I've never been to an AAW national symposium so I am not sure what to expect. A few of our club members have attended some of them and the comments are mixed.
Bill,
The AAW Is a lot like SWAT but BIGGER.
Expect to be overwhelmed.
SWAT is the largest of the regionals and has 800 - 900 attendees which was the AAW symposium size in the 90s. The AAW has been running 1600-1400 recently.
In a very crude sense the regional symposiums are like a major league baseball game and the AAW is like the Allstate game.
SWAT might be like a world series game.
The SWAT lead demonstrators have all been AAW demonstrators and the regional demonstrator have been or are likely to be AAW demonstrators.
The AAW has more choices and more international demonstrators.
The AAW dozens of demos suitable for the beginner. But one thing that set it apart from the regionals are more demonstrations on specialties like segmenting, custom pens, ornamental, signature pieces, piercing, airbrushing, alternative materials....... And some presentations aimed at the advanced turner on subjects such as photography, marketing, teaching, demonstrating, selling work.."....
Plus the largest trade show, Largest instant gallery, chapter challenge, AAW Members meeting, AAWchapters meeting, 3 woodturning gallery shows. EOG Auction,....
I very much enjoy the Florida Symposium with its 300 attendees and the AAW with its 1600. They are just very different.
Have fun!
Al
