PaizoCon Founder, Wayfinder Editor-in-Chief
|
As the fellow who actually started this tradition, I'm afraid that I think PaizoCon has gotten too big to actually have one big Meet and Eat event anymore.
We started with perhaps 20-25 people at an asian buffet in Redmond. When it moved to downtown Bellevue, we held it at the Crab Pot (the most awesome place to have a Meet and Eat), and in a short time, nearly took over the place (100-125 people!). I would guess that 200+ people were hitting the AFK event at one time.
AFK was sort of an ideal place for it, actually. But, even so, it was getting too big. Historically, the Meet and Eat attracted approximately 20% of the attendees. From the times I went to the AFK Meet and Eat, the place was packed, tables were full, and it was a LOOOOOONG wait to get your order. I think we kind of overwhelmed them there.
As we move forward, I would encourage folks to stage their own Meet and Eat satellite events. We can't all be at the SAME place, but we can be at lots of different places. Announce a place you are thinking of going to on Thursday, see if others would like to meet up there with you, and coordinate. That's all the Meet and Eat has to be, right?
|
PaizoCon Founder, Wayfinder Editor-in-Chief
|
I honestly stopped going to the Meet and Eat event, because I found that layout of the place made it impossible to move around and talk to people. And that went directly against the spirit of why I started the tradition. The intent was to start PaizoCon off by meeting new fellow congoers before the Con even started, and possibly get to meet people that you only knew by alias on the messageboards.
I opted to do a smaller, more personal one again for all the contributors to Wayfinder. A group of 15-20 people is really satisfying to me, because I can actually talk with nearly everyone, and it feels like a really social dinner.
I highly recommend smaller, focused meet ups with people that know each other.
While I can understand this, part of the reason I would want to go to a Meet and Greet would be to meet new people as well, and that rather defeats that purpose.
It's both sad and amazing that it's gotten so big it's not really doable.
It's also somewhat unnecessary. In '09-'11 the Con was held at a hotel with a virtually non-existent lobby. But this year, and the last three years have been at a place with pretty decent lobby space, lots of space (and restaurant) to hang out in, see people come in, meet, greet, and so forth. The last hotel was the most optimal for this, but the Hilton is pretty great too. Most people walking in *will* be with PaizoCon - say hi!
|
PaizoCon Founder, Wayfinder Editor-in-Chief
|
That has always been the reason to do a Meet and Eat, actually. It's hard to do that when 200+ people descend on a restaurant at once, though. ;-)
Majuba has an excellent point, though. The Doubletree has a GREAT lobby, with a restaurant and a bar right there. Very easy to mingle and meet folks. The location is great to be able to head across the street to several restaurants as well, so it's equally easy to gather a group of people and head out to eat.
While I can understand this, part of the reason I would want to go to a Meet and Greet would be to meet new people as well, and that rather defeats that purpose.
It's both sad and amazing that it's gotten so big it's not really doable.