Frequently Received Owl Posts
General
What is Aeternitas 2011?
Aeternitas 2011 is an interdisciplinary Harry Potter Fan conference that will be held from April 28, 2011 to May 1, 2011 at the Margate Resort in Laconia, NH.
Who is running Aeternitas 2011?
Aeternitas 2011 is being brought to you by HP-MA, The Greater Boston Area Harry Potter Meetup Group. The Aeternitas Staff consists mainly of HP-MA members as well as some members of The Group That Shall Not Be Named. For more information about our cast of organizers, please visit this page
Who can attend Aeternitas 2011?
Aeternitas 2011 can be attended by anyone who is age 14 or older on April 28, 2011. All attendees under age 18 must have a chaperone who is 21 or older and a signed and notarized permission slip from their parent or guardian. For more information on this please email Amanda@aeternitas2011.org. Also, please note, that The Margate Resort requires that at least one guest in every room be age 21 or older. If you are under 21 and would like to attend, feel free to look for a roommate on our forums
What kind of programming will be at Aeternitas 2011?
The Aeternitas 2011 staff has been working hard to organize a conference with programming and events for all types of fans. Our opening event will be a fabulous Fashion Show with a full-scale stage and cat walk (submissions are now being accepted here.).
We will have a full track of Academic Programming on Friday and Saturday during the day, including a series of Hogwarts-Style classes. We have two excellent Wizard Rock shows scheduled for Friday and Saturday evening. Of course, we will have Quidditch, as well. Our call for Informal Programming is still open here. Aeternitas will also feature a 24 hour common room, the Aeternitas Magic is Forever Ball, and a leaving brunch.
Additionally, we have three incredible ticketed events planned- On Friday there will be a keynote luncheon featuring authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Violet Haberdasher and on Friday evening there will be a Harry Potter-Themed Burlesque Show! On Saturday, some of our attendees will be catching a bus to nearby Castle in the Clouds for a day of cosplay. To purchase a registration to Aeternitas or any of these other events, please visit our registration page here.
I am interested in vendor and sponsorship opportunities. Who do I contact
Please email vendors@aeternitas2011.org or sponsors@aeternitas2011.org for information.
I heard that this is a charity conference, is this true?
Yes. Any proceeds from Aeternitas 2011 will be split 50/50 and donated to the Harry Potter Alliance and the Lung Cancer Alliance. To learn about our charities please go here.
Hotel
Do I really need to stay at the host hotel? Why?
Yes, all attendees must stay in the host hotel. The reason for this is that the hotel has done something unique and blocked all of its rooms exclusively for us. We would like to have the property entirely to ourselves- a muggle-free weekend! To ensure that this is possible, we need all of our attendees to stay on site.
The Margate Website says the hotel is sold out- is this true?
No, this is not true. That is to keep the muggles out! The Margate Hotel has blocked all of their rooms just for witches and wizards that weekend. To book your room, you must call the Margate at 1-800-627-4283 and mention Aeternitas.
Is there an age restriction at the Margate?
There must be someone who is at least 21 years of age in every room. If you are under 21, you can look for roommates on our forums: here !
Is there an ATM at the Margate?
Unfortunately there is not ATM on the hotel premises. However there are several within walking distance. There is a TD Bank North as well as ATMs at the CVS and Shaws Grocery Store.
There are going to be so many fun things to do at this con that sleeping will not be a priority. Where can I get my coffee fix?
You are in luck! Every room comes equipped with a single cup Keurig pod coffee maker. Please note that the hotel only provides 4 pods per day but you are welcome to bring your own.
Will I be able to eat without leaving the con?
Continental breakfast will be included in your hotel stay. The hotel restaurant will not be operating but appetizers will be sold at the Bistro Bar. Included in the cost of your registration is also our leaving brunch on Sunday. Additionally, on Friday will be our keynote luncheon featuring authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Violet Haberdasher. Tickets for this event are $25.00 and include lunch. For your other meals, there are a plethora of restaurants in walking distance, and short driving distance from the hotel. A complete guide to area restaurants will be available in your registration packet.
What kind of amenities are provided in the rooms?
Each room comes equipped with an ironing board, a blow dryer and a Keurig (please note, the hotel provides 4 K Cups per room per day. They also only offer one variety of coffee. You are welcome to bring your own.) Soap, shampoo, and conditioner is also provided but in limited quantities. In addition the Lake-View and West Building rooms have free WiFi and mini-fridges. A limited number of mini-fridges will be available upon request in the Inn Building but cannot be guaranteed.
How is internet access at the Margate?
As mentioned in the previous owl post, free WiFi is available in the Lake View and West Building Rooms. Additionally, there is free WiFi available throughout most of the common areas.
