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SELEM 2026 Sign-up Thread (SELEM 19)
19th annual South Eastern Laser Enthusiast's Meeting (SELEM 2026)
Sunday, August 2nd through Friday, August 7th
at the Executive Banquet and Conference Center in Newark, Delaware.
Register via Paypal: selempayment@gmail.com
Be sure to include a note to specify your shirt size (Sizes: Small to 4X)
Be sure to state the type of shirt you want (Polo or T-shirt)
One shirt is included with your registration. Extra shirts are $20 each.
Early registration – Now through May 24th (Guaranteed a shirt): $179 EARLY REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Standard registration – May 25th through June 30th (Guaranteed a shirt): $199 STANDARD REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Late registration or at the door – July 1st through the end of the event (no guarantee of a shirt): $229
Please note that registration fees are non-refundable.
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Guests are free to attend. Generally, guests are family or friends of the people who have registered to attend. Guests may share some interest in lasers or laser shows, but guests are not laserists themselves. If they are, they should register as attendees and not guests. Please do not abuse this policy.
Teenage children are allowed to attend if they are mature enough to follow rules and be responsible. Young children (under 13) are discouraged from attending, and may only attend if they are continually supervised by a parent or guardian. Note that all minors must have a parent present at the event.
Liability waivers (see attached .pdf file) will be required for all persons (this includes registered attendees and all guests). Minors will need a parent to sign their waiver. When you arrive, go to the sign-in area in the lobby to sign your waiver. (There will be a sign at the sign-in table so you know where to go.) Waivers must be witnessed by another registered SELEM attendee.
Once your waiver is signed, you will be issued a lanyard with a name badge, and if you registered in time (before July 1st) you will receive your official SELEM shirt. (Extra shirts for yourself or your guests are completely optional and may be purchased in advance for $20.) As posted above, be sure you specify your shirt size and choice of either a polo or T-shirt when you register. (No preference specified means you get a Polo.)
Also, just a reminder that ABSOLUTELY NO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND, ESPECIALLY FIREARMS, WILL BE PERMITTED AT SELEM. THIS INCLUDES ALL INDOOR SPACES AS WELL AS THE OUTDOOR AREAS SURROUNDING THE BUILDING AND ALL PARKING LOTS. If you have a concealed-carry permit, leave your weapon in your car and don't park it at the venue. No exceptions to this policy.
Event Schedule:
SPECIAL EVENT SATURDAY, AUGUST 1st (Before SELEM): The Pink Floyd Tribute Band, "Echoes" will be performing a concert on Saturday evening, August 1st in the area. This concert will NOT be at the SELEM venue, however. Instead, it will be at the Delaware Theater Company in downtown Wilmington, DE. The show starts at 8 PM. Select laserists from our group will be performing a live laser show to accompany this concert. If you'd like to help with the show, reach out to me or Brad.
Sunday, August 2nd: Start at 10 AM, run until 6PM. This is load-in and set-up. The main ballroom will be divided into two spaces, one for “Club-SELEM” and one for the ”auditorium” space. The inflatable planetarium dome will be in the auditorium side again this year. The main lobby will be the "show off space", and the area to the right of the lobby (near the bar window) will be used for presentations. The “buy-sell-trade” area will be in the kitchen service hallway, and the ion laser work room will be at the far right of the kitchen service hallway near the loading dock. We will have both 208/240 3 phase as well as 480v 3 phase available in the area near the loading dock. Even if you are not bringing any equipment to SELEM, you are still welcome (and encouraged!) to come help out with the load-in. (Seriously! We really could use the help!!!) Once load-in is completed, we will all get together afterwards for dinner out at a local restaurant.
Monday, August 3rd through Thursday, August 6th: Start at 10 AM, run until at least midnight, if not later. Typical SELEM activities running all day in various spaces inside the hall. We plan to extend until 2 AM on Wednesday and Thursday night.
Friday, August 7th: Start at 10 AM, run until 6 PM. Pack-up, load-out, clean-up, and say your goodbyes. For those who will be staying in town Friday night and leaving Saturday morning, we plan to go out to dinner one last time on Friday night once load-out is complete.
NOTE: We are not allowed to bring our own alcohol into the building at any time during SELEM. We have the option to have a cash bar open in the evenings, but there is a minimum charge of $250 per night. In the past we've had the cash bar open from 7PM-Midnight on Thursday, and sometimes on Wednesday as well. I am open to feedback from the group regarding the cash bar for this year. (Having a cash bar helps build goodwill with the venue, as it is extra revenue for them, but it's also difficult for a small group like ours to meet the $250 minimum each night.) Please share your comments about the cash bar below.
Venue Layout Details:
Main Entrance atrium will be the sign-in location. This is where you'll need to go to sign your waiver form and pick up your lanyard and name badge (and shirt, if you registered in time). This is also where you can purchase extra shirts (pending availability). Also, there is an ATM in the entrance atrium if you need cash.
