Event Planning

[+Smokey Bear Collector]

I'm thinking of planning an event for next year. Maybe a flashmob or general meet n greet. Where can I get info on how to organize and plan to make it fun and exciting?

 

Do you have other event suggestions or helpful hints?

 

Thanks

 

~Happy Caching

[+Ambrosia]

I really do think that my best events have been the simplest ones. My most recent one was at a pizza place, and all I did was make the reservation and the event page. We had a good turn out, I made sure everyone signed the logsheet, and everyone just visited and talked. One of our local cachers did an impromptu drawing of some geocaching items that he'd made, which was nice. Everyone commented on how nice the event was. I think that just having time to really talk to each other about caching and our lives is what makes an event a success.

[Earthdog Patrick]

Yes, do it this year, and make it a hot dog picnic!

[+nittany dave]

Keeping it simple is sound advice. It doesn't take very much for geocachers to get together, at least not where I live.

If you want some more ideas, try the event handbook IceCreamMan put together awhile back.

[+wheezor]

Thanks for the link - that included a lot of great information.

[+Isonzo Karst]

My favorite events are simple gatherings, preferably in a park rather than a restaurant, just because it's harder to mingle in a restaurant setting (and you're obligated to order something, with the kind of place that will allow a geocache gathering for free often being lots-of-cheap-food cheap chow lines - yuck). Ask folks to bring food potluck, you supply some paper plates, napkins and utensils, and for under $15, you've got an event. No games, no raffles, no giveaways, no bells, no whistles. Name tags are nice.

 

Wow, I followed the link and reread ICM's pdf. It's been substantially rewritten since he first put it out. Well done IceCreamMan.

 

As he writes, a restaurant event is a nice simple way to do your first. On the other hand, a park event ain't hard either. I just hosted one in a county park where the pavilion reservation was free. Great price! I did very little for that one, just reserved the place, wrote up a page, and brought picnic supplies

 

Flash mobs may be fun but they're not geocaching events (my opinion). What's the point? Come together for ten minutes and then leave? Seems not to have much to do with "Meet and Greet" - or "discussing geocaching".

Edited June 8, 2008 by Isonzo Karst

[+briansnat]

I agree that simple is best. Find a nice picnic grove in a park, post the coords, let attendees bring a dish and enjoy. You can publish a food list on the cache page so you don't wind up with 75 lbs of potato salad and buns but no burgers.

 

I can tell you what I don't like in events, that is events that have numerous temporary caches hidden, or are held in cache rich parks. I think the point of events should be to socialize and when everybody is off caching, that makes socializing difficult. I've been at events where I was hanging out at the pavilion with half a dozen cachers while another 50 were out all day hunting caches. When the attended logs started rolling in I'd see name after name of people who I had no idea were even there.

 

If you do decide to have games and activities, try to make them ones that serve as ice breakers and bring people together, rather than ones that send everybody off on their own.

[Earthdog Patrick]

 

I think the point of events should be to socialize and when everybody is off caching, that makes socializing difficult. I've been at events where I was hanging out at the pavilion with half a dozen cachers while another 50 were out all day hunting caches.

 

 

 

Brian, There is room for both-- did you ever stop to think that those 50 were out caching with each other and socializing while they were doing it? They are not mutually exclusive activities... Sitting in the pavilion gabbing is fun, but enjoying our activity with a group (large or small) is a lot of fun as well--you get to share geocaching experiences that make great memories that the pavilion potatoes will never know. Next time head out with a bunch of the cachers!!

 

And of course, it helps if your a cute little babe-magnet dog!!

[+SixDogTeam]

 

I think the point of events should be to socialize and when everybody is off caching, that makes socializing difficult. I've been at events where I was hanging out at the pavilion with half a dozen cachers while another 50 were out all day hunting caches.

