Fun and Affordable -- that the annual Holmes, Doyle, & Friends Conference in Dayton, which was held last Saturday, March 23. I'm still basking in the afterglow.
The "Dayton Symposium," as it is often called, has been held under various names, in various places, and under various sponsorships since 1981, making it the granddaddy of all Sherlockian conferences that is still going strong. The Agra Treasurers of Dayton have been the sponsors since it became Holmes, Doyle, & Friends a decade ago.
Full disclosure: I'm the Programme Chairman, which means that I get to round up the eight speakers. It's a fun job. The speakers are the heart of the conference, although the vendors are almost just as important. Each speaker gets 20 minutes to speak and 10 to answer questions. The day really moves along.
There's a bit of a family feeling as well because some of the participants have been coming from far-flung parts of the United States for years. As a surprise this time, we celebrated Chicago Sherlockian Bob Sharfman's 88th birthday with a cake during the afternoon break.
If you've never been to a Sherlockian conference, HD&F is a great place to start. And if you're already on the circuit, Dayton should be one of your stops. The 2025 conference will be held sometime next March. Stay tuned!
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| Bob Sharfman and Ann Lewis with Bob's cake |
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