I was cruising around on this site, when I noticed there wasn't an exact thread FOR the fest itself.  Going to the festival is like living the sequel to Twin Peaks.  The atmosphere, sitting in the DoubleR Diner, going to the waterfall, visiting Haps diner, seeing Fat Trout trailer park, going to the town hall meetings, drinking beer at the Roadhouse, visiting the Blue Pine Lodge and interior of the Great Northern, seeing the Giant log, eating the famous cherry pie, and drinking the famous coffee, swimming in wind river where Teresa Banks was found, visiting the picnic area and various other sites...ect...ect....

It is truly surreal.  I wanted to mention this in the Twin Peaks section, because these locations ARE part of Twin Peaks.  When visiting this area of the world, it is easy to see how Lynch and Frost were inspired by the beauty of the land and water.  Truly breathtaking.

I was also surprised to see that some people don't realize that there is a Twin Peaks Fest message board as well as the Gazette.  I find this strange, even though the sites are related. Well, we have only 3 and a half weeks to the fest, and as usual, I am SO pumped!  I can't wait to see everyone, and visit the sites.  I will try not to get too drunk this year.  lol  EVen though every year, we party like rock stars until we actually SEE the Black Lodge.  lol

Anyone else care to share their reflections on the Twin Peaks fest?  Bring it on!

Well, Hyde, given that I've been to every fest (yes, no life have I), guess I'm qualified to say that no, it's not like a TP sequel. It's more like an ongoing annual (sur)reality TV show(without the TV part). I love it, as well as you, but call your metaphor into question, sir. EN GARDE!!!

It's more like going to a star trek convention held aboard the entrprise, except:

1. ten-forward has burned down and been rebuilt, then covered in tweety dolls,

2. no one will tell you where picard and data's quarters are because the current owners don't want visitors. well, some of the cool kids know where picard and data lived, but they are far too cool to share that information with smelly plebs. so there are secret tours you will never see.

3. the people who attend are not antisocial dickholes. Well, 99% of them aren't.

It's more like going to a star trek convention held aboard the entrprise, except:

1. ten-forward has burned down and been rebuilt, then covered in tweety dolls,

2. no one will tell you where picard and data's quarters are because the current owners don't want visitors. well, some of the cool kids know where picard and data lived, but they are far too cool to share that information with smelly plebs. so there are secret tours you will never see.

3. the people who attend are not antisocial dickholes. Well, 99% of them aren't.

I agree with you about the damn Tweety dolls.  Those things HAVE to go.

But I want people to know how much fun the fest is.  I mean, the family atmosphere and like treatment of everyone is constantly present.  Of course, that is compatible with your analysis of 99% of the people...which also contains accuracy.  lol

 However, a bunch of places don't mind visitors.  The blue pine lodge is pretty cool about it.  So are the commercial establishments, of course.  One year, we found the Palmer house, and the lady who lives there didn't realize she lived in a Twin Peaks residence.  She was cool, though...she let us look around. 

Well, Hyde, given that I've been to every fest (yes, no life have I), guess I'm qualified to say that no, it's not like a TP sequel. It's more like an ongoing annual (sur)reality TV show(without the TV part). I love it, as well as you, but call your metaphor into question, sir. EN GARDE!!!

 I Think that we just find the surreal aspect to effect us in a different light.

When I am in those woods, I can almost hear the Laura Palmer theme playing.....I mean, everything feels and looks as it does in the series, with the exception of things that evolve with time.  Haps, looks almost exactly the same.  The blue pine lodge IS exactly the same.  I think the only thing debatable is the way it make us feel.

Maybe it is also due to the fact of where I am from.  I don't live up there, but I believe you do live in the area.  Am I right?  So.....perhaps that contributes to the way it effects me when I am there.  It seems very alien to me.......I guess I am used to flat land, swamps, and hot, humid weather, not cool weather, rolling mountains, and lovely streams.

2. no one will tell you where picard and data's quarters are because the current owners don't want visitors. well, some of the cool kids know where picard and data lived, but they are far too cool to share that information with smelly plebs. so there are secret tours you will never see.

 Always one of the funny traditions at the festival.  Seems to happen every year, sometimes several times a year.

