all the snow has melted, so it’s time for the fest.
With our expanded Friday/Saturday schedule this year, I’m excited about our schedule and having more time to exhibit, visit with friends, and hopefully catch a few more presentations (I’m always running around and so have trouble catching them live.) Where you are attending physically or virtually, I hope you enjoy the new format. As always, though, these things are experiments, so let us know how you get on with the 2025 show.
It’s not every year that a piece of history shows up at the fest, but 2024 saw Brian Wieseler and L. Curtis Boyle show off a working rare Color Computer Deluxe. Seeing a boot screen that gives TI 99/4A boot vibes is a bit unnerving, but it’s interesting to think of what might have been:
Glenside Club Meeting: Thursday April 10, 2025 @ 7:30PM Central
CoCoFEST! Final Planning
We’re within the 30 day mark now, and the main hall is completely sold out (Don’t worry, there are still some tables left in our overflow area as well as the hallway :-). I’m making a plea for someone to sign up for a table in the hallway to keep poor AJ from Forgotten Machines and his rolling exhibit table company, as we like AJ and don’t want him to be lonely!
This is our last virtual get together before we converge on the Carol Stream Holiday Inn, so bring any last minute questions or plans to our meeting. If you’re planning to attend in person, get registered at tandylist.com, so I know how you want your badge printed! And, if you’re an exhibitor or presenter, I hope you’re putting the finishing touches on your work. (nothing this comes from an avid procrastinator)
The show will double as our May meeting, as is customary, so we’ll be taking a break until our June meeting after the show. As I’ve said in past months, I hope to see you all at the show!
Please join us this Thursday. As is standard, We will open the call a bit early at 7PM for some discussion and to help anyone with “technical difficulties”.
To join the Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82797367585?pwd=OUxibkJaR2N1SUtSOU9EUUlYeXBJQT09
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: GCCC
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,82797367585#,,,,*686821# (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: 686821
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdIAqFZbZR
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYqfu6rqDwvEtGPAHF62Rhv1v5lakjdaO9W/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGqqTItGdKStRGCRpwQB4r4KOnwpmZYj7d6rD7NJXYBUAvgZ_QXPrN0GtzR
For those unable to join us on Zoom or have prior commitments, we will livestream and have a replay available on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFk2dMxcjJcX2qbSqFHQMbA). Recently, Facebook has made it harder to stream to their platform, but I’ll keep trying to stream to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/290791956162).
Calling All CoCo Connoisseurs, Again!
Like clockwork, another year brings another “Last” Chicago CoCoFEST! Just one month from today (May 2 and 3, 2025), we’ll all be congregating at the grand ballroom of the Carol Stream, IL Holiday Inn to kickoff the 33rd annual pilgrimage to the Chicago area. Just as in 2024, exhibits will occupy multiple spaces in the hotel, including the actual hallway. Though probably not as scary as his other hobby of stormchasing, CoCoFEST coordinator Grant Leighty is trying to cram all of the presentations into the 2 full day Friday/Saturday speaker schedule, which will soon be available at https://www.glensideccc.com/cocofest/.
Did you catch that? Yes, for the first time in 2025, the show is moving from a full Saturday and a partial Sunday show to a full day Friday and full day Saturday show. Sunday will now be reserved for teardown and cleanup. We know many folks travel from far off places every year, and this should provide more travel flexibility. We’re always looking for ways to make the show more enjoyable for you, so let us know your thoughts on this change and how else we could improve the show.
Contrary to rumors, the “Last” in quotes in the event name does not mean we’ve decided forgo holding a future one. But, it does take funds to put on a successful event. I want to thank in advance our vendors and exhibitors, who have purchased tables, as well as all of those folks who bid on the “No Minimum Bid Auction” items. All of those proceeds are earmarked to pay for the event space.
If you’re considering joining us in Carol Stream, there’s no better time than now to take advantage of the room rate. Like last year, attendee admission is free, though we really appreciate pre-registration via www.tandylist.com. Also as in previous years, we are offering a catered evening meal at the hotel, and you can order tickets at that web site. Finally, please consider joining GCCC or renewing your membership during your pre-registration.
You still have time, but a month goes by quickly. If you’ve not yet made plans, now is the time. And, if you’re presenting or exhibiting, time is running out! We hope to see you May 2 and 3 for the 33rd Annual “Last” Chicago CoCoFEST!
