With MACNA looming in the very very near future, many of us have started packing or at the very least thinking about what they may wear during the conference. The first thoughts are “should I wear that raggedy old t-shirt that I got with that bucket of salt” or “I wonder if it’s too hot and humid inside the event to wear pants”. There’s obviously no strict guidelines to what you should wear as long as you are properly covered, but you better believe the place will be crawling with hobbyists adorned with shirts sporting their favorite company’s logo. But that’s not where the clothing questions end. There’s the banquets at the end of each day to worry about, and let’s not even discuss what to pack for a wild night on the town.
Most MACNA attendees may think that blue jeans and a t-shirt would be okay, but what most people fail to plan for in advance is the massive amount of humidity that is likely to come about from all of the aquariums in the vendor hall. Sure, the weather outside might be a brisk 60 degrees and the air conditioner at the event may be running constantly, but with all of the guests, lighting equipment, humidity, and walking from booth to booth, you want to dress as comfortably as possible. I highly recommend shorts and sneakers for the daytime stomping through the vendor halls, and try to carry as little with you as possible as they will only burden you through the day.
The other scenarios to consider are the events that take place after the vendor hall closes. MACNA is well known for their end of day banquets, which consist of a sit-down dinner for those who purchased a full pass to the event. Of course, you can’t be schlubbing around in your old aquarium t-shirt. Instead, you might want to consider a decent pair of slacks, a dress shirt, and some comfortable dress shoes. Or, you could make a statement with a dressy Hawaiian shirt if you were so bold.
For my trip through the vendor halls, I’ll sport a few aquarium themed t-shirts, including one from the new Reefer Tees if it shows up in time.