Random group of fest-goers gather.  A first time attendee starts asking questions:

"Where's the Double R?" (Just down the street)
"Where's Easter Park?" (California)
"Will I get to see the Deer Meadow Sheriff Station?" (Yes, at the picnic)
"Where is the Palmer house?" (silence)

People begin speaking in hushed voices.  Angelo Badalamenti music fills the air.  Donna starts crying.

"They're private residences.  That's top secret."

New attendee knows he asked the wrong question, but doesn't know why.  Aren't the Hurley house and the trailer park private residences?  Maybe even the Bookhouse.  Logic doesn't matter.  Suddenly, new attendee doesn't even care about the falls.  The only filming site he has to see is this Palmer house.  This non-descript, generic, boring house.

But things start to get better.  Someone shuffles up to new attendee and whispers in his ear. 

"I know someone who knows someone who has a cousin who's lawn guy knows where it is.  Meet us tonight at half past twelve, around the side of the building.  Wear either a Big Ed the dentist get-up or a Laura from FWWM wig so no one will recognize you.  Tell no one that you're going."

Next day new attendee leaks to someone that he's seen this magical site.  "Oh yeah, we've been there.  Just a stupid house in a suburban development, huh?"

As a first time attendee, I was just wondering are we likely to get any more guest announcements or not? 2 seems a bit low to what has been there in previous years..

Also I can't wait for a midnight gathering to see the Palmer household ;)

Amanda can provide the best answer but the bottom line is that anything is possible when it come to celebrities. The people who come to the Fest are the cake. Celebrities are the sprinkles.  Doen't make sense now but it will very soon.

2. no one will tell you where picard and data's quarters are because the current owners don't want visitors. well, some of the cool kids know where picard and data lived, but they are far too cool to share that information with smelly plebs. so there are secret tours you will never see.

 Always one of the funny traditions at the festival.  Seems to happen every year, sometimes several times a year.

Random group of fest-goers gather.  A first time attendee starts asking questions:

"Where's the Double R?" (Just down the street)
"Where's Easter Park?" (California)
"Will I get to see the Deer Meadow Sheriff Station?" (Yes, at the picnic)
"Where is the Palmer house?" (silence)

People begin speaking in hushed voices.  Angelo Badalamenti music fills the air.  Donna starts crying.

"They're private residences.  That's top secret."

New attendee knows he asked the wrong question, but doesn't know why.  Aren't the Hurley house and the trailer park private residences?  Maybe even the Bookhouse.  Logic doesn't matter.  Suddenly, new attendee doesn't even care about the falls.  The only filming site he has to see is this Palmer house.  This non-descript, generic, boring house.

But things start to get better.  Someone shuffles up to new attendee and whispers in his ear. 

"I know someone who knows someone who has a cousin who's lawn guy knows where it is.  Meet us tonight at half past twelve, around the side of the building.  Wear either a Big Ed the dentist get-up or a Laura from FWWM wig so no one will recognize you.  Tell no one that you're going."

Next day new attendee leaks to someone that he's seen this magical site.  "Oh yeah, we've been there.  Just a stupid house in a suburban development, huh?"

 i hope it was clear to all the people that actually know how to vsit those locations that i was pulling their leg and i am not, in fact, bitter about it or anything

I know where all of those sites are in Washington and I'm more than happy to dish, but not on the internet and I'm sure as hell not going to give a personal tour. I have little time to do that stuff as it is. If anyone asks me, I'll give them directions in person.

I should point out that a few of us found some of the houses all by ourselves. We just cruised Snoqualmie until we found the Johnson house and cruised Monroe until we found the TV series Palmer house. The other houses were word of mouth. I have a photographic memory for directions, so I'm the worst person to take on a "secret tour". I remember it all and I tell. :) I just don't post the directions on the internet because word-of-mouth keeps the flow of information slow-moving, so these people don't end up with bus tours of Japanese tourists on their doorsteps.

As far as more celebs for the fest, we have been trying to fill the third celeb spot for several months. We keep getting turned down due to busy work schedules. We just got turned down yet again this weekend. We're working on getting someone yet again. It's an endless cycle and it gets old.

