Post by "Playboy" Don Douglas on Jun 17, 2009 1:51:08 GMT -5
The topic recently came up in the "I met a hall of famer" thread, so I'd thought I'd post a thread just for it. This will double as a plug and a place for discussion of both the upcoming event and past events. If you've never been to a Fanfest, I can tell you from experience that they are just incredible.
Emanating from the Hilton University Place Hotel in Charlotte, NC, the NWA Legends Fanfest is 4 nights and 3 days (August 6-9) of heaven for wrestling fans, especially fans of wrestling from the '80s and before, though some newer stars do make appearances as well.
Your VIP pass includes 2 autographs from each of the featured wrestlers (3 if you purchase a photo op and have it signed), admission to the live matches on Saturday and Sunday nights, admission to the Q&A sessions, as well as a commemorative t-shirt.
Confirmed featured legends so far are:
HARLEY RACE
BILL WATTS
ANGELO MOSCA
ANGELO MOSCA, JR.
JACKIE FARGO
THE FANTASTICS, BOBBY FULTON & TOMMY ROGERS
BUGSY McGRAW
BOB CAUDLE
OLE ANDERSON
LANCE RUSSELL
CHRIS CRUISE
RICH LANDRUM
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN (a rare guest, and all accounts say it may be his last appearance at such an event)
DON FARGO
TULLY BLANCHARD
JIMMY HART
MAGNUM TA
BILLY ROBINSON
DAVE BROWN
MARK LEWIN (I believe his first appearance at anything like this, and as I believe he's in his 70s and has been living in Singapore, this may be a one-time opportunity)
JUDY MARTIN
JAMES J. DILLON
JERRY JARRETT (fairly rare, I believe)
SUSAN GREEN
BARRY WINDHAM (I think it's his first appearance since his WWE exit)
SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK
PAUL JONES
ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER (apparently for an extra fee during the photo ops, you can either fork or be forked by Abby, with an actual fork from his restaurant in Atlanta, which he will then sign and you keep)
There is also a good vendors area, with everything from dvds to magazines and posters going back as far as the '30s, clothes (sometimes ring-worn gear) and assorted memorabilia. Many vendors also bring in wrestlers of their own for autographs and photo-ops, though a fee is charged for both.
Confirmed vendor guests include:
"Wildfire" TOMMY RICH
"The Doctor of Style" SLICK
MOLLY HOLLY
"Action" MIKE JACKSON (odds are you've never heard of him. He tore the house down in the matches last year and a riot recently broke out at a show in his home state of Alabama when some heels attacked him during his "retirement ceremony". Watch the guy wrestle, and you will be a believer)
STEVE KEIRN (original Fabulous Ones, Skinner, one of the Doinks)
COWBOY BOB ORTON
MR. FUJI
HOWARD FINKEL
LACEY VON ERICH
The Wild Samoans" AFA and SIKA
CRAIG "Pitbull" PITTMAN
CHIC DONOVAN
"The Universal Heartthrob" AUSTIN IDOL (also a rare guest, apparently)
"The Killer Bees," JIM BRUNZELL and B. BRIAN BLAIR
THE ITALIAN STALLION
DOUG SOMERS
STAN HANSEN
BRIAN ADIAS (wrestled in World Class, apparently this is the first thing he's had to do with wrestling in a long time, maybe since then)
ROCKY KING (a.k.a. Little Richard Marley, the Freebirds' roadie in WCW)
VADER
"The Faces of Fear," MENG and BARBARIAN
BOB ROOP
"Boogie Woogie Man" JIMMY VALIANT
DEBRA
JEFF JARRETT
BG JAMES and KIP JAMES (aka ROAD DOGG and BILLY GUNN "The New Age Outlaws,")
TAMMY "Sunny" SYTCH
KEVIN NASH
THE STEINER BROTHERS
2 COLD SCORPIO
STEVE CORINO
ELIJAH BURKE
"The KISS Demon" DALE TORBORG
JIM CORNETTE and the Midnight Express, DENNIS CONDREY and BOBBY EATON
BLACK BART
"The Enforcer" ARN ANDERSON
"The Genius" LANNY POFFO (who I understand will be doing photo-ops in the cap and gown)
"The Russian Bear" IVAN KOLOFF
DANNY HODGE (highly respected junior heavy from back in the day; former amature champion; can apparently crush apples with his hands and it was believed that he could probably make someone submit just by grabbing and squeezing. I think he made an appearance on Raw in Oklahoma a few years back)
BILL ALFONSO
BOB BACKLUND
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE
No specifics have yet been mentioned on who will participate in the matches. Jackson, Scorpio, and Ricky (or Richie) Steamboat Jr. have all been heavily hinted at (or I think confirmed in Jackson's case) and a Corino-Abdullah match has been hinted at as well.
