CHS Otaku Fest

Is anyone else having this dilemma?

The majority of my friends are deciding to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival's Sakura Matsuri Street Festival instead of OtakuFest (both are on April 9th). If anyone recalls, I often run the "Ask a [Naruto] Ninja" panel and run around with a bunch of Naruto cosplayers at OtakuFest. I'd dislike very much to miss out on OtakuFest because I always have so much fun there. It is also the place where two good friends of mine began their relationship and are now engaged. However, many people are opting for the CBF because it is cheaper ($5) and there is public transport (metro) close by. I've been back and forth about this decision for a while now. Anyone else experiencing this same problem?

CBF inifo: http://www.sakuramatsuri.org/

~Dragon

(Also, sorry if this is in the wrong forum. ^^; )

Me, not so much.  I've never been to the festival, though I've considered going before, and Otaku Fest has grown a soft spot on me.  BUT I did sign up for a museum trip at my college for that day, and it's got me totally bummed.  The way it works, you pay them $10 that they hold ransom to hold your spot on the bus; if you show up, you get your $10 back, but if you don't, they keep it.  ARGH.

I debated quickly with myself, and decided on this:  if my panel request is accepted, I'll go to Otaku Fest and suck it up, that's what I get for being hasty.  If it's declined/I'm too late, I'll go ahead and go to the museum trip.  My brother's never been to Otaku Fest but he's a recent anime convert, so he may go even if I don't come, if my parents let him.

Stuff like this is hard choice :sigh: .  Scheduling conflicts make me want to break things, srsly.

<3 ali

Thanks for the reply. *sigh* I really wish these things had different times, I would go to Otaku Fest at the beginning of the day and then Sakura Matsuri at the end... But they are both at the exact same times and I would be missing a HUGE chunk of either if I did that (and in the end would not be worth all the money it would cost (gas, tickets, metro, etc) to do that).

First of all, I don't recommend going to the Cherry Blossom Street Festival at the end of the day.  Everyone sells out, and it's a mad dash to the metro.  Also, it's about an hours drive between CHS and DC, so you would waste that one hour, and youwould just feel like you didn't accomplish anything in the end going between the two events.

That tiny $5 admission fee for the Street Festival is going to become much more than that because of metro fees, as well as if you want to eat/drink, or do anything that isn't just walking around. Honestly, the cost of both is roughly about the same (unless you live very close to one or the other)

So it really depends on your kind of venue.  Do you want to go where there are a lot of people (some otaku, many not), and buy things at the Street Festival, or would you rather a smaller place with fewer people that all like anime.  I know that if you wear anime costumes that aren't specifically japanese-style (such as kimono or japanese fashion), a lot of people, especially anime/cosplayers look down on you at the DC Cherry Blossom festival.  But (if the trees are in bloom), it's a nice place to take a rest and get some nice photoshoots with friends.

Personally, I always get bummed out by the Cherry Blossom Festival.  It's always so hard to find your friends through the crowds of people, and there's always lines to do anything (especially buying food).  It's way too expensive, and all the people are ridiculously rude.  I had ladies with strollers that kept ramming into the back of my legs the last time I went.  And when I told them, she apologized...and continued doing it.  Way too many people, especially when everyone is trying to get back home.  I got so fed up that I spent half an hour waiting for the metro, and then gave up, met up with some friends, had dinner, and went to a metro station much further away.  I think that the smaller venue of OtakuFest is better -- you can socialize with people that you don't know, but have interests in the same thing.  I just think that it's a little less stressful than the Street Festival, but that's my own opinion.

Either way, good luck with your decision!

Last Sakura Matsuri I was only there for an hour or so, so I feel like I didn't really get the experience (I'm confused about the Otaku at SM looking down on costumes that aren't kimono related because there was a huge hetalia meet last year if I recall correctly; but I'd be going dressed as Bankoutsu from Inu Yasha which is at least a Karate-esque outfit). 90% of my friends who usually attend Otaku Fest with me will be going to SM instead this year. If I'm going with distance, my metro station is closer than CHS Otaku Fest, time wise, it's probably longer if I include metro ride. Not that that ENTIRELY matters since I would get up in the morning in time for either. I'm thinking Otaku Fest is going to be a no, unfortunately. I miss the Naruto Panel we always host. Maybe someone else will host one.

For me, it's not a tough choice at all. x__x I went to both last year, and Sakura Matsuri was a huge let down. It was super hot and I didn't get to stay very long, but the amount of time I spent there I wasn't really having fun. I went with a small group and saw a ton of people having fun, but I was just following my group around through the huge crowd being miserable. Where as with Otaku Fest, I met a group of cosplayers that I'm really close to now, and I might be seeing some Katsu friends there too (LIKE YOU IF YOU GO, I HOPE aru), so I'm definitely going to Otaku Fest. 8D