AFF Gathering #11 - date choice

[samh004]

You may have by now noticed that Darwin was the winner of the location choice for AFF #11. It won by 20 votes over second-placed Adelaide, with 68.29% of the vote; the highest margin so far.

We now have the difficult time of choosing a weekend the event should be held on. The vote will now switch to multiple choice to allow you to select multiple weekends that work for you. It will also be a public vote, so other can see where you have voted.

Due to Darwin being located 1200KM above the Tropic of Capricorn, and a previous comment by tuapekastar, the dates we're considering will be the earliest yet:

"Most locals divide the year into three periods; "the dry" from around May to early September, "the build up" from the first signs of humidity in September to when the rains really kick in sometime in December, and bring "the wet season" which lasts untill April." - See more at: Darwin Weather and Climate

Unfortunately, a poll is for a maximum of 10 options, so I have had to discard the earliest options in late-June. If those in the know think these dates should be considered though, I can always close this poll and start again. Though choosing a date quickly is important in getting things organised.

9 - 11 June	NRL Game in the NT
16 - 18 June
23 - 25 June	NT School Holidays QLD School Holidays
30 June - 2 July	ACT School Holidays NSW School Holidays NT School Holidays QLD School Holidays Territory Day VIC School Holidays WA School Holidays
7 - 9 July	ACT School Holidays Darwin Guineas Race Day NSW School Holidays NT School Holidays QLD School Holidays SA School Holidays TAS School Holidays VIC School Holidays WA School Holidays
14 - 16 July	ACT School Holidays Chief Ministers Cup Day NSW School Holidays NT School Holidays SA School Holidays TAS School Holidays VIC School Holidays WA School Holidays
21 - 23 July	NT Derby Day NT School Holidays SA School Holidays TAS School Holidays
28 - 30 July	Metric Mile Race Day
4 - 6 August	Darwin Cup Weekend Darwin Turf Club Gala Ball Palmerston Sprint Race Day
11 - 13 August
18 - 20 August
25 - 27 August
1 - 3 September	Fathers Day Weekend
8 - 10 September

 

[samh004]

I have tentatively voted for August onwards... reason being is that I'm planning to visit Europe in June, and have dental surgery in July!

 

[Steady]

1st July is Territory day - a unique experience with fireworks going off everywhere

I have tentatively voted for August onwards... reason being is that I'm planning to visit Europe in June, and have dental surgery in July!

I'm not seeing the poll at the top of the page?

I don't seem to be able to delete this post - after posting the poll was there.....

 

[samh004]

1st July is Territory day - a unique experience with fireworks going off everywhere

I have added that to the table.

I'm not seeing the poll at the top of the page?

Have you tried refreshing the page? I posted the thread but then it took another 5 minutes of fiddling to get the poll sorted. You may have loaded the page before that

 

[blackcat20]

Most of those dates are unsuitable for us due to prior commitments.

 

[Glider_]

Territory day is great for the fireworks- Darwin is one of the last places where you can buy your own fireworks and let them off yourself. Very highly recommended! There are restrictions on where you can let them off, so we'd likely need a local to provide a backyard or maybe a minibus to a good spot suggested by a local.

 

[samh004]

Most of those dates are unsuitable for us due to prior commitments.

Quite a few are unsuitable for me too. I have a few prior commitments and anticipate drinking and eating out of a straw through August!

But I was told to avoid "the wet".

 

[JessicaTam]

I am back at work on Monday (boo!) so will hold off voting until I chat to the boss.

 

[Jacques Vert]

This site Weather In Darwin, Australia - Best Time To Travel To Darwin - Weather suggests that things get very busy and expensive around the middle of the dry; suggests to go early (too early for us) or August/early Sept.

Food for thought.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The AFF Kokoda trek is scheduled for early to mid September ... however that may be a problem for very few!

 

[mickeyc747]

I have tentatively voted for August onwards... reason being is that I'm planning to visit Europe in June, and have dental surgery in July!

I don't think personal lives should be allowed to influence dates. You should enjoy Europe

 

[puppysparkes]

Whatever the dates are, it won't effect a mandatory NT sunset with a beverage in hand.

For any members who are prepared to share accommodation I can recommend Argus apartments. http://www.argusaccommodation.com.au
in the CBD.

I don't have a commercial interest in this property. However, I have stayed there previously in the penthouse.

 

[samh004]

Whatever the dates are, it won't effect a mandatory NT sunset with a beverage in hand.

Do you think I picked the right date range or should it have included more of June?

The AFF Kokoda trek is scheduled for early to mid September ... however that may be a problem for very few!

What date does that start? I'll add it to the table at the top.

 

[puppysparkes]

Do you think I picked the right date range or should it have included more of June?

April - October is a good window.

As others have mentioned Mindil markets is also a must do. Closing night gets a bit crazy. http://www.mindil.com.au

 

[samh004]

April - October is a good window.

Really hard to fit all them into a 10-option poll as that's about 20 weekends, double what I can display.

 

[Captain Halliday]

An FYI for you all (and perhaps Sam to add to the table on page one of the thread), the Darwin Festival is on 10-27 August.
Pros: great for those into arts, music etc;
Cons: Accommodation is expensive/books out early; restaurants are extremely busy Fri-Sun nights; and flights are often very full.

 

[RooFlyer]

I would have voted for a November date if it was there! Nothing like a few good lightning shows to set the evening off (speaking as a former Darwin-ite).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

What date does that start? I'll add it to the table at the top.

It can still of course change to suit particular wants and desires, but for those who intend to do both the trek and the Goroka show, the fly in date to POM would likely be the 4th or 5th of September, then the trek and finally Goroka show on the 16th of September.

As said though, there may be very few who will be affected by this.

 

[gwilli1]

The furtherest away from peak period & definitely outside school holidays will be my choice...so thats looking like Sept.

 

[Awesom Andy]

If stats are anything to go by, even early Oct is usually quite dry (not that I've lived there though). Given the few votes we currently have in July, and that it's school holidays, perhaps we could restart the poll from the last weekend of July to the first weekend of Oct?

EDIT: Although having said that, I just realised that school holidays start again towards the end of Sep.