I would have to imagine at least a few “on the fence” types may have checked out a local DopeFest® held in a public place from a safe distance and booked without interaction.
But who having actually done it would admit it?
I know at least one person did at last year’s NYC MegaFest–they posted in the thread that they had been at the bar but didn’t talk to anyone–but I can’t recall who it was.
It would never occur to me to do such a thing. If you’re gonna go, then go! Even if you end up hating everyone (not likely!) you at least had a night out. But to go to all the trouble to find the place and get there, then just lurk and leave? BIZARRE!
I ducked out of last year’s New York 'fest pretty early. I went to the dinner, but it was a huge group and I only knew one person there. I just wasn’t really having a good time. When the gang started trekking over to the bar, I drifted toward the back and turned right and went back to my hotel.
I didn’t say much at my first dopefest (Jerry’s Famous Deli in Studio City, CA.; about, what? A year and a half ago? No, I think two years now). I can be really quiet around new people, and I didn’t know ANYONE yet at that first one. Not quite the same thing as what you’re asking, though, because I didn’t just duck out and not tell anyone who I was. Just really didn’t get to know anyone, and no one got to know me at that first one. Later ones I was much more open and have met some great people.
I stayed for a good chunk of the evening, but I do remember being rather surprised that almost everyone was considerably younger than I was. I enjoyed meeting several people, but for all the “me toos” that are on the board, it was sobering to see how little I had in common with anyone else.
I crashed one unannounced, one in which I was the only guy at a table of six. I mumbled my user name, which as a result no one recognized. And it was rather uncomfortable to spend the evening at this meal with five ladies, all eating with one hand above the table, and the other hand under the table holding pepper spray just in case. I couldn’t blame them, though. I had not responded to the thread (hey, I had killed three previous local threads), and they didn’t recognize my name.
That’s one reason I had my name changed to something a little less mumblesome.
I was at the dinner that Earl Snake-Hips Tucker posted about. I’m sorry you felt uncomfortable. 
I understand why you didn’t post to the thread, but if we’d have known you were at least a ‘maybe’ we probably would have been a little less shocked. But hey, at least you had dinner with some hot wimmin - I’m sure you were the envy of the place - 1 guy & 5 women - woo-hoo. 
I love the new user name, Earl Snake-Hips Tucker.