In the annals of internet history, the 2014 Tumblr fan event DashCon has become the stuff of legend. Promoted as an event “by Tumblr fans, for Tumblr fans”, DashCon became renowned for mismanagement, financial troubles, and rumours that the whole debacle was a scam. Immortalised through the memetic image of a deflated ball pit, DashCon paved the way for similar organised events like Fyre Fest and the Glaswegian Wonka chocolate experience; both of which also gained internet fame through viral images.
Numerous second-hand accounts, gossip, and rumors were spread regarding DashCon’s failure. Many events never survive their inaugural year for various reasons, but DashCon is amongst the most infamous due to mismanagement and unrealistic expectations.
Research, preparation, a good business strategy, and an understanding of finances and logistics are key to any type of event being successful. A decade on, here is the story of how DashCon failed and what lessons can be learnt from it.
The Utopian Dream of Tumblr
In its brief golden age, the blogging platform Tumblr thrived with many fanbases and subcultures, serving as a safe space for young teens and others to express and share their hobbies and creative passions. To many, Tumblr was a utopia of sorts for their collective friendships and shared interests. An idea was then suggested by a blogger named Lochlan O’Neil to create the first Tumblr convention in a meet up between friends and fandoms.
The idea garnered enthusiasm. O’Neil stepped away from Tumblr for a while, returning to find an actual convention was being planned under a registered LLC, run by the new organisers Megan Eli, Cain Hopkins, and Roxanne Schwieterman.
The event was successfully fundraised by Tumblr communities, but there were logistical hurdles to overcome. The name was changed from “Tumbl-Con” to DashCon to avoid legal issues. The staff would be mostly made up of volunteers, who would have their hotel rooms booked and paid for by DashCon’s head organisers.
As for the venue, the choice was the Renaissance Schamburg Hotel in Illinois, a location mostly used for weddings and business meetings. The organisers had predicted an overall attendance rate of 3000 to 7000 people, intending to pay the overall booking fee via the ticket sales.
The Emergency Fundraiser
The event began relatively well on July 11th, 2014. It was a perfect opportunity for friends to meet for the first time in person, bringing together Tumblr’s colourful communities to life. Amongst the invited guests were the musicians Steam Powered Giraffe, actor Doug Jones, Nimona writer and artist ND Stevenson, podcasters the Baker Street Babes, and Welcome to Night Vale. Steam Powered Giraffe pulled out of the event months beforehand; guests who had paid extra to attend their planned concert were not refunded.
The expected attendance was far lower than projected, with only 500 to 1500 visitors attending across the three-day event. On the evening of the first day, organisers claimed that hotel management demanded an upfront payment of $20,000 by 10pm, or the event would be shut down. The lack of sales and projected attendees contributed to this demand, though DashCon’s organisers at first claimed that the hotel management “disliked” the event’s community. Staff, guests, and attendees were locked out of their hotel rooms, later discovering that the organisers had withdrawn payments for some bookings.
The organisers gathered most of the attendees together, informing them they were going to be kicked out unless $17,000 was raised before the deadline. An emergency fundraiser involving on-floor cash deposits and PayPal donations achieved the required amount. It was an act of solidarity, reflecting the idealised unity of Tumblr’s fanbase. On the other hand, it reflected the uncertain nature of social media, leading to suggestions the whole fundraiser was a scam due to misinformation. The organisers further promised that all donations would be refunded, though this may have only applied to PayPal donations, as no one kept record of those who gave cash.
An Extra Hour in the Ball Pit
By the time that Saturday rolled around, the mood at DashCon had changed. Vendors and artists made little revenue, as most guests had contributed to the fundraiser with little left to spend. Others learnt they would have to foot the bill for their own rooms after the organisers withdrew their previous payments. This led to several invited guests, including the Baker Street Babes, ND Stevenson, and Welcome to Night Vale leaving the convention early without compensation.
WTNV’s planned panel was delayed for ninety minutes, until organisers informed the waiting attendees that the podcasters had walked (and blamed them for such a decision). During the wait, the terms and conditions on DashCon’s website were subtly altered to remove the offer of refunds. It was the replacement compensation that sealed DashCon’s fate – guests were offered an “extra hour in the ball pit”. That, and a well-timed photo of the deflated ball pit summed up DashCon for the internet.
As for Tumblr, they watched their ideal event disintegrate before their eyes, turning on the organisers with memes and even death threats. The organisers apologised, promising to improve in a follow-up event that never was to be – an event named “Emoti-Con”, run by two of the three organisers, and then cancelled.
Why Did DashCon Fail?
The ball pit serves as the perfect metaphor of DashCon’s failure – mismanagement, inexperience, and unrealistic expectations. Proper planning and setting logical expectations are essential for both professional and first-time organisers and exhibitors. Arranging for a first-time event for an untested target audience, booking a pricy hotel, and then projecting that nearly 10,000 people will attend, namely impressionable teenagers with limited income, was unworkable.
Numerous other accounts described the behaviour of the organisers as shambolic and rude, often towards each other. This disorganisation trickled down into the rest of DashCon from scheduling to finances, culminating in the controversy and backlash from those attending and online. The infamy of DashCon changed the tone of Tumblr overnight, making the community more introspective and self-critical.
To Sum Up
For an event to be successful, there must be a well-prepared plan, an understanding of the business and target market, and transparent communications with all involved parties. This is crucial for trade exhibitions, where businesses will want to network with clients and promote new products. This can be achieved using attractive, sustainable exhibition stands, provided by companies like Quadrant2Design. Such stands can be built for many events, including more entertainment-based shows like London MCM Comic-Con.
Keep in mind these important points, or your dream event could be as deflated as DashCon’s ball pit.
