What happens at a Geocaching Event?

[+EmzyJanezy]

Title is self-explanatory really!  Not sure this is the correct part of the forum to ask.  But just wanted to know what exactly happens at an event.  I see there's one fairly close to me soon (would need to get a bus) and wondered if it was worth me making the journey and what to expect?  Thanks.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Depends entirely on the event host, and usually the writeup will give an indication.

 

Usually: a social gathering of like-minded people.

 

One of my favourite parts of the game. 

[+niraD]

Yep. Most of the time, geocachers sit around a table and talk.

 

There is often a log book for people to sign. Sometimes there are name tags. There is usually a table where trackables are placed so people can discover or retrieve them.

 

Sometimes there are organized activities, like games or raffles. An easy and fun ice-breaker game is "Geocacher Bingo", where you get a bingo card filled with various geocacher characteristics, and you have to get people who match those characteristics to write their names in the corresponding spaces. Examples include "owns an EarthCache" or "has found fewer than 100 caches" or  "does not own a smartphone".

 

Often there is food. Many events are held in restaurants or coffeehouses, or at patio seating outside such places. Some have been potlucks. There is a 24-hour donut shop that is sometimes used for midnight events (events that run from 12:00 to 12:30 AM, usually to be the first event on a day where a special Souvenir is available).

[+EmzyJanezy]

Hmm, the event I'm looking at is a cup of tea in a beach hut … https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7QE2F_the-maverics-1st-cromer-gathering

 

I would have two children with me.  Would you say it wouldn't really be the sort of thing to bring a 10 year old and a 6 year old to?

[+Viajero Perdido]

Sounds perfectly wonderful for kids to me.  (If you whisper "beach" in their direction, you won't be able to back out.)

 

if ever in doubt, the event owner would be the person to ask. But this sounds absolutely fine.

[+EmzyJanezy]

1 minute ago, Viajero Perdido said:

Sounds perfectly wonderful for kids to me.  (If you whisper "beach" in their direction, you won't be able to back out.)

 

if ever in doubt, the event owner would be the person to ask. But this sounds absolutely fine.

 

Ah, thanks!  It does clash with something else we are doing that day, but may be able to get a bus there straight after.

 

Now I just have to deal with my social phobia … 

[+cerberus1]

47 minutes ago, EmzyJanezy said:

 ...But just wanted to know what exactly happens at an event.  I see there's one fairly close to me soon (would need to get a bus) and wondered if it was worth me making the journey and what to expect? 

 

One yearly event, we put eggs out for cacher's kids, with candy and prize stubs inside.   30 kids hitting 1200 eggs in four minutes. 

 - We gave out custom Crayola stuff to all with numbers in their eggs, and kids who didn't find one (with a #) got a 64ct collectors tin of crayons.

 

One had us running a full tree-top canopy zip line course.  Lunch and geochat afterwards.  Our favorite event yet !

 

We've bowled, played golf, softball, and kick ball at events.

 

Many are pot luck at a park's camp area.  Games (nearest to the flag is one), "ready-to-go cache" silent auctions, coin exchanges, and simple geochat a norm.

 

Most are simple meet n greets, many an hour or less.  Restaurants, ice cream joints, etc.   

 

 

[+MartyBartfast]

15 minutes ago, EmzyJanezy said:

Hmm, the event I'm looking at is a cup of tea in a beach hut … https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7QE2F_the-maverics-1st-cromer-gathering

 

I would have two children with me.  Would you say it wouldn't really be the sort of thing to bring a 10 year old and a 6 year old to?

It has been specifically given the child friendly attribute, and it's on the beach so I would say it's a sure bet that you will all be welcome, and there's a reasonable chance there will be other kids there too.

 

 

[+K13]

Take the kids and enjoy the visit.  There aren't likely to be any snails there.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

14 hours ago, EmzyJanezy said:

Hmm, the event I'm looking at is a cup of tea in a beach hut … https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7QE2F_the-maverics-1st-cromer-gathering

 

I would have two children with me.  Would you say it wouldn't really be the sort of thing to bring a 10 year old and a 6 year old to?