Front half of the ballroom (to the right, or stage side, of the dividing wall) will be used for running pre-choreographed graphics and abstract shows, along with pre-choreographed multi-projector beam shows, just like we used to do in the auditorium. Front of house will be at the stage end of the room to the far right, with the dividing wall serving as the main display surface for graphics and abstracts. We will also have the large inflatable planetarium dome set up in this space, close to where the bar is. We will have a schedule posted with time slots for dome content and auditorium content.
Back half of the ballroom (to the left, or emergency exit side, of the dividing wall) will be "Club-SELEM" and will be dedicated to live beam shows. Front of house will be on the kitchen-end of the room (primary projection direction rotated 90 degrees compared to the layout for the “auditorium” side). Laser control consoles will be available for those who want to try their hand at running a show "live", and we will probably have a few live DJs set up as well.
Front lobby near main entrance will be the "enthusiast display space", or as I like to call it, the show-off room! The purpose of this space is to showcase home-made projectors, laser modules, electronics projects, computers, and any other cool hobby items, regardless of whether they are related to lasers or not. Space is going to be tight in here, so please be cautious in this area. Note: we can extend this area down the hall to the left (towards the coat closet) if we want.
Far right corner of the lobby (near the bar service hallway) will be the VR gaming area. Previously this was "abstract corner", but DZ plans to have all of his equipment (including the Z5 console) in the dome this year.
The long kitchen service hallway will be the buy / sell / trade area. Tables and racks will be set up along one side of the hallway for people to display the stuff they're selling. There may also be some projector repair going on here, so long as it doesn't block people's ability to move down the hallway. (It's a very wide hallway.)
The area near the loading dock will be the ion laser work area. There could be exposed high voltage and/or high-power beams in this space! Always ask before approaching this area.
Outdoor patio area can be used at any time for meals, snacks, or just to relax in the sun. At night, we can also use this space for laser tunnel photos. Speaking of food: Lunch and dinner will be provided Monday-Thursday, and as mentioned above, we have the option of having a cash bar open on Wednesday and Thursday evening if we want. Also, please remember that we can't bring our own alcohol in from outside. (Doing so is unlawful and could result in the venue losing their state liquor license.)
The right half of the main lobby (near the bar window) will be used for training and special presentations during the day, and as a social gathering area at night.
The bridal suite (in the bar service hallway behind the VR gaming area) will be available for glow-in-the-dark show displays, assuming that David Kumpula is able to join us again this year.
More information concerning the presentation schedule and sign-up information for show display time slots will be coming soon.
Travel and Lodging info:
If you will be flying to SELEM, the two closest airports are Baltimore Washington International (BWI) and Philadelphia International (PHL). Philadelphia is slightly closer (45-50 min), but even BWI is only about an hour and 15 minutes by car from the venue. (Unless the traffic on I95 is really bad...)
Note that there is a $4 toll on I95 at the state line between Maryland and Delaware. The toll is charged both ways. The venue is in Delaware, just off the first exit from I95 if you're heading north. Thus, if you are staying at a hotel in Maryland (as most people will be), you don't want to get on the Interstate to get to the venue each day, as you'll rack up 8 bucks per day in tolls for a 5 mile drive. Instead, avoid I95 and take the secondary roads when you go to and from the venue each day. It only adds about a mile to your drive, and it saves you 8 bucks a day in tolls! See this post for details.
In previous years, some people stayed at the Holiday Inn Express located on Elkton Rd in Elkton, Maryland. The direct number to the hotel is (443) 350-9154. However, the consensus from the group is that this is NOT the best hotel to use, even though it is one of the closest.Buyer beware!
There is another Holiday Inn Express & suites located in Wilmington, Delaware that some people stayed at last year, and the general feedback was that this hotel was much better. The direct number to this hotel is (302) 737-2700
Finally, there is a Bed and Breakfast that is just down the street from the Holiday Inn Express in Elkton, Maryland - it's called The Elk Forge B&B Inn. Their number is (410) 392-9007. This place is similar to the Trott House Inn that many of us stayed at in Newton, NC, but the Elk Forge B&B is much bigger. They have 14 rooms, 6 of which are multi-room suites. Some of the suites even have a full kitchen! Rates range from $129 to $250 per night, but the larger rooms and suites can comfortably sleep several people. If you are traveling with a buddy or two, you can save some money by sharing one of these larger spaces and splitting the cost vs booking separate hotel rooms.
As always, we're open to more ideas! If you have any questions or suggestions, please post them below. And remember, registration is now open. The longer you wait to sign up, the more it costs, so sign up early!
List of registered attendees:
Buffo
Hitekvoop
LazerJock
HankLloydRight
Araugh
Telmnstr
DrFlick
Dkumpula
Clickamouse
Bradstockdale
Displaser
Mmuhler
Mariomaster
Bradfo69
J4cbo
ILDADirect
SaltyRobot
Jimena
Singlemode
Cfavreau
Swamidog
Fission7
AllThatWhichIs
Theodore McNeil Jr
DZ
Evanlite
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Originally Posted by HankLloydRight
