Announcing the Giga-Event!

[Keystone]

My information is secondhand; it comes from Groundspeak and fellow volunteers in the European countries. Perhaps someone with direct knowledge will chime in.

 

A simple forum search turns up references to "Giga Events" in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009... going all the way back to a post by JoGPS, founder of GeoWoodstock, in June of 2008. Bear in mind that not all feature requests emanate from the feature request threads.

[+Cybercat]

I would love to go to a Giga this year, except.........I can't get a straight answer from anyone on which event that would be. There are 3 megas going on in Germany this summer....so which one is it going to be? I wrote the teams who are in charge of those events, and they weren't sure. They said GS had the final decision. So I wrote to GS and they said they didn't know. Last year, I believe everyone was given a 6 week heads up about the Giga. Now I don't know about you, but 6 weeks is not a lot of time to try to get off work, arrange flights, hotels, etc., make PQs of where you're going, yada yada, yada. Sure seems like they could give you a little bit more advanced notice............

[+Lil Devil]

Why does the post above me remind me of this?

 

[+Cybercat]

Well, Lil Devil, can YOU tell me where the Giga is going to be this summer? I guess you know something I don't......?

[Mr.Yuck]

Well, Lil Devil, can YOU tell me where the Giga is going to be this summer? I guess you know something I don't......?

 

That video was totally awesome. Assuming, of course that a was real call, and not some zany, whacky, morning drive DJ stunt. And I'd tend to believe it was a stunt. That being said, I'm American, and couldn't care less where the next Giga event is. Don't say Groundspeak never catered to the European cacher demographic though.

[+Cybercat]

I was told they will take into consideration which Mega/Giga has been successful in the past and which one has consistently drawn the most in attendance..........well, which one IS that? They could at least tell me that.

[Mr.Yuck]

I was told they will take into consideration which Mega/Giga has been successful in the past and which one has consistently drawn the most in attendance..........well, which one IS that? They could at least tell me that.

 

I will agree with you. When I search for the newest caches in Germany, I see 4 Mega's, with their dates listed way out. And apparently they're not going to announce which one(s) they will anoint with Giga status until about 6 weeks out?

[cezanne]

I was told they will take into consideration which Mega/Giga has been successful in the past and which one has consistently drawn the most in attendance..........well, which one IS that? They could at least tell me that.

 

There has been only one Giga so far and Munich is not among the candidates 2015. How should Groundspeak know at this moment which of the mega events will attract 5000+ visitors (if any at all)?

The one in Mainz might have a decent chance due to the GPS maze even if there has been a GPS maze in Prague in 2013 so some of those who wish to get that icon already obtained it.

 

The giga status of Munich was definitely known for more than 6 weeks ahead, but Groundspeak cannot designate an event as giga at a point where it is completely unclear whether the event will even come close to 5000 attendants.

Edited November 11, 2014 by cezanne

[+terratin]

cybercat: apart from vacation planning which might be a problem for some companies I would not worry too much about plane tickets. I'm regularly traveling for business within 2-4 weeks of booking, and hey, I often do that for vacations as well. Usually the tickets are not more expensive than a few months out unless you chose a really out of the way airport. I always wish I'd end up in a higher booking class (for business anyway) to get more air miles and status miles, but it never happens. If you're a bit flexible with airport and airline it should not really be a problem. Besides, Germany has an excellent train network (a good network, not trains on time) and if the closest airport has no good options, then the next one probably has.

[+speakers-corner]

It was announced 4 months (22. April 2014) before the Event took place that it would be the first Giga-Event.

Edited November 11, 2014 by speakers-corner

[+gpsblake]

GeoWoodstock will have 5,000 or more this year, it's just not all 5,000 will log the event as attended, especially in the location it is at this year. But since it's the largest geocaching event in the Western Hemisphere, I don't see why it doesn't get Giga status for this year.

[+vebis]

I'll bet on Project GeoXantike as a giga event next year.

[Mr.Yuck]

GeoWoodstock will have 5,000 or more this year, it's just not all 5,000 will log the event as attended, especially in the location it is at this year. But since it's the largest geocaching event in the Western Hemisphere, I don't see why it doesn't get Giga status for this year.

 

No, it won't. Only 1,484 attended logs last year in Missouri. There might have been 3,000 or so there, if best. For example, I once went to a Midwest Geobash, and took my kid and his cousin, and they obviously never logged as attended. Ultimately, "Giga" events is Groundspeak catering to the European caching community, who obviously asked for such a thing. Personally, I was totally blindsided by the whole thing when they announced it. That'll make up for that whole fiasco of them paying more for premium memberships.

[+moose61]

I'll bet on Project GeoXantike as a giga event next year.

 

Project GeoXantike has been changed to Giga. Also the Gutenberg 2015 event in Mainz (GC50FTF) has been changed to Giga.

[+GeoLog81]

2 GIGAs in one year? WOW!

 

How much attenders are needed for TERA-Event? In Germany, it's possible

[+lamoracke]

So all 3 Giga Events have been in Germany so far. I keep hoping for one in USA but failing that, Czech Republic.

