Strana 126
FEAST OF MODELLING SOULS by Jan Zdiarský
Those of you who were not in Milovice last
weekend, or who missed the information about
the biggest Czech and certainly one of the big-
gest European modelling meetings, know from
the editorial of this issue of Info magazine that
another E
-
Day is over.
As it has been the case for the last few years
in a row, I had, among other things, the task of
coordinating the participation of model clubs.
This meant balancing their requirements and
requests with the possibilities and, in short,
ensuring that, in addition to the competition mo-
dels, the exhibition could be graced by presenta-
tions from clubs across the Czech Republic, but
also from Slovakia and Italy. And that all enjoy
the right conditions to do so, and also that we do
not create chaos, especially during their start-up.
Such club exhibitions are then very varied.
There are excellently built models, unfinished
projects, chronicles of clubs, photographs, bowls
of sweets and other goodies for passers-by, nice
tablecloths and statuettes, prizes from other
competitions...
Although thematic exhibitions - SIGs - have
been declining over the years, club presenta-
tions have been increasing. We had only one SIG
this year, focused on SCI
-
FI models. There were
thirty-one exhibiting clubs at this year’s E
-
Day,
occupying tables totaling more than 70 meters
in length. This year we had to cancel the partici-
pation of several Moravian clubs, whose mem-
bers were dealing with completely different con-
cerns after the huge floods.
Anyway, the purpose of what I am writing is not
to give statistics of participation, although even
that is worthy of publication. I would like to share
something else with you. It’s a mixture of the
feelings I get from these club shows. This year,
more than in the previous two years, club rep-
resentatives have asked me at pre-registrationto
be able to get a spot next to a particular friendly
club they were adjacent to, say, a year ago. E
-
Day,
more than other competitions, gives them room
to share time with each other - during the Friday
afternoon, then all day on Saturday. And needless
to say, that continues in a pub after the hall closes
on Friday night.
E
-
Day thus creates great conditions for es-
tablishing and strengthening friendships, which
are important in any such hobby. Unless you are
a solitary modeler. People from different clubs
not only exchange experiences, tips and new
modelling techniques, they also bring baked buns
and cakes, coffee in a thermos and of course
a bottle or a flask for their friends. What if the
tank hall was freezing and cold, right?
Most of the modelers participating in club
presentations also had their models registered
in the Czech Model Masters competition itself.
So for them, it meant mostly going through regis-
tration on Friday afternoon with their models and
then putting together their club’s shrine so that,
if possible, it would stand out above the rest.
Then the next day, arrange some deals at the
vendor booths, attend workshops and talks, and
otherwise get on with the business discussions
of modeling, gluing, sealing, sanding, spraying
and other occult alchemy, and that’s the talk.
I didn’t think so much about it before, if you are
one of the organizers of such an event, you look
at the events around you with different eyes than
normal participants, but it was the requirements
for the placement of specific clubs together that
led me to do it this year - to pay more attention to
what is happening at the club tables and behind
them. And there my eyes discovered an oasis
of peace and quiet amidst the hustle and bus-
tle that such a show brings with it. And in doing
so, I came to understand that a club show is not
just a presentation opportunity for its creators -
the space that clubs get at E
-
Day also creates
a great backdrop in which modelers relaxed,
talked quietly, and where they retreated to when
they needed a break from the crowd. There they
experienced peace and quiet in the company of
like-minded people they might only see once
or twice a year - at E
-
Days and some halfway
contest. They sat there contentedly enjoying their
modeling holiday with the feelings that peo-
ple probably experience when they roll out on
a beach chair. But beyond that, there are friends
from far away places around them, thousands
of topics to talk about, and world-class models
within a few steps. And that’s certainly one of
the important things why modelers love coming
to E
-
Day. It’s a feast for their souls. And for our
part, it’s a bit of a thank you for allowing com-
panies like us to exist through their hobby and
their interest. We need each other. And I would
say we like each other. At least this year’s E
-
Day
reaffirmed that for me.
INFO Eduard126
October 2024