Another Volunteer Opportunity: Brunchcon

After Beautycon, I decided that I should check out more conventions to go to. Unfortunately, I have yet to secure a job so I would need to volunteer at any convention I would want to attend. Since I like that sort of work, I thought it would always be a win-win for me and whatever convention I worked for. I work hard especially if it is for something I love to do and I want to earn my entrance at these conventions. So I found out about Brunchcon on my search for more conventions. I emailed them a while back and thought nothing would come from it since I didn’t get a response in the following days. I even mentioned it to my partner-in-crime from Beautycon. I told her that I didn’t think that I would get to go. Then, when I was convinced that I would not hear for Brunchcon, I got an email asking if I would like to volunteer. YESSSSSSSSSS!!

Down to the wire….

I was surprised to even receive an email because it was so close to the event date. That was still not an issue with me as I really wanted to go and my calendar was still empty. They needed volunteers for the day before the event. The event was on a Sunday and I had to work on Saturday. The email said that they were needing us volunteers to set up and volunteers would get to go to Brunchcon for “free” to one of the sessions. They had two sessions, one at 9:30 am until 12 pm and the other session for general admission started at 1:30 pm to 4 pm. VIP tickets got you in a half hour earlier than the general admission. The email also asked for me to chose what time slot I would like to work; either 10 am to 4 pm or 12 pm to 6 pm. I chose the former because I wanted to get home earlier rather than later. Trains are tricky on the weekend, more so than during the weekdays. MTA is not really anyone’s friend especially if you have to leave the borough, Brunchcon so happened to be in Brooklyn. UGHHHH

Will Work For Food!!

I got up on Saturday, ready to work, at 6:30am!! No, honestly, I was not too happy at that time in the morning. I had hardly slept and it was wwaayy tooooo early for me. Who likes to wake up at that time? UGHHHH my dad wakes up at that time like he is a farmer or something. He is not nor am I. Anyway, I got a lil something from Dunkin Donuts and got on a train. That would be the first of three trains for my journey to the Brooklyn Expo Center where Brunchcon was held. The first train ride was the longest and I got to the center a little over half an hour early to my work shift. YAY!

I got sent right to work,

which was fine with me since that is why I was there. Also, I didn’t want to just sit there and do nothing. I didn’t want to use my phone as I had not taken my charger ( hardly ever travel with my charger) and didn’t want to kill its battery. I had to open boxes that had books that would be gift bags stuffers. As soon as I saw that they were going to have books in the gift bags, I wanted to have one. Eventually, I asked if us volunteers would be receiving a bag. We, sadly, would not be getting one unless , after giving all the  Then after opening the boxes, I had to move them to the center of room and stack up the boxes that were of the same book. After I done, I was sent on a couple of errands. Now, when I got there, it had not started to rain but by the time I got sent on the errands, it had started to drizzle. After going on the second half of the errand, it had started to rain more. I was fortunate to have a car waiting for me to get back to the Brooklyn Expo Center. However, I had to walk to second location in the rain. Where is an umbrella when you need one? At my parents place where I left it because I was too lazy to go back and get it when I remembered that I left it there.

The Waiting Game

When I got back to the center, I waited a few minutes with the driver ( of either Lyft or Uber, I don’t know because because it was ordered for me) in the rain for someone to let me in. I kept knocking on the glass doors for anyone’s attention. I texted the girl that sent me on the trip and haha still waited. The driver was concerned because he didn’t want to take out all the boxes of things I had picked up for Brunchcon if I was not going to be let in the building.

FINALLY

A lone volunteer steps up to the plate to open the door for me and gets me back in the game of…well..working. After almost everything was brought in, a lady asks me if we could go around the corner and take the stuff in from the side doors. I looked at the small package in my hands and she then realizes that I am done. In my head I thought, well if someone had come in sooner, then I would have gone where they wanted and now it is too late” and she says to not worry about it. Well…yeah haha.

