Upstairs at the Stormont Hotel on Saturday, one conference exhibit challenged the image of the Alliance party as a bunch of middle class, middle of the road liberals whose days as a relevant force in Northern Ireland politics are numbered.
Young Alliance was doing a roaring trade in toilet roll, the packaging emblazoned with the face of their newly appointed leader, David Ford. "It's rough, it's tough, it doesn't take crap from anyone," read the logo.
Pete, a "part-time parent and property developer", sat selling this and other political paraphernalia such as T-shirts that proclaimed 'Young Alliance puts the party back into politics'. Behind him was a "legalise cannabis" sign but he was quick to point out this was not the policy of the main party. The tweed-wearing wing of Alliance did not look impressed.
"Being reasonable is not considered sexy," said Pete when asked about the public perception of a consensus-seeking party that had recently been suffering from dwindling electoral support. "We are here to try and emphasise our sense of fun and raise money to recruit new members.
"Our main priority is to make Northern Ireland a better place for everyone".
Carrickfergus councillor Stewart Dickson praised his party's accommodating brand of politics, saying that it was "better to be sitting on the fence than in the gutter".
Talking to other delegates at this 31st Alliance conference, one observer recalled the time the DUP's Sammy Wilson tried to insult David Ford during an Assembly debate. The most damning phrase that master of put-downs could come up with was "you Guardian reader, you".
At least it was accurate. The newspaper was available free to delegates on Saturday.
Despite the obvious commitment to their party - the new leader received a raucous standing ovation - some wondered how many of the faithful would stick around for the afternoon sessions considering the timing of the eagerly anticipated Ireland v England rugby clash. In his speech David Ford made it clear which team he would be supporting without straying from that familiar Alliance territory, the centre ground.
"Personally, my passport says UK citizen," he said. "But my heart will be inside a green shirt on the terraces of Lansdowne Road this afternoon".