Here are some lessons learned and questions raised (in addition to all the topics we covered!) after Friday night’s dry-run:
1) The sleepover idea is probably less suited to Cincinnati than to, say, San Francisco or other large metropolis. Here, people live close enough to walk or drive home, so it’s not like they’d have to navigate BART or other hassle in order to get to and from the event.
2) Not many people seem keyed-up to attend an event unless they know an agenda in advance. Some said that this is “a Cincinnati thing”. If so, perhaps the choice needs to be made between more people and pre-planned objectives for the event OR a small group of more possibility-driven people willing to drive the agenda themselves. I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other, but trying to be both might lead to some headaches and disappointments.
3) Some people are talking about doing a slickly marketed, party-like event (flashy logos, ‘hot’ image, fire-eaters and a live band, etc). In that case, the challenge might be trying to have a conversation within that, and producing a gathering that’s not just a clone of so many other events. What I like about the direction this idea looks to is that it suggests doing cool stuff, and letting the informal social networks blossom around those activities. I’ve seen this happen with my Cincinnati Salon and Cincinnati Supper Club: People show up to hear and talk about a given topic, or to have some dinner, and end up making new friendships and creating new value in unpredictable and wonderful ways.
The question then becomes: What cool stuff are we to do that takes us beyond talking but still stimulates that ongoing conversation and local action?
Big thanks to all who took a chance on the unknown and came out on a Friday night to make things so worthwhile!
Last week and yesterday, a core group of us met to take the overnight event idea further – and that’s exactly what we did. In short, we decided to…just do it. “Just do what?” you ask.
* We will hold a kick-off overnighter as soon as we can (Jeff Stec and I are going to pick a date before the end of this week, so NOW is the time to tell us when you can or cannot make it!).
* This first run will be a learning experience for us all – in addition to being a lot of fun – and allow us to get going without the pressure of pulling off The Event of The Millenium.
* We’ll follow this kick-off event with quarterly overnighters. Once per quarter seems to be a timing structure that everyone can get on board with – not too frequent, but frequent enough that if you can’t make this one, you can probably make the next one.
* While being laidback and with an agenda created and driven by participants, there will be a definite structure within which all this freedom and chaos will operate. We’ll start with some informal introductions and conversation starters, then move right into the open space portion of the night. And while casual-but-intense is the vibe, the intense part means that there will be plenty of opportunities for relaxation.
* Instead of putting a load of time, energy, and resources into getting sponsorship for food and drinks, we’re going to go with potluck provisions – at least for this first event. If those aren’t adequate to see us through the night, we’ll have some pizzas delivered when the sound of growling stomachs gets too distracting. Beer and wine will also be more than welcome.
* We’re not going to get bogged down in trying to predict outcomes or set goals for this event. The only concrete aim is to get people connecting and creating value, as individuals and in whatever groups may form on the back of the ideas germinated during the course of the event. Think of it as a party with purpose.
* It’s important to get the wording right for the invitations we send to people for this event. I would add here that it’s crucial to send personalized invitations – no eVites or form letters, which are far too close to spam for comfort. But here’s a loose template that you can play with and edit as you see fit (additional ideas welcome – leave them in the comments to this post, please!):
Is there something missing in your Cincinnati? Are there experiences and resources you wish we all had at our fingertips, but don’t know where to start in making them a reality?
You’re not alone.
That’s why we, a motley crew of area residents, are coming together on [date] for an informal but intense overnight party with a purpose. Share your ideas, find out what other people are doing, spark debate, and make the connections to make your vision of Cincinnati a reality. The only thing you have to fear is forgetting your toothbrush.
* We will meet again on Wednesday, May 9, at 1212 Sycamore Street to finalize the date for the first event and get rolling on logistical planning.
When we met two weeks ago (my first time meeting everyone), I brought up the idea of an overnight, participant-driven event to kickstart some creativity and action. I thought I’d explain a bit more about how such events work. (Tent photo above, taken at BarCamp San Francisco, is courtesy Scott Beale / Laughing Squid.)
The BarCamp model can be summed up in two sentences:
A BarCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from participants.
Or, to borrow from an old ad you should still be old enough to remember, this is not your father’s conference.
For an even better idea of what it’s all about, check out this brief video from BarCamp San Francisco (warning: there are a couple of swear words at the end, so you may want to use headphones if you’re watching this around delicate ears):
As the video explains, this whole concept first germinated with techies and geeks…but it is equally as useful and motivating for any other group of eager enthusiasts. (That would be us.) This format will work as a way for us to get brainstorming and creating those experiences we want to bring to people in Cincinnati.
When you come, be prepared to share with barcampers.
When you leave, be prepared to share it with the world.
NO SPECTATORS, ONLY PARTICIPANTS
Attendees must give a demo, a session, or help with one, or otherwise volunteer / contribute in some way to support the event.
So…if you’re a little too shy to stand up for two (or five) minutes and share your ideas with the group, you can participate in other ways. For example: Donate some drinks, help publicize the event, bring your camera and stick all your best shots of the event on Flickr, or do whatever else you can to participate and bring value.
The Wall (no, not the Pink Floyd album)
More from the rules:
All presentations are scheduled the day they happen. Prepare in advance, but come early to get a slot on the wall. The people present at the event will select the demos or presentations they want to see.
This may sound a little chaotic, but in fact there is a firm structure that holds up all this spontaneity. It’s called the schedule wall (photo by David Heller, taken at BarCamp NYC):
If you want to lead a conversation about a specific topic, add your index card first thing, before the event starts. You can also check out the wall to see what other sessions are being held throughout the day, and take your pick from them.
What’s this about an overnighter?
Everyone brings a sleeping bag, their jammies, and whatever they need to get them through the night. Prepare to stay up talking and laughing into the wee hours, at which point your body may be exhausted but your mind will be buzzing with fresh ideas and inspiration.
2) Sponsors: We need sponsors to supply or pay for the following:
food and drinks for the duration of the event – nothing fancy, sandwiches or pizza and soft drinks, maybe some beers, that sort of thing. Past experience has proven that it is MUCH easier, logistically, if businesses donate actual stuff (i.e. pay a pizza place $150 directly to deliver pizzas to the venue) rather than cash.
prizes – books, gift certificates, etc…modest things we can give away as prizes
coffee – I don’t drink it myself, but I understand that it’s as important as air and water to many people
Sponsors get benefits (their color logo on the main wall of the chill-out area, recognition and thanks during the welcome session, signage with their logo during the meal they’ve sponsored, recognition and thanks on the event website, the opportunity to offer literature and schwag at the event, etc).
3) You: Without participants, there is no event. While it is tempting to offer this as a free overnighter, past experience has shown that many people who sign up for a free event do not show up. This makes planning for numbers (and letting sponsors know how much food, drink, etc we need without being wasteful) a nightmare. I would suggest charging $10 per participant, with all proceeds going to offset the cost of future events.
Apologies for the lengthy post, but I wanted to lay out the basics for everyone. Unless this long description has now soured everyone on the idea, it seems to me that people have been extremely positive about doing this sort of an event. If that is still the case, then the first order of business will be to finalize a weekend date to do this. Interested in attending? Sign up here (password to edit page: porkparty).
Please, share your thoughts, criticisms, barbs, and enthusiasm in the comments…
Here are some lessons learned and questions raised (in addition to all the topics we covered!) after Friday night’s dry-run:
All Sorts of Cincinnati 