Sand Symposium 2010 in Lommel / Belgium

[Frank]

This is from an e-mail I just received from the Lommel Tourism Board:

Dear sand-collectors

The third edition of the Sand Symposium will take place on Sunday 29th August in Lommel. On this day the event 'the day of the sand' will take place. A day with lot of activities concerning 'sand'.

Day of the Sand

Sand and glass form the basis of this annual free public event, organised by 'Toerisme Lommel'. There are glass- and sand artists, performances, visits to the sand factory, a sand suction dredger, etc.

- The sand strewers will show you how a sand carpet is made and children get the opportunity to create their own small sand carpet.

- Sand-collectors show their passion

- There are several information- and demonstration tents with sand- and glass applications.

Especially for this day Sibelco (an international firm of sand exploitation) opens the doors of its processing factory and one of its dredgers for a visit. From the market square (bus stop in front of the tourist office, Dorp 14) a bus will take you to both locations free of charge. The visits take approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, travelling included.

- The entire visit will be adorned with music.

- Once a year the weekly 'Teutenmarkt' will be held next to and behind the Town Hall.

- For the sand-collectors there will be enough time in the forenoon for exchanging sand. In the afternoon there is a public event.

The invitation with further information and the entry facilities will be send as soon as possible.

Looking forward to see you!

Yours truly

PS: Please send this mail to all your sand-friends.

Goele Geypen
i.o. voorzitter en secretaris
TOERISME LOMMEL vzw
Dorp 14 3920 Lommel
tel. 0032 11 54 02 21
fax 0032 11 55 22 66
GSM 0032 476 44 58 92
e-mail: info@toerismelommel.be
website: www.toerismelommel.be

[Frank]

Hi @ll,

due to the two competing events in Germany and Belgium it would be nice from you to post here at the Forum whether you plan to visit either one of them or both. This is just for getting an overview and is not a binding commitment!

To start at first, I plan to attend Lommel and Cramme as well. But Lommel ist not quite sure yet.

[Nolzrule23]

Frank
what if I bagged like 40-50 Florida sands and mailed them to this event in exchange for sands from Belgium? I pay for the shipping to send but in return how would I get the sands back? Who would i mail my sands to? You happen to know any Belgium sand collectors? Thanks

[Frank]

@Steve:

Chris Maslon started with this "sand box"-idea last year and I have received his actual 2010 box just recently. I think it doesn't matter, on which event the boxes are displayed. As my Lommel plans are not yet for sure and if you don't mind that I will take your box to Cramme instead (or - best case - to both events), you are kindly invited to sent your box to me.

[Frank]

Prologue:
Symposium originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means "to drink together") but has since come to refer to any academic conference, or a style of university class characterized by an openly discursive format, rather than a lecture and question–answer format. (source: wikipedia)


This is a frustrating up-date.

Today I received the personal invitation from the Lommel Tourism Board. I am very disappointed on the fact that the 2010 "Sand Symposium" was downsized to a simple two hours event! There is no whatsoever possibility to meet each other prior to the sand trade and - again - no common accommodation as well. Unfortunately, most of the (former) attendees aren't SFI members, so it is almost impossible to schedule common arrangements in advance.

Without any doubt the "day of the sand" is a major event in Lommel. But I personally won't incur a total car ride of 1,400 kms just to rush through some trading boxes.

Sorry, Lommel. This is not what I expected the Sand Symposium to become.
And I doubt, Joop would!

I am looking very much forward to your comments!

[Frank]

As I know that some Forum members visited the 2010 sand meeting in Lommel, I kindly ask them to provide us with some photos. Feel free to up-load them by yourself or send them to me by e-mail.