Back to Work

I see that there are now three of us, volunteers and a wall of stacked boxes. We are told that we were supposed to have a dolly but it is not there yet. They needed us to take all the boxes into another room in the center of the event space. Okay but what were in the boxes, that would require a dolly to move them, you ask? Sparkling wine….a whole wall of boxes full of sparkling wine. They told us to take two bottles of wine at a time and I asked if I could take as many as I could carry and they said to go for it as long as I don’t drop any. I was taking four at a time, they were not heavy exactly but rather uncomfortable to carry five or more. I did, but I ended up having to go slower when I tried to carry that many. The task seemed endless but we were talking to each other and making jokes. We were trying to have as much fun while working. Soon enough more volunteers showed up. We were all girls. I noticed that in the three events I volunteered in, all of the volunteers were girls. Not a big deal but interesting to note.

More volunteers and it still took a while but we all got along and joked. There was a volunteer that was organizing the bottles of sparkling wine by what kind they were and I thought why not mess it up since it was not me doing the organizing. I got her attention and said I was going to mess with her day and she asked how, then I showed her by mixing up the bottles. Then I ran for my life while she laughed.  We continued until it was done. We organized orange juice in the same room for future (well not so future anymore as I am currently typing this out) mimosas. For a future mimosa for me!!

Something is better than nothing….

While we were working, we noticed that the people running the event were eating and had not yet told us if there would be a break for us or if there would be any food available. After a while I asked them if we could take a break and have food delivered to the center. They said sure then said that there were snacks in the back room behind the room where we put all the sparkling wine. One other volunteer, Mallory and I went to check out the snacks and saw that there were two variety chip packs  and small water bottles. There also some granola bars. I was none too happy because when I am hungry those kind of snacks give me heartburn. Either way, we got stuff and ate a bit. Us volunteers were none too happy but at least there was water. We, also, would have liked it if they had told us instead of just waiting until someone brought that up. Work brings about a great appetite.

Back to Work, Again

Those of us that got there earlier and were to leave earlier, had to set up all the tables and chairs. ALL OF THE TABLES AND CHAIRS!! For the most part us three volunteers and one of the coordinators lined up tables all around the main room and in the center of the room, as well. We worked in pairs, not at first but I saw that it would be faster and more efficient that way so I leaned into making it that way. For the most part it was a simple task but we were given a few orders that conflicted with each other from different coordinators regarding tablecloths and banners. That was a bit annoying because it made it seem a bit disorganized and cost us time. Some of the tables were broken and we were the ones that discovered that out not the rental company that supplied them.

After we got the tables along with chairs in the proper order, the tablecloths on the tables, and banners on the correct tables, we had other fun work to do. We had to set up poles that divided each company’s set of two tables. The back table was for the their products and preparation. The front table was to put out whatever samples the companies were going to offer the event-goers. We needed to create a division between each companies’ section with stanchions all around the main room. The three of us, volunteers, starting to put two stanchions between each set of tables, one by one. Soon realizing that it was too time-consuming s of the other volunteers asked the rental company for their big dolly and they were so nice to loan it to us. Armed with a dolly we were ready to WORK!! We were able to cut our time in half. I

We started to get silly with it and acted like we were driving a car and I started to ride in the dolly while the smallest of us was behind the wheel. Though it was a lot of work and tiring, we definitely had a good time.

Early Goodies

I noticed that there was a vendor that had already started to set up. What kind of vendor, you ask? An adult beverage vendor, that’s what kind. An up and coming new company called Money under the company Simone International. I know, I know… the name Money….but it is what it is. The vendor was very nice and talked to us about his company, a few frat friends that are out of college got together and started an alcoholic beverage company.

What he had for the event goers were four mixed alcoholic bottles. I asked if I could have a bottle and he said since we were working there that day that we could and I asked for two. I picked Jungle Juice (self explanatory) and Skippy which is made with distilled vodka and lemonade flavors. I knew the kid would like that one the best. The vendor, Mike ( I called him Money Mike and that is the only reason I just remembered his name) explained that you could drink these as is because they were ready made cocktails or with soda and ice.  I said thanks for everything and I would stop by during the even because he would have them chilled and served in cups with ice. Sadly, I did not go during Brunchcon but since I had the bottles in my position it was not necessary as I could do that on my own time without waiting on a line.

