As a volunteer organizer for this year's MidCamp (Chicago, March 19-21), I'm taking on the task of coordinating the after-party (possibly -parties). In addition to figuring out the logistics (venue, catering, marketing), I'm reaching out to the community to find out if there are any activities that attendees would like to have available during this time.
Guiding Principle
The MidCamp after-party will be a welcoming, inclusive event where attendees can socialize and have fun.
Known Factors
- Location
- Any and all "official" events will be held at the venue (University of Illinois (UIC), Student Center East), and will go from the end of the last session (approximately 5:30pm) until 10pm.
- Catering
- Since the event is hosted at UIC, campus catering is required. In general, this means our options are limited. I will be working with the Sponsors team to determine a budget for the event, so we can let attendees know what will be provided.
“Why not just go to a bar? I'm sure Chicago has lots of those.”
In addition to the eloquent reasons provided in the Resources below (that help describe why bars aren't necessarily the best place to pack in 150+ attendees), having the event at the venue allows the organizers to ensure that the venue is accessible to all and covered by the camp's Code of Conduct.
Resources
Here are some blog posts that I've been reading to determine what works (and what doesn't).
- An open letter to conference organizers (section: After-parties)
- Alternatives for After-Parties at Conferences (lots of activity ideas)
- Alcohol and Inclusivity: Planning Tech Events with Non-Alcoholic Options
So, what do you want to do?
Board/card games, trivia, and powerpoint karaoke seem to be popular options. What do you like? What don't you like? I'd love to know!
Posted January 12, 2015