Event Cache - Help

[+The Blue Quasar]

Hello All in and around Niagara

 

I am trying to hold the third GNASHERS Event cache but I'd like to present my idea so get some feedback from the Geocaching community.

 

First off, I have been emailing Cache-Tech and he/she has sort of given the okay, but I want to make sure everything is above board.

 

Here is the idea.....

 

I have selected a venue that can hold between 50-60 people. I have to find a way to limit attendance for a variety of reasons. First off, many places don't fancy the idea of closing their doors to the general public to host a group. I don't want to rent a hall as there are inate difficulties in recovering costs, getting catering, liquor licences etc.

 

So what I think would be fair to everyone is this.... bear with me a little longer.

 

I will make out fifty (50) "Admission Cards" to the Event. These 50 cards will be individually sealed in envelopes and placed into a Geocache container.

 

This container will be hidden in the woods, so to speak, and the co-ordinates of the container will be posted as the co-ordinates of the Event.

 

From the moment the Event posting is LIVE anyone can go to the cache location and pick up Admissions. You could pick up Admissions for yourself, other cachers, the rest of your family, whatever. That way someone that would be coming from farther away could arrange to have an Admission Card.

 

Once all 50 are gone then I would post that all the cards have been taken and therefore "All seats are taken"

 

On the cards would be the info needed to attend the Event. The date on the cache page would be the same as the Event, that way if a person couldn't make it that night they wouldn't waste their time getting a Card.

 

I believe this is a fair way to let people attend, but I am open to feedback if I am missing something.

 

Please post any comments or concerns you may have, or positive feedback too, in this Forum so all can see the developement.

 

The target date for the Event is 04 Dec 04. Naturally I will have to get this all together soon so I will have to close off discussion and make my decision at Hallowe'en.

 

Again, please give me feedback, positive or negative, or ask any questions right here. I will assume that people that read and don't post a reply either don't care or agree with my proposal. But I'd rather you make your opinion known as it will make the creation and approval process easier.

 

Thanks all.

 

The Blue Quasar

[+The Blue Quasar]

Oh I forgot.... this EVENT is planned as an ADULTS only (meaning 19 +)

 

The Blue Quasar

[+Amazon Annie]

Just wondering about limiting the number of tickets that one person could pick up. That way one person couldn't 'hijack' the whole event. Obviously this would be on an honest based system.

 

"Can you pick me up 12 tickets while you're there?" could be a problem in some ways.... and then the "Why didn't you pick me up a ticket while you were there?" Just my first thoughts.

[+junglehair]

Considering how popular your events have become, I can see your dillema. The concept is interesting and I'm sure some people would have fun with it. Personally I'm not that keen on the idea though. I have travelled up from Rochester, NY several times to attend events in your area. I certainly wouldn't make the trek up there to just to pick up an invite, and I wouldn't feel comfortable asking any of the local cachers to save one for me.

 

Now, if the number of attendees is getting out of control, I can see where you'd want to try to limit it to the people in your area, rather than us New Yorkers, but I think it would be the same problem for someone in Mississauga if the event were held in St. Catharines, or vice versa. The people closest to the event would have the greatest advantage over everyone else.

 

If you had to set a capacity limit of 50, then I'd prefer to see it say that on the cache page. People would add their names to the guest list with the number attending. Once the maximum is reached, then that's it. Of course, that involves much more administrative work on your end.

 

Well, that's just my two cents worth here. Good luck with your next event.

 

P.S. I'm having a Halloween Pub Night in Rochester on October 29th if anyone is interested in making the trek down here: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e5-cd7f9d40dabc

[+Keith Watson]

I would say be up front and limit it to first come first serve on the web page. You have to be fair to all, and giving a distance advantage to local cachers isn’t fair. I would also think that you are going to have hurt feelings from those that would really like to attend and can’t just because they didn’t see the cache posting as quick as others did. As events get more and more popular, event holders are just going to have to start dealing with larger numbers of risk cachers feeling like they are being left out.

[+1701eh]

I also would prefer the first come, first served on the web page.

 

Another possibility is to hold more than one event (ie GNASHERS 3a, 3b, etc.). Whether two nights on the same weekend, or two different Saturdays, etc

 

Another idea is to limit it to 8-10 people from a specific area (ie Niagara, New York, Hamilton, Peel, etc.). If some areas don't fill up, free them to the full areas.

 

Just a thought...