Jim Cornette will also be taking part in a late night Q&A from 10 to midnight on Thursday. You can always count on that being entertaining. Another Q&A is currently scheduled, I think from 7 to 9 that same night, but the participant is TBA.
Also taking place during the weekend in the third-annual Hall of Heroes Dinner Banquet and Awards Ceremony (think hall of fame). This is NOT included in the VIP pass, but is open only to VIP ticket holders. After a buffet-style dinner in which there will be a guest of the convention seated at each table, the award ceremony takes place. This year's awards ceremony, hosted by Jim Cornette, will honor eight great "heroes" from wrestling's past: Don Fargo, Jackie Fargo, Sonny "Roughhouse" Fargo, Playboy Gary Hart, Chief Wahoo McDaniel, Blackjack Mulligan, Nelson Royal, and Lance Russell. Some of the guests confirmed to be joining us for this year's Hall of Heroes banquet include Abdullah the Butcher, Ole Anderson, Baby Doll, Tully Blanchard, Dave Brown, Bob Caudle, Jim Cornette, Chris Cruise, James J. Dillon, Don Fargo, Jackie Fargo, Bobby Fulton, Susan Green, Jimmy Hart, Danny Hodge, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Mike Jackson, Jerry Jarrett, Paul Jones, Steve Keirn, Ivan Koloff, Mark Lewin, Bugsy McGraw, Judy Martin, Angelo Mosca, Angelo Mosca Jr., Blackjack Mulligan, Harley Race, Billy Robinson, Tommy Rogers, Lance Russell, and Barry Windham
For additional information or to order VIP passes, visit www.nwalegends.com
Be sure to check out the forum, as that's where you'll find a lot of information in regards to the prices for vendor guests' autographs and photo-ops (some of them offer pre-order specials), any further announcements that happen to be made about talent appearing, the matches, q&a's, and pre-ordering photo-ops with featured guests, which should be available starting next month. A great selection of 8x10s is also always available at the fest, and can usually be pre-ordered to be included in your VIP packet so you don't have to worry about lines or supply.
Oh and each VIP pass is numbered. During the autograph sessions, the numbers will be called (usually in sets of 20) and chairs are available nearby, so you don't have to stand in line. If you for whatever reason miss your set being called, just show your pass to one of the staff (they'll make sure there's no hole punched in your wristband) and you'll be immediately passed through, so no worries about missing autographs should you get held up.
Keep checking the site, keep checking the forum. This year is going to be huge. Also on the forum, there are several former stars and personalities who have a section where you can talk directly to them. Some visit more often than others, some seem to come and go, but these people include Baby Doll, Dennis Condrey of the Midnight Express, JJ Dillon, Masked Superstar (aka Demolition Ax), Lodi (the sign guy of Raven's flock), Sir Oliver Humperdink, and announcers Chris Cruise and Rich Landrum.
Last year was my first Fanfest, and it was one of the greatest times I've had in my life. Just meeting Ric Flair alone made it worth the trip and the cost, but there was so much more. I've got so many great photos with wrestling stars I never thought I'd meet. At one point the realization suddenly hit me, "I'm standing between Ivan Koloff and Bruno Sammartino." And not only that, but the moments you happen to see and maybe be a part of, like Jim Duggan and Ted Dibiase catching up on old times in the vendor area, or walking into the hotel bar and seeing 3 or 4 of the wrestlers and being able to have a drink with them. Any time you want to talk to Ole Anderson when he's not on the autograph stage or doing photo ops, all you have to do is go to lobby and there he is, often with 3 or 4 other guys. Last year I walked by and there was Ole, Thunderbolt Patterson, Baron Von Raschke, Paul Jones, JJ Dillon, Bob Caudle, and Dawn Marie had even stopped by. Freebird Buddy Roberts was sitting behind me during the Saturday night matches, and seeing him laugh when Daffney was announced as being from Badstreet, USA was great.