 

Events are absolutely a good thing to bring a 10 and 6 year old, though I suppose some event owners will try to cater to specifically to adult geocachers.  The best events, however, are inclusive of long time geocachers, new geocachers,  and their kids and friends.  Nirad described the typical event I like to see.  Unfortunately, some events seem just to be an excuse to get some geocachers together to go find a bunch of caches placed in conjunction with the event.  For those types of events, people show up just long enough to get credit for the attended log and only socialize with those they subsequently go geocaching with.    To me, geocaching events  should be about geocaching, not for geocaching.  

[+GeoElmo6000]

My events are simple:

• Meet at a local homemade ice cream shop
• Stand around the parking lot and talk about geocaching

To a muggle that might sound boring, but my one hour (scheduled) events often last two hours or even more.  And I've gotten to know some really nice people!

 

Sometimes a kid will attend with their parent(s) and get to meet a cache owner whose caches they really liked, and for them it's like meeting a celebrity.  "I found your cache!  It was so cool!" 

[+redsox_mark]

16 hours ago, MartyBartfast said:

It has been specifically given the child friendly attribute, and it's on the beach so I would say it's a sure bet that you will all be welcome, and there's a reasonable chance there will be other kids there too.

 

 

 

I agree.   In general events are open to all, and especially a daytime event will have families with children.  

 

If there were any restrictions regarding children, I'd expect them to be in the listing.   I attend a monthly evening event at a pub, and the pub rules are children are allowed until 9 PM, and that is always listed on the cache page.  

 

 

[+IceColdUK]

22 hours ago, EmzyJanezy said:

Hmm, the event I'm looking at is a cup of tea in a beach hut … https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7QE2F_the-maverics-1st-cromer-gathering

 

I would have two children with me.  Would you say it wouldn't really be the sort of thing to bring a 10 year old and a 6 year old to?

 

This sounds like the perfect event for you and your kids.

 

The organisers are new to the area and they’re obviously keen to meet new people.  It’s on a beach(!), great for the kids and easier for you to drift away (and hopefully back again) I f you have an attack of ‘social-phobia’.

 

Some events are more for the smiley - half-hour flash events on souvenir days, or ‘meet and greets’ by holiday makers - but these can still be fun,  (I’ve held a few on my travels and a couple have been really enjoyable.)

 

Other events are likely to be of a more ‘scheduled’ variety.  (We have monthly events in Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire.)  These are friendly affairs but if there is a problem, it’s that a majority of the people there will know each other, and this can give the impression of being a bit of a closed group.  It is honestly just an impression, but if you’re not a natural ice-breaker I’m sure it can be a bit intimidating.  But please don’t be put off!

[+Harry Dolphin]

18 minutes ago, IceColdUK said:

Other events are likely to be of a more ‘scheduled’ variety.  (We have monthly events in Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire.)  These are friendly affairs but if there is a problem, it’s that a majority of the people there will know each other, and this can give the impression of being a bit of a closed group.  It is honestly just an impression, but if you’re not a natural ice-breaker I’m sure it can be a bit intimidating.  But please don’t be put off!

 

Sound, like me, that she's not the most outgoing of cachers.  Many events I felt lost, thought them cliquish, and wondered why I went.  Thirteen years later, I'm far better known, and cachers come over to say Hi.  (As a cacher, I seem to have some sort of a reputation.)  An outdoor event should be more open than a cramped one at a restaurant. Easier to meet people.  

[+NanCycle]

Even if most of the people there seem to know each other, there's always the one person, or maybe one couple, who's sitting there alone not talking to anyone.  I'm not at all an outgoing person either, but I make a point of talking to the other "alone " people.   I find that a lot easier than joining in an existing group , and more rewarding than just hanging on to the edge of a group.