Fly show guru Chuck Furimsky just announced that the 30th annual International Fly Tying Symposium will be held from November 21-22 in the Parsippany Hilton Hotel. The host hotel, 1 Hilton Court in the Mack-Cali Business Campus, provides the Symposium more space, a pre-function entrance, larger banquet facilities, a variety of restaurants, coffee shop and free parking. The hotel complex is 10 miles from the Mall at Short Hills and 31 miles from New York City.
The 30th anniversary edition Symposium will feature a no-entry-fee fly tying competition on Sat. afternoon with $100 Orvis gift certificates to each of the top three contestants. According to Furimsky, “There will be 18 vises at the tables, all the tools, hooks, and materials. The vises are sponsored by Renzetti, Norvise, and HMH. The materials are being supplied by Hareline Dubbin and Wapsi. All contestants may take home the materials supplied for the contest, which are valued at $50 or more. Fly tying contest registration will be at the Symposium’s reception counter the day of the event.”
Judges will be Bob Clouser, Bob Popovics, Tim Cammisa, Blane Chocklett, and Tim Flagler with European tiers added to the judging panel closer to the event. The Symposium itself will feature more than 100 fly tiers and dozens of booths showing and selling the latest fly tying products and materials. There are seminars every hour, an hourly Featured Tier, and Author’s Booth.
Private morning and afternoon fly tying classes with select instructors are also available.
Attendees will receive a participant directory listing celebrity tiers and the patterns they are planning to demonstrate.
“Among the 100 or more fly tiers scheduled to participate and display their craft are Philip Rowley, John Shaner, Robert Smith, Josh Miller, Matt Grobert, Theo Bakelarr, Son Tao, Thomas Baltz, Bob Mead, Bill Blackstone, Marc Petitjean, Pat Cohen, Joe Messinger, and Harry Schoel. Additionally, tiers from England, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, and Ireland are expected,” Furimsky said.
Symposium admission is $15 on Sat., $12 on Sun. or $22 for a weekend pass. Children under age 16 are admitted free while active military with ID is $10.
For private class registration, Symposium information and banquet reservations, phone (814) 443 3638 or visit www.internationalflytyingsymposium.com online. Discounted Parsippany Hilton International Fly Tying Symposium room rates will be available until Nov. 2 at (973) 267 7373.
