Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If you are planning to come to the Lancaster County Reptile Show in Lititz, PA this Saturday (Mar 17, 2007) or know someone who is planning to go please spread the word that is has been CANCELLED at the last minute.

The most frustrating part is why the show was cancelled. It appears that it is all due to rec center management disliking reptiles. The rec center (www.lititzcommunitycenter.org) has been the location of the show for five years. This year the date had been confirmed and advertised in REPTILES Magazine and various other publications for many months, and the rec center waited until the Wednesday before the Saturday show and said the reptile show could no longer use the building. It is a mid size show and people come from many states around so please spread the word that there won't be a reptile show this Saturday if you know anyone making the drive.

It is sad to see this happen to a reptile show. You know a community center would not break contract this way with other trade shows, like computer/gun/home shows, etc.

-Jesse

I contacted the community center and this is their side of the story, apparently Joe Miller did not even reserve the space!:

please accept an apology for the confusion that occurred this weekend.
The Lititz Community Center has a very formal process for rentals at the center, a formal signed agreement, a security deposit and certificate for insurance are required. This process put in place two and half years ago by the Board of Directors. Joe has used this process three times since it has taken effect, however he failed to do that this time. The last signed agreement we have was for September 2006. Joe did not have an agreement for this weekend, if you were at the Center today you may have noticed it is under construction. A 2.5 million dollar renovation and expansion is under way which began in November of 2006. Joe asked for a March date in September but was declined due to construction. The Center did not have a contract or agreement, no security deposit. The first anyone heard about the show was the day someone dropped off signs to the front desk at the Center- I think it was on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
Again I am sorry for the confusion- but the Community Center did not cause it- Joe apparently did.
please feel free to call me on Monday if I can be of more assistance.
thanks, Karen

Thanks a lot for clearing up the cause of the show cancellation.

When it was initially cancelled there were some stories going around about the cause of cancellation that now appear to be exaggerations or false. I also spoke to the director of the rec center (after I wrote the first post) who was very polite and explained the same details that your post explained. Although there have been some stories about the rec center folks not liking reptiles, it appears that they had nothing to do with the cancellation of this most recent show.
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Jesse Rothacker
Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary
www.forgottenfriend.org