 

 

 

Brian, There is room for both-- did you ever stop to think that those 50 were out caching with each other and socializing while they were doing it? They are not mutually exclusive activities... Sitting in the pavilion gabbing is fun, but enjoying our activity with a group (large or small) is a lot of fun as well--you get to share geocaching experiences that make great memories that the pavilion potatoes will never know. Next time head out with a bunch of the cachers!!

 

And of course, it helps if your a cute little babe-magnet dog!!

 

Pavilion Potatoes? That's harsh! Who let this dog out??

[+briansnat]

 

I think the point of events should be to socialize and when everybody is off caching, that makes socializing difficult. I've been at events where I was hanging out at the pavilion with half a dozen cachers while another 50 were out all day hunting caches.

 

 

 

Brian, There is room for both-- did you ever stop to think that those 50 were out caching with each other and socializing while they were doing it? They are not mutually exclusive activities... Sitting in the pavilion gabbing is fun, but enjoying our activity with a group (large or small) is a lot of fun as well--you get to share geocaching experiences that make great memories that the pavilion potatoes will never know. Next time head out with a bunch of the cachers!!

 

And of course, it helps if your a cute little babe-magnet dog!!

 

If I go out cache hunting with a group of cachers at an event, then I'll miss even more people than I would if I stayed at the pavilion. I go to events to socialize and meet people and I'm disappointed when I see that half a dozen people who I really wanted to meet were there and I never ran into them.

 

I figure I can hunt caches any time and if I want to go out with a group for a shared caching experience all I have to do is make a few phone calls, or post in the regional forums.

Edited June 8, 2008 by briansnat

[+Smokey Bear Collector]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I'll check out that event planning link, also.

 

What are good ice breaker games?

 

(I don't expect many people will attend as this would be held in the far end of the county, and most cachers live on the other side.)

[Earthdog Patrick]

JUST DO IT

[+KerBear]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I'll check out that event planning link, also.

 

What are good ice breaker games?

 

(I don't expect many people will attend as this would be held in the far end of the county, and most cachers live on the other side.)

 

possible ice breaker-people bingo. basically, you go around and get one name per square on a bingo card. you'll need a 5x5 grid and then put some caching related or event related questions on the squares. the cacher has to be able to answer yes to the question. some example questions: this is my first event, cached in 5 or more states, etc, etc. be creative. last time we did this was a ducky themed event so one question was can sing rubber ducky-you're the one (let's hear it!). was very funny and entertaining! one thing we've done at every event so far is go around the room and introduce ourselves. really nice to be able to put names with faces.

 

good luck with your event!! if you plan it-they will come. I also prefer pot luck for food. I use to post what people were bringing-but have gone to whatever there is what you'll eat! so far the most popular event for our area is the quaker steak and lube in sharon, pa. simple events are good. cache, food, conversation. I like themes and most all my events have a theme and maybe related challenge or fun game to play. last event was a rubber ducky race down the waterway and we had a duck piñata, which I think the adults liked more then the kids. event before that one was disc golf scramble at our local state park. sometimes they'll give you a shelter to use. we usually find a grove of tables and call it our own so there's no fee. the parks are great places for events. esp. when they have free things available like a disc golf course or beach, etc. at any rate, have fun with your event!!

[magellan315]

If your going to set out temp caches make sure to remove them. One event I know of put out 50 to 60 pill bottles as temp caches for a game and they never bothered to remove them afterwards.

[+js10176]

I'm also trying to put together my first event, however I think there will be some form of a schedule of events. (Social hour, temp cache finding, closing campfire... etc...) That way you get to meet cachers, hunt caches, and tell caching stories... after all.. that is what event's are all about..

 

My problem is trying to figure out how many cachers would attend, and how much time to prepare for it.

 

I live in SE MN and we are surrounded by Awesome parks and forest lands..

[+Totem Clan]

Yes, do it this year, and make it a hot dog picnic!

We're having a hot dog picnic this year.

 

Bring Lead Dog and you grab some NDSQ caches while your here.