What can I do at the hotel when not attending awesome con events?
The hotel provides a fitness center for those who wish to utilize it. In addition, there is a pool, hot tub and sauna available to all guests of the hotel free of charge. Please note that no life guards will be at the hotel/pool so any con guests using those will be doing so at their own risk. As such, we request that all under-aged witches and wizards be accompanies by their chaperones when using these facilities.
I would like a roommate or two- will Aeternitas set me up with one?
Aeternitas staff will not be arranging room-shares. However, there is a place in our forums for attendees to look for roommates.
I have never heard of Laconia before! What is it’s history?
A large Abenaki Indian settlement called Acquadocton Village once existed at the point now known as The Weirs, named by colonists for fishing weirs discovered at the outlet of the Winnipesaukee River. Early explorers had hoped to follow the Piscataqua River north to Lake Champlain in search of the great lakes and rivers of Canada mentioned in Indian folklore. About 1652, the Endicott surveying party visited the area, an event commemorated by Endicott Rock, a local landmark. A fort would be built at Laconia in 1746. But ongoing hostilities between the English, French, and their respective Native American allies prevented settlement until 1761, after which it remained for many years a part of Meredith and Gilford called Meredith Bridge.
Beginning in 1765, lumber and grist mills were established on Mill Street, with taverns built soon thereafter on Parade Street. About 1822, the courthouse was built, which would become county seat at the creation of Belknap County in 1840. In 1832, the Belknap Mill was built to manufacture textiles; largely unaltered, the structure is today a museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Local industry produced lumber, textiles, shoes, hosiery, knitting machinery and needles. But the city's largest employer would be the Laconia Car Company, builder of rail, trolley and subway cars. Started in 1848, it lasted until the 1930s. The railroad entered town in 1849, carrying both freight and an increasing number of summer tourists to popular Weirs Beach.
In 1855, Laconia was incorporated as a town from land in Meredith Bridge, Lakeport, Weirs and part of Gilmanton. The name was probably derived from the old Laconia Company, formed by Captain John Mason and the Masonian Proprietors to sell parcels of land during the colonial era. The Great Fire of 1860 destroyed most of Main Street from Mill to Water streets, followed by the Great Lakeport Fire of 1903, a blaze so fierce that fire companies were brought by train from as far away as Dover. Laconia was incorporated as a city in 1893. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laconia,_New_Hampshire, accessed on 1/28/2011)
Laconia is best known, however, for The Laconia Motorcycle Week, also known as Laconia Bike Week, has its roots dating back to 1916 with a few hundred bikers meeting at The Weirs (aka Weirs Beach). Six years later the Gypsy Tour starting in Loudon, New Hampshire and passing through Laconia kicked off the official Laconia Motorcycle Week in the following year of 1924. Making it one of the oldest Motorcycle Events in the United States. Its popularity grew in the 1990's as the Motorcycle Community flurished.
There's no doubt to what draws people here every year though. Between the lush national parks with camping, hiking, sight-seeing and the beautiful Highways and Byways Laconia is a dream to Motorcyclist everywhere. In the last 87 years it has also grown to be one of the largest Motorcycle Events in the Nation and is part of the "Big Four". It averages around 400,000 motorcyclist over the week long biker party and will continue to grow. (http://www.laconiabikeweekrally.net/, accessed on 1/28/2011)
Travel
How shall I travel to the Margate? Will there be a Portkey provided? Is the hotel being connected to the Floo Network?
Due to the high population of muggles in Laconia, and that the hotel is owned and operated by muggles, we have opted not to allow any wizarding means of travel for Aeternitas 2011.
But, how will we get there??
The Margate has free parking for hotel guests. As such, driving is one of the best options for all local and regional witches and wizards.
If you would like to find attendees to carpool with- please visit our forums
I do not live close enough to drive, or I do not drive, how can I get there?
You can fly into the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, NH. The airport is a little over an hour's drive to Laconia.
You can also take a Greyhound Bus to Machester, NH. Again, the bus station is a little over an hour’s drive to Laconia.
If Laconia is so far from the airport and bus station, how will I get to the hotel after my flight lands/bus arrives?
We are offering shuttle service for an additional fee. Shuttle Buses will run between the hotel and the airport/bus station on Wednesday, April 27th, Thursday, April 28th, Sunday, May 1st, and Monday, May 2nd. The cost of the shuttle is $20.00 each way.
Attendees will be grouped onto shuttles based on their arrival and departure times. We will schedule everyone on a shuttle no more than 1 1/2 hours after their arrival time, and get people to the airport 2-3 hours prior to their departure time. We will do our best to keep everyone's time in the airport to the minimum. Specific times will be assigned no later than the last week of March.
To purchase a seat on the airport shuttle please go here. here