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

At MemphisPHP we meet at the Memphis Hacker/Maker space. Alcohol is allowed
there and the general rule is bring your own. I don't think we've ever had
attendees to the PHP meetup drink, but it wouldn't be a big deal if they
wanted to provided they were of age / responsible.


On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 11:57 AM, Patrick Schwisow <
[email protected]> wrote:

> 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
> > confidential and legally privileged. This email is for the sole use of
> the
> > intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient please do
> not
> > read the information contained herein. If you have received this email in
> > error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of
> > the original message.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>



-- 
- Joe Ferguson
http://www.midsouthmakers.org
http://www.memphisphp.org

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