Re: [UG-ADMINS] Alcohol and meetups [was: Re: Nomad PHP]

At LKPUG, we've gone through a couple venues.  Most of the meetings for the
first year were held in a restaurant / bar.  Nothing was provided, but many
attendees bought food and drink (alcohol or not) during and after the
meetings.  Starting in January, my employer has been hosting meetings here
at the office, and they provide pizza and drinks (including beer).

It's interesting that you mention separate social meetups.  I think that
the meetings in the restaurant felt much more relaxed and social.  We
generally had a "soft start time", and people would chat until we decided
to start the talk.  After the meeting, people tended to linger and talk for
a while.  Meeting at the office has much more a feel of "show up, eat pizza
during talk, and leave".  I'm thinking we might want to attempt something
similar to what you're doing to bring back the social aspect of the group.

-Patrick


On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 10:43 AM, Sandy Smith <[email protected]> wrote:

> Yes, we generally provide beer. In fact, when we follow WordPress DC, we
> benefit from any leftovers from their meetup and don't have to buy any. As
> long as we're low-key about it, the host doesn't care. They have wedding
> receptions and other functions in that space with alcohol, and their only
> rule is no kegs, because it implies a certain class of alcohol consumer who
> is more likely to do stupid and destructive stuff and get them in trouble
> with local officials and the neighborhood.
>
> In deference to the beer aficionados in our group, we generally have
> microbrews in bottles. However, I usually only have 12-18 of them (i.e.,
> slightly less than one per person), and then some of us may go to the bar
> next door.
>
> If I'm presenting, I'm usually drinking a beer, though I don't consume
> much of it until the Q&A.
>
> But as I've said, some people react negatively to beer, as if it's a sign
> that it's a social and not a serious meeting. We also have two additional
> meetups each month that are specifically social, and held in bars (though
> that serve good food, so there's no requirement to drink alcohol). I'm
> debating about removing those from Meetup and simply mentioning them
> through the list, as people seem to think that we're mostly about those and
> don't realize the main meeting has presentations. Then again, I see some
> people at those meetings (which are more geographically distributed) who
> rarely/never show at the main meeting.
>
> On Apr 9, 2013, at 7:30 PM, John Congdon <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Interesting... do you provide beer?  Or are people allowed to bring?  So
> far, the places I have hosted have been worried about having it on premise.
> >
> > --
> >
> > John Congdon
> > e: [email protected]
> > t: @sdphp
> > f: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SanDiegoPUG/
> > i: irc://irc.freenode.net/sdphp
> >
> > For meetup information: http://www.meetup.com/SanDiegoPHP
> >
> >
> > The information contained in this email communication may be
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> intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient please do not
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> >
> >
> > On Apr 9, 2013, at 1:44 PM, Sandy Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> It's tough to break past the 30-per-meetup number. We have close to 900
> on Meetup, but our actual meetings are anywhere from 4-60 people, averaging
> in the teens and twenties. DC also has the large-area problem, plus we
> often tie for the nation's worst traffic, and there are a LOT of other
> technology meetups.
> >>
> >> While we always have beer, that's proven to be less of a draw,
> especially for new members. I'm going to be trying for a food sponsor so we
> can have pizza, which I hope will draw more people reliably.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Apr 9, 2013, at 10:55 AM, Tim Lytle <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Our local group is pretty small (we have ~60 meembers, with a handful
> at
> >>> each meetup). If I weren't organizing and trying to grow it,
> >>> I'd definitely be joining in Nomad PHP (I still probably will).
> >>>
> >>> Like Adam, I'm wondering if there's any way for this to help smaller
> groups
> >>> (but hey, I'd be thrilled with an average of 30 members) - as after a
> while
> >>> hearing from the same local people is a bit much for both the speakers
> and
> >>> the listeners.
> >>>
> >>> Tim
> >>
> >> --
> >> Sandy Smith - http://musketeers.me/
> >> php[architect] magazine: http://phparch.com/
> >> Sign up for php[tek] '13: http://tek.phparch.com/
> >> @SandyS1
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
> --
> Sandy Smith - http://musketeers.me/
> php[architect] magazine: http://phparch.com/
> Sign up for php[tek] '13: http://tek.phparch.com/
> @SandyS1
>
>
>
>
>
>