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What is the "cover charge"? I looked all over their site, and they don't seem to say anywhere. I seem to recall it being $40 last year (could that be right, is it that cheap?) but if I recall, I believe I registered in advance. These things are always more expensive if you pay at the door.

I think it's $30 if you don't have a trade pass.

ALSO SOME ADVICE-
If you choose to go, don't wait to go on Tuesday when it is "open to the public". Most of the exhibitors will pack-up and leave on Monday evening. As exhibitors know there is no money to be made Tuesday, only the extra expense and hassle of an additional day. Go between the weekend or Monday. Those are the days for memebers of the trade (architects, interior designers, furniture store owners, etc.). If you're not a "member of the trade", don't worry. They're pretty lax on credentials. Don't tell them you're not, but just make something up. As long as you're paying, they'll let you in.

Can anyone else confirm Chris's comments? Do most of the exhibitors really leave before they let the rest of us -- the "great unwashed" -- in on Tuesday? How depressing. And can anyone just stroll in before Tuesday by looking "official?" I'd love to go tomorrow, but I don't relish the idea of schlepping to the Fair, only to be turned away as if I were trying to crash a party...

ArtGeek-I don't know what you do officially, but if it's anything the least bit related, they will let you in w/a trade pass, but I believe you have to email them ahead of time -- like today at the latest. I run an art gallery and I filled out their on-line form and after checking my work credentials, they sent me an epass.

I have no idea if Tuesday is a waste of a day at the ICFF, but I do know from doing countless art fairs that the last day of a fair is generally the most uneventful and often the key exhibitors don't attend. It's always best to avoid the "public" days if you can. Good luck.

I just clicked on the link to the online registration:
http://home.glmweb.com/buyerlookup/new_1.cfm?show=icf

And it gave me an error that reads:

SAFARI CAN'T CONNECT TO THE SERVER.
Safari can’t open the page “http://home.glmweb.com/buyerlookup/new_1.cfm?show=icf” because it could not connect to the server “home.glmweb.com”.

This could mean that they're not doing anymore online registrations, or it could be some other technical reason, but I'm inclined to assume the former.

barbara, what is your gallery?

I snuck in last year with someone else's pass and got to pretend for a day that I was Trish, Playground Designer. Even with pass in hand, I had to do some smooth talking, because they wanted a photo id. So I'm not sure I'd assume security is lax.

Unless the ICFF people consider "lusting after beautiful design" a profession, it looks like I'll be shuffling in with the rest of the huddled masses on Tuesday. I assume that most of the major exhibitors will be there, even if they're burned out and disgusted...

But I do think that giving the general public one day out of four -- of course, the last day -- is rather offensive. Aren't we the ones who will ultimately be plunking our un-professional bottoms onto their lovely chairs?

ArtGeek--
It was not my experience last year that the "public day" ws treated any differently than the others.

And an added perk of the last day? Some exhibitors sold off floor samples, a great thing since most exhibitors sell to the trade only... another reason they dedicate the majority of their coverage to the trade.

This is a TRADE FAIR - so please understand that it exists for designers, shop owners, etc. to meet their suppliers, see new stock, place orders, etc. Just like in every other business. To call the idea of keeping the public out for most of it "offensive" is ridiculous.

Was that you??

Around 1:15 pm on Sunday afternoon, two women on West 81st Street just east of Columbus. One woman has a tote bag bearing the ICFF logo.

The other woman has a huge very flat box with string and a handle around it. A table maybe?

Were they trying to find a cab that could and would take them and their burden, or were they hoping the crosstown bus would finally arrive (and which wasn't coming passersby announced.)

I don't know how this little drama turned out because I gave up waiting and walked to 86th Street, wondering if those two women were fellow AT-addicts.

Was it you? Did you find transport and what's in the box??

Where is the coverage of the ICFF? So far we have a bicycle rack, some quilts, some peel and stick wall coverings and a conceptual art installation. Has anybody seen any FURNITURE worth mentioning?