I consistently see in the threads references to “Londope” and other equally zany and intriguing titles. Being a relatively new member, where do I find out when and where the next ones are being planned - or are these strictly informal gatherings?
Part II of this question is multifaceted - have you been to one? would you go to one? if you’ve been to one how was it and what suggestions would you make for the next one? If you haven’t been to one, then what would you expect if you DID attend one?
Part III for those who who have been to one (see Part II) is did Uncle Cecil appear, what did he look like and what great words of wisdom did he impart? Was Aunt CeCe with him?
Moderators, would you be so kind as to provide the answer to Part I of the thread above? At least that much I’d like to know; in the ‘General Questions’ thread seems like anything that doesn’t get answered in five minutes falls off the scope…
Keep an eye on MPSIMS, which is where these meeting are discussed. Look for thread titles that include words like “dopefest”, “gathering”, etc. In fact, I’ll move this thread over to MPSIMS because that’s the forum where these discussions belong.
Dopefests, etc., are not sponsored by the Straight Dope or the Chicago Reader. You should read this disclaimer before attending one.
As far as I know, Cecil himself has never attended a dopefest. His editor Ed Zotti has attended at least one.
We have a “core” group of PNW Dopers who get together as often as we can, and we are always thrilled to meet new friends.
The New York, Chicago and Texas Dopers seem to be quite prolific in having gatherings, and if you keep an eye out there are sporadic gatherings all over.
Yes, I have attended several. Ten, IIRC. I have met MANY people through the board who have become good friends…some of them have become family to me…and usually when I visit them we have a DopeFest for anyone in the area.
As for what to expect, well…just a gathering of friends. Some are wild and crazy, some are quiet. Ours here tend to be your garden variety “get together with friends for dinner and a movie” or “spend the day somewhere fun and then go to dinner”… but whatever they are, they are ALWAYS fun and comfortable.
Really, there is no difference between a DopeFest and any other get together. Except that sometimes the people you get together with at a DopeFest are friends you haven’t met “In The Same Room” before.
Welcome to the Board!
Currently I’m located in the ‘Watershed Moments of the SDMB…’ thread with wildly tangental threads such as the ‘VVC,’ ‘Bar Fight,’ and May 33rd’ explorations.
OH, you mean “Location, Location, Location”! <chuckles> Though my momma told me never to post that sort of detail, I figure there are enough Houstonians in Texas that I remain one of the anonymous teeming masses.
Y’all keep me in mind should there ever be another **TX DopeFest[\b]; I’d very much love to put a face with some of these creative minds!!
I attended the Las Vegas Dopefest, and, let me tell you, it was a blast.
I don’t know if it was put together the way the others were, but people started to trickle into town the Friday night of the Big Weekend, and the people who were able to get in touch with one another seemed to get together for small, informal gatherings (I unexpectedly got the day off work, went out for breakfast with lel, then bristlesage joined us for coffee, then we cut a swath through Mandalay Bay while we waited for those who had attended the get together at the lounge to get their hung-over asses out of bed- bristlesage’s bristly sage advice, never try to out drink a moderator- then we got together with manhattan and Kirstin and took Shark Reef by storm, frightening the sharks and making unwelcome intrusions into the love lives of horseshoe crabs.
Saturday night was the Big Dinner, and when that broke up, a bunch of folks headed over to Terrible’s Casino, which I refuse to patronize because it’s affiliated with Coast Resorts, which I refuse to patronize because of their unwritten cut 'em loose at the end of probation employment policy, of which I’ve been a victim. I guess Sunday was more informal partying, then people started to leave town again.
A Dopefest is a great party- you’re getting together with people you know slightly, but have never met in person. When I got to the Big Dinner, it was great. Very laid-back vibe. It was a game of “guess who everybody is”, until people told each other their SDMB handles.
Londopes are, being in London, the best of all possible dopefests (I’m so kidding… or am I). They feature a whole bunch of UK dopers getting together, pretending to be cultural by possibly going to a museum or somesuch, and then giving up and going down the pub to drink. If you’re in the UK you’re very welcome to the next one, whenever it may be.
I’ve organised a few and enjoyed every one I’ve been to. I’ve even seen love flower as a result of one! I’ve made some good friends and I’ve learned that people never look like you expect them to. If you like these boards and want to meet a few like-minded people, I’d definitely recommend a dopefest or two.
I even flew out to LA to be part of a dopefest there in October 2001. Now there’s commitment for you
Well, living in Wisconsin, of course the only dopefest I ever made was the Okladope in Stillwater a few years back. 4 of us in a local restaurant, it was a blast. But I’m a minimalist, and don’t know how I’d do at one of the big Chicago bashes.
I’ve been to several, here in Michigan, and also in Chicago, NYC, and Ohio. Even hosted one in my own backyard.
They’re an awful lot of fun. The smaller fests I’ve been to here in Michigan are really nice, because you get the chance to really talk to everyone. The mega-fests are tremendous fun, if you like socializing with very large groups. I myself enjoy both situations.
As has already been mentioned, watch MPSIMS for announcements regarding Fests. Anymore, it seems like there’s at least one a month, in some part of the world!
Part I has been pretty well answered, and so has Part III (I think Ed Zotti was seen at a Chicago Dopefest last year, IIRC. I wasn’t in attendance, however.), so on to part II.
I’ve been to a number of Dopefests (roughly 6-8) and they were all quite different. Some were big, some were small. Some lasted for days, some lasted for an hour or two. Some were jam-packed with activity, some were coffee and a bookstore. I’ve even been to one that traveled across three states. There really is no set pattern that I have seen – just come prepared to meet new friendly faces!
Honey, you are in one of the very BEST places to attend a DopeFest. Just keep checking…there are Houston DopeFests at least a couple of times a year. As well as DFW DopeFests, which a lot of Houstonians attend and would (I’m sure) LOVE to have you hitch a ride.
