Food Prices @ [email protected]#

[Veon]

Was it just me or were the prices at the food stands outrageous? $7.50 for a frybread taco? $4.00 for a frybread? $3.00 for a cup of coffee? Come on, people. Thazz crazeee. How does that work? Who gets most of the $$$? The vendors or GON?

Next year, eat out before you go to the Pit! Boycott the food vendors.

[AngieBuns]

Was it just me or were the prices at the food stands outrageous? $7.50 for a frybread taco? $4.00 for a frybread? $3.00 for a cup of coffee? Come on, people. Thazz crazeee. How does that work? Who gets most of the $$$? The vendors or GON?

Next year, eat out before you go to the Pit! Boycott the food vendors.

I hear you on that one, that's just nuts! Boycott the whole GON in general, personally I am NOT impressed with it They say "fair singing and dancing for all contestants" then why do the SAME people win year after year? Ok, might have just opened up a can of worms, but oh well Meh is all I have to say about that whole thing

[dancing_plumes]

Boycott?

Year after year If it ain't $7.50 frybread taco's, it's unfair competition, or expensive hotels. I personally would love to place at this powwow, but i know when you get over 2000 dancers, only the elite will be noticed. I believe this is a powwow for the overachievers, the ones who have amazing outfits, and the ones who do their road work.
Every year different head judges are brought in, so is it the judges or the committee.
Lets be honest here is it the colour of one mans skin, why we would want to boycott this powwow, or is it because the taco's were $7.50 and you were a nickel short, and didn't place.
This powwow is great, just admit it. Where else in this world are we going to experience this type of gathering.
The Best and well known will continue to win at this gathering, I am content on just being on the same dance floor with the best.

[Mato Winyan]

Before you boycott the food vendors find out what price they have to pay for a space......... not defending them or anything...but they have to make that amount back so they raise the prices.
Myself...... I would boycott the whole thing too. ;)

[OLChemist]

From what a vendor I know told me, the spaces are so expensive that you have trouble making money, unless you charge outrageous prices. Also he said there are all kinds of rules that prevent vendors from competing with the UNM concessions.

I also suspect that in the post 9/11 world the price for some elements of running an event like that have skyrocketted. Rent a cops are very expensive in this day and age, as are event medical. Plus, I bet the liablity insurance policy GON has to have for those 3-4 days has a price tag equal to the GNP of a small third world country. That is going to roll down hill to the consumer.

While I don't imagine the people running GON are losing their shirts....

I guess, as a spectator, I look at it like any other entertainment venue. It has a lot more bang from my buck than a movie with a soda, or basball game with a ten dollar hotdog. I hear some good singing, see some good dancing, hang with friends, do some shopping, and spend two days not in my lab... Not a bad deal all told. If I want a powwow where I don't have to worry about the dollar signs, an dance with less commerical vibe than I'll go home, or go to a local dance, or watch folks dancing in the gym at my alma mater.

[badmaninc]

For you to boycott this place, don't you have to go there at least once. Man I would love to go to this powwow once before I go home. To see a Grand Entry over 2,000 of OUR PEOPLE being proud, dancing for their tribes. Man I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I have not competed at a stage this loud but to be able to sing and dance with the best is truly a great thing. I mean to say as a singer; you have sat in the same arbour with the likes of War Scout, Northern Cree, Eyahey, and all of the Southern drums that is something. I know I will never be a well known singer but I have gone to a couple of powwows where there were really well known and respected singers. They told our group how much we had improved in the one year since they had heard us. To us that was the best compliment. Many of our people need to be encouraged and the only thing that was more impressive to me was when all the athletes marched into the opening ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Games in Victoria. My wife and daughter were both in the Games and it is always special. I believe to say you have danced at the GON or Skydome, or Schemitzun is making it to the show. I think that for those who have done this it is an accomplishment. We need to have our people be proud of this and acknowledge them.