I should point out that ticket sales are low this year (rightfully so...travel is expensive this year, and a lot of people are having financial difficulties - quite a few people have contacted us saying they can't afford to go this year but hope to make it in 2010) and costs of goods and services have increased in general, which is why we're limited to three celebs. Normally we aren't so tight, but it's an itchy year. We're at least 20 tickets less than last year. Ouch.

I finally found out for sure that I can't go this year because I already agreed to something else that weekend. I somehow thought the fest was in august. blerg. not like I had the money anyway, I guess.

I wonder what would happen if you put a "cant go? want to support the fest anyway? donate here!" button on the front page. i'd donate $25-$50 on sheer principle

It's worth a shot. I'm willing to get festival funds any way we can. (within reason - people come up with some ideas for fundraising and it's like they just expect things to happen with minimal effort) Especially for next year because people are expecting a huge blowout for the 20th anniversary of Peaks. Jared and I have already been talking about ways to raise awareness of the festival as well as raise funds. We've already started working on getting something printed in Entertainment Weekly. I'm thinking that for next year a temporary ticket price increase might be in order. Dunno. We'll have to see what we come up with as a game plan before deciding that. I really just want to get through this year first. It's not been a good year as far as I'm concerned. The low ticket sales have been bumming me out, as well as drama that I didn't even ask for. Anyone who thinks that it would be cool to run the festival really has no clue what goes on behind the scenes. It's far from cool...

Amanda, I think that you and Jared do an amazing job and I'm really bummed that I can't make it this year.  But I will be saving my clams and wouldn't miss the 20th anniversary for anything.  It must be hard to get people to come year after year.  If you would like, I will begin a year long campaign to get Beymer there next year.  He lives right up the road from my mom. :)

i would love to go this year, but all my vacation time was already committed for this year way in advance. but next year, i'd love to be one of the annoying first-time attendees who walk around wide-eyed and ask stupid questions, especially since it would be the 20th anniversary for the show...

having beymer would be great for next year. are there any other cast members, besides SF (which kills me because i love audrey), who simply refuse and/or would never show up?

i'd love to be one of the annoying first-time attendees who walk around wide-eyed and ask stupid questions, especially since it would be the 20th anniversary for the show...

 We hope to see you there. Feel free to ask all the questions you want; you'll be around friends who share the same passion. if you've never been to the Pacific Northwest you will be wide-eyed for sure. The trees and mountains are quite stunning and grand.

To be honest, the wide-eyed first-timers are what I love most about the festival. Because as seasoned and jaded as I am when it comes to the festival, I will always remember that fantastic first time I ever attended...and every new person who comes through each year allows me to kind of relive that vicariously. :) First-timers always ask a million questions (or sometimes say nothing at all out of fear for looking/sounding silly) and are so earnest in their love for Twin Peaks. It reminds me of why I loved the show and started attending the festivals in the first place. :)

This has been a meh year for us as far as fest planning goes. With ticket sales being low, it has limited us to the number of celebs we can invite. And ordinarily I would just throw caution to the wind and invite one more than we have the budget for just to stay one step ahead of sales, but this year my credit card company decided to punish me for everyone else's financial blunders, and they chopped my limit down to almost nothing. (way to treat a longtime never-delinquent regular customer) And that was my "mad money" for the fest. So that's why we've had to be a bit more conservative. Not that I really enjoy spending a couple thousand of my own money anyway...because we do eat some of the fest cost every year. But it's the image of the festival that's important. And this year I feel like that image is suffering a bit. :(  Hopefully everyone will accept a big group hug from the fest organizers as a token of our apologies. :)

Amanda,

        Group hugs are mandatory !!!

I just don't post the directions on the internet because word-of-mouth keeps the flow of information slow-moving, so these people don't end up with bus tours of Japanese tourists on their doorsteps.

 

Or drunken Festers wanting a "souvenir." The trailer park, as I've said, has been roped off with NO TRESPASSING signs since last year's zealous fan vandalism.

What's with the sense of entitlement? (EDIT: I know B was joking, ie. 'why so secret?' Because it's not a big deal, the "secret" tours are just gas and time wasters that happen concurrently with the highly efficient greenhorn Bus Tour that the bored veterans have seen a hundred times) There are sites even I have waited years to see, and I have been part of the privileged private tours. Truly, there is not enough time to get from Seattle to North Bend/Snoqualmie to Everett to Poulsbo to Monroe in a weekend. After 10 years, I have still not seen everything!!!