[+funkymunkyzone]

So all 3 Giga Events have been in Germany so far. I keep hoping for one in USA but failing that, Czech Republic.

You need to get all the Germans to sign up for GC5BKAQ

 

[Mr.Yuck]

So all 3 Giga Events have been in Germany so far. I keep hoping for one in USA but failing that, Czech Republic.

You need to get all the Germans to sign up for GC5BKAQ

 

It's certainly not going to be that one! Only 374 will attend logs less than 2 months out. And last years event had 625 attended logs. Quoting hydnseek from page 1:

 

Groundspeak has been researching how to accurately estimate actual event attendance for a while, using previous events as reference. They now base it on Attended logs, with a multiplier to estimate actual bodies on site. Will Attends are not as accurate as indicators. Edit to add: They also adjust for events where folks log multiple Attendeds for unpublished caches.

 

Even Geowoodstock XII last year with 1,484 attended logs would have needed a multiplier of 3.5 to reach 5,000 "attendees". And I seriously doubt this secret multiplier is 3.5. In fact, Geowoodstock attended logs peaked way back in 2010 at 2,241, and went down every year after that, with just a little jump up for GWXII in 2014. Forget ever seeing a Giga event in the U.S. or Canada.

 

Can I have that Eeyore's Gloomy Place pic from that other thread?

[+funkymunkyzone]

So all 3 Giga Events have been in Germany so far. I keep hoping for one in USA but failing that, Czech Republic.

You need to get all the Germans to sign up for GC5BKAQ

 

It's certainly not going to be that one! Only 374 will attend logs less than 2 months out. And last years event had 625 attended logs. Quoting hydnseek from page 1:

 

Groundspeak has been researching how to accurately estimate actual event attendance for a while, using previous events as reference. They now base it on Attended logs, with a multiplier to estimate actual bodies on site. Will Attends are not as accurate as indicators. Edit to add: They also adjust for events where folks log multiple Attendeds for unpublished caches.

 

Even Geowoodstock XII last year with 1,484 attended logs would have needed a multiplier of 3.5 to reach 5,000 "attendees". And I seriously doubt this secret multiplier is 3.5. In fact, Geowoodstock attended logs peaked way back in 2010 at 2,241, and went down every year after that, with just a little jump up for GWXII in 2014. Forget ever seeing a Giga event in the U.S. or Canada.

 

Can I have that Eeyore's Gloomy Place pic from that other thread?

 

Yeah, I know.... I just mentioned that one because I'll be in Europe and could have slightly altered my travel plans to get to it!

[+hydnsek]

Groundspeak has been researching how to accurately estimate actual event attendance for a while, using previous events as reference. They now base it on Attended logs, with a multiplier to estimate actual bodies on site. Will Attends are not as accurate as indicators. Edit to add: They also adjust for events where folks log multiple Attendeds for unpublished caches.

 

Even Geowoodstock XII last year with 1,484 attended logs would have needed a multiplier of 3.5 to reach 5,000 "attendees". And I seriously doubt this secret multiplier is 3.5.

You are correct, sir. My previous intel was more like 2, so that's what we use to estimate the Going APE mega's attendance (2 x Attended logs).

Edited March 6, 2015 by hydnsek

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Groundspeak has been researching how to accurately estimate actual event attendance for a while, using previous events as reference. They now base it on Attended logs, with a multiplier to estimate actual bodies on site. Will Attends are not as accurate as indicators. Edit to add: They also adjust for events where folks log multiple Attendeds for unpublished caches.

 

For a WWFM event I attended everyone was asked to write down their handle on a piece of paper and indicate the number of non-geocachers attendees they brought along. After the actual flash mob there was a meeting place specified on the cache listing very close by for picture opportunity and where the event creator would be with a large red box for use to drop in the piece of paper. According to a log posted after the event there were 478 attendees (so close to mega status) and has 279 attended logs. You can see the big red box on the left.

 

 

[+speakers-corner]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

 

If Team BillyBob is actually a family of six, that could be 6 attendees for one will attend log.

 

 

[cezanne]

So all 3 Giga Events have been in Germany so far. I keep hoping for one in USA but failing that, Czech Republic.

You need to get all the Germans to sign up for GC5BKAQ

 

It's certainly not going to be that one! Only 374 will attend logs less than 2 months out. And last years event had 625 attended logs. Quoting hydnseek from page 1:

 

That's not a surprise. You would need a more central and cache dense location for a giga event like e.g. Prague.

The drawback of Prague is however that they already have had the GPS maze there.

 

For mega events no special location is needed any longer in some areas of Europe, but for giga events the location plays a role.

In times where many local ordinary events end up with more than 200 attendants, mega events are nothing special any longer (for me they have never been special, but that's another topic).

Edited March 5, 2015 by cezanne

[+Pan314159]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

 

If Team BillyBob is actually a family of six, that could be 6 attendees for one will attend log.

 

I was talking to one of the reviewers at a Mega event last year about Will Attend logs. He told me that in advance of an event they use an estimate of two and a half people per attended log. By the time groups are taken into account plus people who go to an event and log Attended without logging a Will Attend at all, that tends to give a fairly close number to roughly how many will actually turn up.

