ApeFest Expectations Build, Beezie Leaves Base for Solana

ApeFest in Charleston is being treated as a chance to reconnect with internet friends and hear where the club is headed, with one attendee especially excited to introduce his girlfriend to the community and expecting a notably diverse crowd. The main event is scheduled for Saturday at People Studios, with registration and a tailgate at 6 p.m., doors at 7 p.m., and the event ending at midnight. He plans to leave Sunday morning. Although he finds Charleston less exciting than Hong Kong, he is looking forward to seeing friends, visiting People Studios, and getting updates.

The unofficial kickoff drew more than 200 people each to bowling and a late-night waffle gathering. Attendees had traveled from around the world to meet people they had known online for five or six years, and TMA said they seemed genuinely happy rather than putting on a show. The host rejected the idea that members having fun was a problem for NFTs, while acknowledging that public posts naturally invite criticism. Anon argued that ape noises and the “takeover” could feel forced and deter newcomers; the host countered that an event need not be designed for onboarding.

The discussion framed ApeFest as a place where members can relax, not a formal institution: Warner called apes a particularly committed community, and Joey compared the club to a fraternity. Speakers noted that a community of 15,000 to 20,000 people will not agree on everything, and that a Mutant costing a couple of thousand dollars can provide access. Figgy is leading the club after a restructure, not replacing Jeff Nicholas and Dave Evans. Attendees hope the festival will offer surprise-and-delight moments and clarify the club’s direction for the 11 months until the next event. They also want more updates and community activity between festivals.

The previews drawing particular interest include the 24-7 apparel store, anime, clubhouse, and member directory, which one speaker sees as potentially useful. Cap expects ApeFest to mark a new chapter for the club, and the hosts plan to share a recap and some alpha afterward. Hoosbig Crypto has been promoting the festival and its side events, and says he has been inviting more women because he wants more women in the space. The host said attendees who do not want to appear in photos or videos can ask for the content not to be shared or request that their ape face be covered; possible in-person-only merchandise was mentioned but not confirmed.

Beezie says it is moving completely from Base to Solana, with claws and collectibles expected to migrate within about a week. The company says activity has been strong on both chains and that the move is meant to simplify operations, not to leave a chain that has underperformed. Beezie expects a one-click migration, with points and other account activity carrying over when users sign in with the same email address. Users can connect an external wallet afterward, although Beezie recommends its gasless smart wallet; its planned token is also expected to be on Solana.

The operational case for consolidating is that supporting Flow, Base, and Solana required separate sites and duplicated inventory. An item tokenized on one chain could not also be used as a claw prize on another, and speakers said there is currently no technology coordinating inventory between Solana and EVM chains, risking two users winning the same unique item. The host agreed that Beezie’s mirrored-NFT approach may not justify the added complexity and that moving directly to Solana makes sense. He said Chainlink’s CCIP supports mirrored NFTs, while stressing that he was not certain about its origins and that CCIP is not free. He had heard, but had not independently verified, that Solana was becoming a leading chain for collectible gachas.