I can't tell you enough how great an experience these things are. I know at least one other person here on the forums has been, as we were talking about them in the other thread. Anyone who has been, please share your experiences. If you haven't been, feel free to discuss what looks to be a great event this year. I posted my pics just after the event last August, but if anyone didn't see them and would like to, just let me know and I'll be glad to re-post them.
Emanating from the Hilton University Place Hotel in Charlotte, NC, the NWA Legends Fanfest is 4 nights and 3 days (August 6-9) of heaven for wrestling fans, especially fans of wrestling from the '80s and before, though some newer stars do make appearances as well.
Your VIP pass includes 2 autographs from each of the featured wrestlers (3 if you purchase a photo op and have it signed), admission to the live matches on Saturday and Sunday nights, admission to the Q&A sessions, as well as a commemorative t-shirt.
Confirmed featured legends so far are:
HARLEY RACE
BILL WATTS
ANGELO MOSCA
ANGELO MOSCA, JR.
JACKIE FARGO
THE FANTASTICS, BOBBY FULTON & TOMMY ROGERS
BUGSY McGRAW
BOB CAUDLE
OLE ANDERSON
LANCE RUSSELL
CHRIS CRUISE
RICH LANDRUM
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN (a rare guest, and all accounts say it may be his last appearance at such an event)
DON FARGO
TULLY BLANCHARD
JIMMY HART
MAGNUM TA
BILLY ROBINSON
DAVE BROWN
MARK LEWIN (I believe his first appearance at anything like this, and as I believe he's in his 70s and has been living in Singapore, this may be a one-time opportunity)
JUDY MARTIN
JAMES J. DILLON
JERRY JARRETT (fairly rare, I believe)
SUSAN GREEN
BARRY WINDHAM (I think it's his first appearance since his WWE exit)
SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK
PAUL JONES
ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER (apparently for an extra fee during the photo ops, you can either fork or be forked by Abby, with an actual fork from his restaurant in Atlanta, which he will then sign and you keep)
There is also a good vendors area, with everything from dvds to magazines and posters going back as far as the '30s, clothes (sometimes ring-worn gear) and assorted memorabilia. Many vendors also bring in wrestlers of their own for autographs and photo-ops, though a fee is charged for both.
Confirmed vendor guests include:
"Wildfire" TOMMY RICH
"The Doctor of Style" SLICK
MOLLY HOLLY
"Action" MIKE JACKSON (odds are you've never heard of him. He tore the house down in the matches last year and a riot recently broke out at a show in his home state of Alabama when some heels attacked him during his "retirement ceremony". Watch the guy wrestle, and you will be a believer)
STEVE KEIRN (original Fabulous Ones, Skinner, one of the Doinks)
COWBOY BOB ORTON
MR. FUJI
HOWARD FINKEL
LACEY VON ERICH
The Wild Samoans" AFA and SIKA
CRAIG "Pitbull" PITTMAN
CHIC DONOVAN
"The Universal Heartthrob" AUSTIN IDOL (also a rare guest, apparently)
"The Killer Bees," JIM BRUNZELL and B. BRIAN BLAIR
THE ITALIAN STALLION
DOUG SOMERS
STAN HANSEN
BRIAN ADIAS (wrestled in World Class, apparently this is the first thing he's had to do with wrestling in a long time, maybe since then)
ROCKY KING (a.k.a. Little Richard Marley, the Freebirds' roadie in WCW)
VADER
"The Faces of Fear," MENG and BARBARIAN
BOB ROOP
"Boogie Woogie Man" JIMMY VALIANT
DEBRA
JEFF JARRETT
BG JAMES and KIP JAMES (aka ROAD DOGG and BILLY GUNN "The New Age Outlaws,")
TAMMY "Sunny" SYTCH
KEVIN NASH
THE STEINER BROTHERS
2 COLD SCORPIO
STEVE CORINO
ELIJAH BURKE
"The KISS Demon" DALE TORBORG
JIM CORNETTE and the Midnight Express, DENNIS CONDREY and BOBBY EATON
BLACK BART
"The Enforcer" ARN ANDERSON
"The Genius" LANNY POFFO (who I understand will be doing photo-ops in the cap and gown)
"The Russian Bear" IVAN KOLOFF
DANNY HODGE (highly respected junior heavy from back in the day; former amature champion; can apparently crush apples with his hands and it was believed that he could probably make someone submit just by grabbing and squeezing. I think he made an appearance on Raw in Oklahoma a few years back)
BILL ALFONSO
BOB BACKLUND
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE
No specifics have yet been mentioned on who will participate in the matches. Jackson, Scorpio, and Ricky (or Richie) Steamboat Jr. have all been heavily hinted at (or I think confirmed in Jackson's case) and a Corino-Abdullah match has been hinted at as well.