The economy has taken a toll on the Festival this year, but a humble one is better than none. The Northern Exposure Moosefest doesn't even happen every year. If anyone who comes out is disappointed/unsympathetic to the organizers, they are heartless miserly fuckers.

 
heartless miserly fuckers.

I love this and plan to use it on people at will.

I think it's unbelievable that people would grump.

(EDIT: I know B was joking, ie. 'why so secret?'

 Uh-oh.  Now I'm worried that *everyone* didn't realize that I was joking.

The point was that the weekend is so great, and you'll see so many more interesting Twin Peaks sites.  The official tour is the most efficient and fun way to see the most sites, but there are plenty of people around to point you to anywhere else you want to go.

are there any other cast members, besides SF (which kills me because i love audrey), who simply refuse and/or would never show up?

 Sherilyn Fenn doesn't refuse to come. She has just been flacky. No offense meant to her, she just doesn't understand how relaxed and chill the fest is. It was really annoying that she said she'd come and then never got on the plane, for sure, but I just wouldn't say she "refuses" to attend.

are there any other cast members, besides SF (which kills me because i love audrey), who simply refuse and/or would never show up?

 Sherilyn Fenn doesn't refuse to come. She has just been flacky. No offense meant to her, she just doesn't understand how relaxed and chill the fest is. It was really annoying that she said she'd come and then never got on the plane, for sure, but I just wouldn't say she "refuses" to attend.

 oh my bad then for reading too much into what i've seen in prior posts. if she agreed to show up next year, i'd pretty much be a lock to attend. i'm planning to attend now anyway, but that would definitely put it over the top for me.

If Sherilyn did agree to come in the future, she wouldn't be announced. She's burned us twice (in a row even) and there's no way we're going to go through that public humiliation again. The first year fans were relatively understanding. The second year, we (the organizers) actually got accused of falsely announcing Sherilyn just to bolster ticket sales (trust me, her coming did dick for sales) and we had to deal with quite a few angry fans. I'm still disgusted with her but she's always welcome to come. But again, she would be unannounced.

I just want to point out that there really aren't any celebs who are refusing to come...like being beligerent bastards or anything. Those who have elected to not participate have done so pretty politely. They've either said "thank you but I'm not interested" or they've just not responded to inquiries, and that's perfectly fine. Some actors just don't want to take certain steps back in time and revisit the past. And I'm sure some don't like that they don't get paid for their actual time at the festival or paid for autographs, but they'd never say as much. Which is cool. Because they could just be demanding pricks about it if they wanted to. :) That's not to say that some of the past guests haven't had special requests...but really, nobody's asked us to go bankrupt just for a piece of their time.

If Sherilyn did agree to come in the future, she wouldn't be announced. She's burned us twice (in a row even) and there's no way we're going to go through that public humiliation again. The first year fans were relatively understanding. The second year, we (the organizers) actually got accused of falsely announcing Sherilyn just to bolster ticket sales (trust me, her coming did dick for sales) and we had to deal with quite a few angry fans. I'm still disgusted with her but she's always welcome to come. But again, she would be unannounced.

I just want to point out that there really aren't any celebs who are refusing to come...like being beligerent bastards or anything. Those who have elected to not participate have done so pretty politely. They've either said "thank you but I'm not interested" or they've just not responded to inquiries, and that's perfectly fine. Some actors just don't want to take certain steps back in time and revisit the past. And I'm sure some don't like that they don't get paid for their actual time at the festival or paid for autographs, but they'd never say as much. Which is cool. Because they could just be demanding pricks about it if they wanted to. :) That's not to say that some of the past guests haven't had special requests...but really, nobody's asked us to go bankrupt just for a piece of their time.

then let's spin it back to a positive light-- who have been the most memorable and/or pleasant festival celebrity guests? i'd love to hear those stories. (and my apologies if those have been documented elswhere; if so, and y'all just don't want to be arsed to elaborate again, trust me, i'll understand)
 

*sigh* Don Davis...