Pizza Reward

One of the volunteer, Mallory and I went in search of something to eat after we finished up work. We had originally thought to stay if it was needed but having not had sufficient food, we decided to leave when our time was up. I didn’t even get to stuff the gift bags. I didn’t even get to have one. BOOOOO I wanted those books. Anyway, we stumbled upon a yummy pizza restaurant, Fornino. I was so ravenous that I would eat anything. That pizza hit just the right spot and filled me right up.

It was so good that it needed a mention in this post. If you are looking for pizza in the Williamsburg/ Greenpoint area, check them out.

Welcome to Brunchcon NYC 2018

Again, I got up incredibly early, at least for me. I had already picked out what I would wear and how I would do my hair because I would have to get ready in mostly the dark only doing my hair and makeup in the bathroom. After I got ready I decided it was time to leave and headed to the Brooklyn Expo Center. I got there relatively fast got in line. The line was not really long however, I went there an hour early so it was going to be a wait. Being that I was the first volunteer (that I could see), I was on the lookout for other volunteers so they would’t have to go to the back of the line after working hard the day before.

Getting in was almost easy…

 

Not that easy enough. So they gave us a code to get in for free the night before. I assumed I would just go up to the line and show someone my email BUT I was wrong. When our little group got to the front of the line, I learned that I had to have “purchased’ the ticket but with the coupon it would have been free. So I then had to tell the girls (no one that I had worked with the day before) at the door that if they could fine someone that was in charge of the event, I would appreciate it. That took a while and two of the volunteers that I was waiting in line with, left. Only one stuck by my side and I didn’t blame them because I didn’t know them well. So Mallory and I waited for someone we knew to come and vouch for me. It took a long time until one of the ladies that ran the event got there but said that another girl would take me in. I then, waited until that girl realized that she had to take me in the door. I, of course, wanted to not just sneak in but let them let me in. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble nor did I want to cause any trouble. So I waited.

Finally able to have my mimosa and drink it, too!!

I was finally let inside and got a mimosa, finally. Mallory and I  With a mimosa in our hands the other volunteers and we took a picture together to commemorate the moment. We deserved it after our long day of work.I mean, gosh darn it, we carried those bottles of sparkling wine and orange juice across the room then organized them. We were ready to attack Brunchcon. To take advantage of it as though we had never seen food before. The mimosa was never more delicious than in that moment.

Velvet Ropes Are Unhooked

We were let in, got our eating supplies and went around. We saw various vendors and Headed straight to the back. We went to tables that had the shortest tables. We gathered enough on our plates to sit and eat. We had sandwiches, chocolate from Bark Thins, Krave jerky and some pasta. My nose also led me to coffee tables. Any vendor that had coffee, my senses picked up on it. I didn’t go to every table but I did stop at a particular table and packed my bag with their cans. The winner was (me, really) High Brew Coffee. It was definitely good. I am surprised that Califia was not there because I love their coffee drinks. However, High Brew was a good find for me.

We had time for another go around tried to get to as many tables as possible. One of my favorite vendors were that of deviled eggs. There was an actual food truck with just DEVILED EGGS!! How awesome is that? I was so excited. We went twice and I ended up having the lady manning the station give me two the last time I went there. They had bacon on them. That was definitely one of the highlights. Another  highlight was the unlimited mimosa bar. I guess there were other options but I didn’t care. I had water, coffee and mimosas. There was also a butter vendor….YES BUTTER!! The butter was so tasty. I couldn’t help but have all the BBUUTTTTEERRSS!!!!!!

All Good Things Must Come To End

There were some garden games but after going around the tables a couple of

times, Mallory and I were tired. We decided that we could leave and be okay with it. We had stayed long enough. Our feet were killing us, too many people for the space and not enough food vendors in my personal opinion. I just thought for the price, it could have been a bit better but people looked like they were having a great time. I, also, had a good time. Some of the vendors were very friendly. Who doesn’t love a good conversation with their food?

I would love to find more conventions so that I can volunteer and enjoy the events. I love working at events and for events. Since I am not currently employed, I would not be able to go to these events without volunteering but I like the work so it is a win-win. If you know of any interesting conventions, leave a comment.