History of Colinfest
Colinfest 2006
This was a small event with 15 or so attendees. We had a group viewing of the Colin McIntyre Highlight Video, and a raffle with a handful of prizes. Colin discs and dvds of the highlight video were the main Colin items.
Colinfest 2007
Colinfest 2007 didn't happen.
Colinfest 2008
This was a groundbreaking event, with the introduction of games of skill and markedly improved prizes. Colinfest t-shirts made their debut in 2007. Boggle Beat-the-Champ featured teams of 4 losing to me in Boggle. Tyler Kinley won the Colin Look-alike contest in a landslide, miraculously wearing an outfit identical to mine on that day. Sarah "Surge" Griffith took second place, wearing an outfit identical the outfit that I intended to wear, but left in the car. 20-25 people attended, fitting comfortably in the home of my friend, Ricky Eikstadt.
Colinfest 2009
By 2009, Colinfest had become a national phenomenon, but attendance was limited to locals only, due to space concerns. Even still, over 60 guests overwhelmed the venue, reducing all areas of the house to standing-room-only. More friends, more food, better prizes, better games, and equivalent fun (spread across a larger group of attendees). Gordon Siegfriedt and Allan Evans earned a ban from all future Colinfests with one of the worst theme songs of all time. Armand Conti and Dave Fumo put on a memorable live performance of a Colin theme song to the tune of St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion), but an absentee submission from Danny Cohen took first prize, and a lovely Colin McIntyre Fan Gift Pack.
Colinfest West 2010
In 2010, the first ever satellite event took place in San Francisco in March, instigated in part by dedicated Colinfest attendee, Julia Weinert. Colinfest West had its own line of t-shirts, and returned to the Colinfest roots of a cozy evening of overindulgence in food, fun, friends, and food. Gracious hosts, Mike and Kristi Bauerly purchased a large home in Twin Peaks for the purpose of hosting Colinfest West. Many former residents of the Midwest attended, forming perhaps the most talented group of guests ever to attend a party. One guest commented before the event, "When I look at the list of invitees, all I can think is "I've made it." Kristi Bauerly earned a limited edition Colin McIntyre collector's pint glass with her award-winning Colin Sketch Contest entry.