[chazziff]

i would imagine the vendor prices are outrageous - but dang $7.50 for an indian taco?!? it ain't that goot and i'm never gonna be THAT hungry...

guess i've been lucky to have gone to schemitzun, gatherings and skydome and they are all not up to the hype (to moi anyways). it Is kewl to watch all the dancers and all the singers but dang you have to deal with the crowds, the prices, the long lines for EVERYTHING and the later really kills it for me anyways.

has anyone ever done the math for gatherings - even estimated the money generated from tickets, dancer/drummer registration, food/trade vendors then the prize payouts (what is $$ for first place adults/singing anyways), arena rental, personnel wages (security), insurance?!? i could only guess its a cash cow for the organizer.....

[**jdazmum**]

I stayed away from them vendors, learned my lesson a long time ago. I took my daughter, she kept asking me for food and it killed my wallet, but I suffered. We bought food from outside in a bag, rez style. It eliminated the snack problem. But, prepare if you want to go to a powwow like GON. Pack some snacks, wrap some leftovers and you can save at least 40 bucks for the weekend. Some Apache family that was sitting in front of me dragged a whole ice chest in and they had all types of food in there. Bologna, bread, pop, beef, cheese, chips-they were enjoying themselves. I don't agree with alot of prices there, but we asked about the parking fees. That goes to the NM cops. I'm sure most of the money goes to the sound system, medical, special guests, the Pit itself, utilities, everything has a price, but I am still going to this powwow every year if I can. Start saving now, I paid $19.00 for a two day pass, but it was worth it.

[BurBz]

i didn't at all buy anything from the food stands this past weekend..my sisters and I always left during supper break to eat elsewhere and we would stop off at a convenience store to get some bottled water and soda...and snacks...to avoid those high prices! crazy prices..but the 20 bucks for entry fee was well worth it!

[*Kwe_Zee*]

That's why you eat BEFORE you go to the pow-wow, and then eat again at dinner time, then eat when you leave the pow-wow. It saves a ton o' cash.

[chazziff]

yea can't beat those bologna potato chip sandwiches back at da room washed down with a ice colsd pop!! or that one guy or chick walkin round da pow wow with a big shoulder bag selling meat pies or whatever for two buck - still steamin hot!! *****ppssst wanna buy a ....******

[bushy_braids]

whadda brilliant idea...

we just ordered a pizza to the pit...
threw security for a loop - but my cuz tipped the delivery dude good... it was sure DELISH!

[moonshadow]

we just ordered a pizza to the pit...
threw security for a loop - but my cuz tipped the delivery dude good... it was sure DELISH!

OH MY GOSH!! Was that Saturday Night!! LOL!! I got behind the pizza delivery guy when I was going back to the hotel for supper break...he was trying to get in at the main drive where all the people were waiting to get in!! I was cracking up...that was too funny ordering pizza to be delivered!! HA! HA!! Great IDEA!! I wanted a turkey leg so bad...but $7.00...I could buy a whole turkey for that!!! We ate out...Burger King and stuff like that...it was so much cheaper..we did bring our own water and chips and stuff to snack on too. The lines were just so long to get anything too.

[Mato Winyan]

i would imagine the vendor prices are outrageous - but dang $7.50 for an indian taco?!? it ain't that goot and i'm never gonna be THAT hungry...

guess i've been lucky to have gone to schemitzun, gatherings and skydome and they are all not up to the hype (to moi anyways). it Is kewl to watch all the dancers and all the singers but dang you have to deal with the crowds, the prices, the long lines for EVERYTHING and the later really kills it for me anyways.

has anyone ever done the math for gatherings - even estimated the money generated from tickets, dancer/drummer registration, food/trade vendors then the prize payouts (what is $$ for first place adults/singing anyways), arena rental, personnel wages (security), insurance?!? i could only guess its a cash cow for the organizer.....

Don't forget money generated from sales of GON merchandise..... cd's (why they dont want people recording ) videos.....etc. Now that is some big bucks in and of itself!!!

[Mato Winyan]

Oh.......fyi........ They list themselves as a 501c3 non profit organization! Things to make me go.......