 

The events I run locally have been between 30 and 70 people, but even I've since noticed that ratio seems to hold true a lot of the time.

[Mr.Yuck]

Groundspeak has been researching how to accurately estimate actual event attendance for a while, using previous events as reference. They now base it on Attended logs, with a multiplier to estimate actual bodies on site. Will Attends are not as accurate as indicators. Edit to add: They also adjust for events where folks log multiple Attendeds for unpublished caches.

 

For a WWFM event I attended everyone was asked to write down their handle on a piece of paper and indicate the number of non-geocachers attendees they brought along. After the actual flash mob there was a meeting place specified on the cache listing very close by for picture opportunity and where the event creator would be with a large red box for use to drop in the piece of paper. According to a log posted after the event there were 478 attendees (so close to mega status) and has 279 attended logs. You can see the big red box on the left.

 

 

There you have it. Conclusive proof that a multiplier of 2 is probably used, and is generous. Just kidding, it's not conclusive proof, but it's a real world example.

 

So the last two GeoWoodstock's, and all four Geocaching Block Parties have had under 3,000 attendees. Therefore.............

 

Greetings from Germany!!! And maybe Prague, some day.

 

P.S. Whatever they replace the Block Party with, the first one will be in Germany. Feel free to bookmark this post.

[+Twentse Mug]

Why do will attends logs matter when you have to subscribe to an event via a different website?

[+hydnsek]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

"Only"?!

 

2626 x 2 = 5252

2999 x 2 = 5998

 

And that's just Will Attends so far, per your comment. There are usually more Attended logs afterward. So both seem to easily earn Giga status.

[+Twentse Mug]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

"Only"?!

 

2626 x 2 = 5252

2999 x 2 = 5998

 

And that's just Will Attends so far, per your comment. There are usually more Attended logs afterward. So both seem to easily earn Giga status.

Will attend logs are irrelevant when you have to sign up via a different commercial website.

[cezanne]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

"Only"?!

 

2626 x 2 = 5252

2999 x 2 = 5998

 

And that's just Will Attends so far, per your comment. There are usually more Attended logs afterward. So both seem to easily earn Giga status.

Will attend logs are irrelevant when you have to sign up via a different commercial website.

 

They are not irrelevant for Groundspeak and for the cachers who want to see how the number of attended logs develops. They do not have access to the data of the organizers.

[+Twentse Mug]

The organization cares about how many have signed up and how much money they get.

[Mr.Yuck]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

"Only"?!

 

2626 x 2 = 5252

2999 x 2 = 5998

 

And that's just Will Attends so far, per your comment. There are usually more Attended logs afterward. So both seem to easily earn Giga status.

 

I think it was Pan314159 (hey, I'll bet they're a Pi Day fan ) that said Will attend logs in their experience tend to be about the same as actual attended logs. Accounting for those who don't show up and those that do without ever posting a will attend.

[+Sivota]

@ Twentse Mug:

The will attent logs are needed to submit a request for Mega-Event (500 attendees) (or Giga-event (5000 attendees)) status.

"After attendance is documented at a particular Mega-Event, Giga status may be awarded by Geocaching HQ."

 

For every event it is permitted to have a registration page:

"Attendees may be required to register at a separate registration page."

link -Guidelines eventcaches II, 2.6

 

As for the money:

"Every Mega-Event must have a free or low cost participation option. Free or low cost participation options should include main event activities such as gathering, signing the logbook (if there is one) and participating in geocaching activities. Mega-Event organizers are permitted to charge additional fees for extra activities within the Mega-Event like participating in a zipline or rock climbing wall."

 

link -Help Center, Mega-Event Classification

 

link -Help Center, Giga-Event Classification

Edited March 6, 2015 by Sivota

[+Twentse Mug]

These are different discussions. My point is that there is more than one list of will attends.

[+The A-Team]

My point is that there is more than one list of will attends.

Yes there is. However, the only list Groundspeak cares about and has access to is the Will attends on the cache page. That's why every Mega I've been involved in (either organizing or attending) has repeatedly and vociferously reminded everyone to log their Will attend on the cache page.

[+Pan314159]

Project GeoXantike has only got 2626 will attend logs and Mainz Gutenberg 2015 has only got 2999, so how come they are now Giga-Events? I dont think I will be going to either of them and I live just down the road from both.

"Only"?!

 

2626 x 2 = 5252

2999 x 2 = 5998

 

And that's just Will Attends so far, per your comment. There are usually more Attended logs afterward. So both seem to easily earn Giga status.

 

I think it was Pan314159 (hey, I'll bet they're a Pi Day fan ) that said Will attend logs in their experience tend to be about the same as actual attended logs. Accounting for those who don't show up and those that do without ever posting a will attend.

 

Yep, I'll be holding a Pi Day event.

 

I said that in my experience "Will Attend" x 2.5 tends to be roughly around the number of actual people that turn up. If I get 20 "Will Attend" logs I know to expect somewhere around 50 people.

 

That doesn't equal 50 Attended logs though. That number tends to be somewhere between the two.