Glenside Club Meeting: Thursday March 13, 2025 @ 7:30PM Central
CoCoFEST! Main Hall almost Sold Out!
With less than 50 days remaining until our 2025 show, I see only 2 unclaimed tables in our main exhibit hall. I think that pretty much says it all :-). It’s going to be a great show this year, and Grant assures me that our speaker lineup is progressing well. A point to note for 2025, in case you didn’t notice. We’ve moved the show from Sat/Sun to Fri/Sat. Doing so assists those who need the bulk of Sunday for return travel arrangements. It’s an experiment, of a sort, so please let us know if you attend and have an opinion on it (did it help, hurt, doesn’t matter, etc.)
It’s probably also relevant to talk about the next month or two, since a few shows will be occurring in the next 60 days.
I’m not familiar with the Interim Computer Festival, but it sounds like it’s the old VCF-PNW show that’s regrouping. I know we have some Pacific Northwest folks (Hi Mark!) in our midst, so if you’re also in the area, block out March 21-23.
One of the older (maybe oldest) multi-platform shows, VCF East, kicks off April (April 4-6) at InfoAge in New Jersey. If you can make the trek, it’s a very impressive show as well as facility. The CoCo is represented, along with some of the other TRS-80 platforms, vying for attention alongside everything from the VAX to the Xerox Star. I try to attend with a table every other year (this one I’m sitting out), though I am confident some of our East Coast members will be there if you want to commune with other Glenside CoCo enthusiasts,
The following weekend, the Indianapolis Vintage Computer Club will host IndyClassic near the Indianapolis airport (April 12-13). I will be exhibiting at this show and would love for you to stop by and chat. I’d love to see more CoCo exhibits at this show, but I’ll ensure the platform and the club is represented.
And then, with 2 weeks to rest, it’s time to head to Wheaton for our show. I do hope you’re able to join us in person, as I do think that’s a preferred way to enjoy our show, but if not, I hope you can make it to one of the other shows and/or visit the fest online, as we’ll be streaming as in the past.
Please join us this Thursday. As is standard, We will open the call a bit early at 7PM for some discussion and to help anyone with “technical difficulties”.
To join the Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82797367585?pwd=OUxibkJaR2N1SUtSOU9EUUlYeXBJQT09
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: GCCC
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,82797367585#,,,,*686821# (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: 686821
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdIAqFZbZR
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYqfu6rqDwvEtGPAHF62Rhv1v5lakjdaO9W/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGqqTItGdKStRGCRpwQB4r4KOnwpmZYj7d6rD7NJXYBUAvgZ_QXPrN0GtzR
For those unable to join us on Zoom or have prior commitments, we will livestream and have a replay available on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFk2dMxcjJcX2qbSqFHQMbA). Recently, Facebook has made it harder to stream to their platform, but I’ll keep trying to stream to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/290791956162).
Glenside Club Meeting: Thursday February 13, 2025 @ 7:30PM Central
Countdown to the 33rd Annual “Last” CoCoFEST!
I don’t want to steal CoCoFEST! Coordinator Grant Leighty’s thunder as he parepares for our May 2 and 3 Carol Stream, IL event, but as of tonight, we only have 8 tables remaining on the main exhibit hall. If you were on the fence about exhibiting at the show, please head over to tandylist.com now and grab your table(s).
Like the quiet before the storm, things are slowly brewing for our show in May. We’ve purchased our new projector for the presentations, and I hope to get an update on planning for the show this month. As well, if you were able to join us for Tandy Retro Show 2025 in late January, we’d love to hear feedback.
Please join us this Thursday. As is standard, We will open the call a bit early at 7PM for some discussion and to help anyone with “technical difficulties”.
To join the Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82797367585?pwd=OUxibkJaR2N1SUtSOU9EUUlYeXBJQT09
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: GCCC
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,82797367585#,,,,*686821# (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 827 9736 7585
Passcode: 686821
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdIAqFZbZR
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYqfu6rqDwvEtGPAHF62Rhv1v5lakjdaO9W/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGqqTItGdKStRGCRpwQB4r4KOnwpmZYj7d6rD7NJXYBUAvgZ_QXPrN0GtzR
For those unable to join us on Zoom or have prior commitments, we will livestream and have a replay available on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFk2dMxcjJcX2qbSqFHQMbA). Recently, Facebook has made it harder to stream to their platform, but I’ll keep trying to stream to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/290791956162).