 

Tony

[+Hard Oiler]

I think I'm with Junglehair and KW on this one. A pity that events are getting so popular that attendance needs to be controlled although I'm not sure that collecting admission cards from a cache is the best control mechanism. I could also see it getting out of control - someone who picks up a few extra cards just in case for example and then becomes a no-show. Or maybe grab the lot and sell them on ebay . Either way I suspect that it will limit attendance from newcomers and out-of-towners.

 

The first 50 to make a firm attendance committment on the event page would seem to me to be a better approach. Maybe if the capacity limit is reached quickly someone could organize an overflow event in the area.

[+TrimblesTrek]

As far as I know, GC.com have never really created a definition for what an event is, or is not. Since there are no guidelines, pretty much anything goes.

 

Geocaching Events

Geocaching Event Calendar

Geocachers from around the world create events locally for fellow Geocachers to get together. Here you can check out the event calendar in the world.

 

I've never attended a limited attendance event like you are proposing. I have no problems with this sort of event... some venues simply can't accommodate larege throngs of rowdy cachers.

 

Like some of the others, I can see a few problems with the "Take a ticket" idea. If there are 50 tickets in the cache, these could potentially be taken by the first 10 finders. Now you've got an empty cache, with folks still hunting it to try and get a ticket. All this could happen on the first day the cache is available.

 

Some folks who grab a handful of tickets may or may not be able to give them away. If they can't, should they return them to the cache?

 

I think if I were to hold an event at an "attendance limited" venue, I think I would run it by personal invitation only. I think I'd also be tempted to NOT even post it as a GC.com event. This way, it becomes more of a personal "party" type event. Sure, some folks may feel left out if they aren't on the invitation list, but then again, many folks would never even know about it. Of course, this is a bit of a problem now, because anyone watching the forums already knows!

 

My two cents.

[+Olar]

How about an "on-line" lottery where cachers would indicate their wish to attend and how many tickets they would want (I would say a limit of 2 per cacher). Once you hold the drawing of names then each individual is given a time limit to confirm attendance. The drawing could be for 60 or 70 names with 51 to 70 going on a waiting list for any turned in later. This would take the geographical factor out of the equation and long distance attendees would not have to make arrangements for a "local" to grab extras.

Of course security would have to be increased since the hockey scalpers are out of work and they are short of quality events to work. A GNASHER ticket could demand quite a price.

 

Cheers, Olar

[+Rogue_monkey]

How about an "on-line" lottery where cachers would indicate their wish to attend and how many tickets they would want (I would say a limit of 2 per cacher). Once you hold the drawing of names then each individual is given a time limit to confirm attendance. The drawing could be for 60 or 70 names with 51 to 70 going on a waiting list for any turned in later. This would take the geographical factor out of the equation and long distance attendees would not have to make arrangements for a "local" to grab extras.

Of course security would have to be increased since the hockey scalpers are out of work and they are short of quality events to work. A GNASHER ticket could demand quite a price.

 

Cheers, Olar

I have to say that I think this is the best suggestion so far. It takes the race out of haveing to get out to St. Kits just to pick up a ticket. Also Olar's idea takes a lot of the hurt feelings away because people have the chance to go its just the luck of the draw whether they get the invit or not.

[+murfster]

How about an "on-line" lottery where cachers would indicate their wish to attend and how many tickets they would want (I would say a limit of 2 per cacher).

As long distance event attender I agree with Olar.. smart man that he is

 

If you held the event here in Timmins,

too many cachers would not be a problem!

 

Murfster

[+DyverDown]

I would also agree with the idea of having it an online first come-first served even.. although that means everyone will be checking for new caches hourly...LOL

 

I must add BQ, that I am busy on the 4 Dec though, so unfortunately you'll have to move the event date..

 

Dyver Down

[+The Blue Quasar]

I am not commenting for a bit on this thread, but I am learning a lot.

 

I am quite impressed with the feedback I am seeing, and also the points I have not considered.

 

That was my sole intention with this forum post, to have people suggest things that I have not considered whether it be how to set it up or issues that may arise.

 

For not commenting, I'm doing pretty good eh?

 

Oh heck with it, I can't keep my mouth shut.

 

I am going to try to retool the whole Event, I agree with the feeling that many people might be offended or hurt or not willing to get a Admission Card.

 

I am really glad that everyone was willing to share their thoughts with me and I have learned a lot (and I think Cache-Tech has information that he/she can take to their discussion about this topic too)

 

The Blue Quasar

 

Special Note to Dyverdown: I will do my best.

[+Keith Watson]

As it is close to Christmas, you may not have a problem with too many numbers showing up. A lot of people will have holiday related events of their own going on.