Jim Cornette will also be taking part in a late night Q&A from 10 to midnight on Thursday. You can always count on that being entertaining. Another Q&A is currently scheduled, I think from 7 to 9 that same night, but the participant is TBA.
Also taking place during the weekend in the third-annual Hall of Heroes Dinner Banquet and Awards Ceremony (think hall of fame). This is NOT included in the VIP pass, but is open only to VIP ticket holders. After a buffet-style dinner in which there will be a guest of the convention seated at each table, the award ceremony takes place. This year's awards ceremony, hosted by Jim Cornette, will honor eight great "heroes" from wrestling's past: Don Fargo, Jackie Fargo, Sonny "Roughhouse" Fargo, Playboy Gary Hart, Chief Wahoo McDaniel, Blackjack Mulligan, Nelson Royal, and Lance Russell. Some of the guests confirmed to be joining us for this year's Hall of Heroes banquet include Abdullah the Butcher, Ole Anderson, Baby Doll, Tully Blanchard, Dave Brown, Bob Caudle, Jim Cornette, Chris Cruise, James J. Dillon, Don Fargo, Jackie Fargo, Bobby Fulton, Susan Green, Jimmy Hart, Danny Hodge, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Mike Jackson, Jerry Jarrett, Paul Jones, Steve Keirn, Ivan Koloff, Mark Lewin, Bugsy McGraw, Judy Martin, Angelo Mosca, Angelo Mosca Jr., Blackjack Mulligan, Harley Race, Billy Robinson, Tommy Rogers, Lance Russell, and Barry Windham
For additional information or to order VIP passes, visit www.nwalegends.com
Be sure to check out the forum, as that's where you'll find a lot of information in regards to the prices for vendor guests' autographs and photo-ops (some of them offer pre-order specials), any further announcements that happen to be made about talent appearing, the matches, q&a's, and pre-ordering photo-ops with featured guests, which should be available starting next month. A great selection of 8x10s is also always available at the fest, and can usually be pre-ordered to be included in your VIP packet so you don't have to worry about lines or supply.
Oh and each VIP pass is numbered. During the autograph sessions, the numbers will be called (usually in sets of 20) and chairs are available nearby, so you don't have to stand in line. If you for whatever reason miss your set being called, just show your pass to one of the staff (they'll make sure there's no hole punched in your wristband) and you'll be immediately passed through, so no worries about missing autographs should you get held up.
Keep checking the site, keep checking the forum. This year is going to be huge. Also on the forum, there are several former stars and personalities who have a section where you can talk directly to them. Some visit more often than others, some seem to come and go, but these people include Baby Doll, Dennis Condrey of the Midnight Express, JJ Dillon, Masked Superstar (aka Demolition Ax), Lodi (the sign guy of Raven's flock), Sir Oliver Humperdink, and announcers Chris Cruise and Rich Landrum.
Last year was my first Fanfest, and it was one of the greatest times I've had in my life. Just meeting Ric Flair alone made it worth the trip and the cost, but there was so much more. I've got so many great photos with wrestling stars I never thought I'd meet. At one point the realization suddenly hit me, "I'm standing between Ivan Koloff and Bruno Sammartino." And not only that, but the moments you happen to see and maybe be a part of, like Jim Duggan and Ted Dibiase catching up on old times in the vendor area, or walking into the hotel bar and seeing 3 or 4 of the wrestlers and being able to have a drink with them. Any time you want to talk to Ole Anderson when he's not on the autograph stage or doing photo ops, all you have to do is go to lobby and there he is, often with 3 or 4 other guys. Last year I walked by and there was Ole, Thunderbolt Patterson, Baron Von Raschke, Paul Jones, JJ Dillon, Bob Caudle, and Dawn Marie had even stopped by. Freebird Buddy Roberts was sitting behind me during the Saturday night matches, and seeing him laugh when Daffney was announced as being from Badstreet, USA was great.
I can't tell you enough how great an experience these things are. I know at least one other person here on the forums has been, as we were talking about them in the other thread. Anyone who has been, please share your experiences. If you haven't been, feel free to discuss what looks to be a great event this year. I posted my pics just after the event last August, but if anyone didn't see them and would like to, just let me know and I'll be glad to re-post them.