# Key to a successful Dopefest... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 13, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989 "2004-05-13T18:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/21 "2004-05-16T22:53:36Z")
Did someone take my name in vain? Yep, announce it several months early and work to keep that thread alive. Make sure you have enough food and drink for a LOT of people. Make sure you stock up for when things lag (as they inevitably will). Me? The people who’ve come to my parties know I can break out games like ‘Operation’ or ‘Perfection’ at opportune times. If you’re having entertainment in remember to leave space where people can get AWAY from it if it’s not to their tastes. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/22 "2004-05-17T13:54:15Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > First of all, don’t have it at your house. That way if everyone has a bad time, it’s not your fault. (Plus, I think it’s kinda creepy to be in a stranger’s house.) I dunno, sometimes the coziness of someone’s home makes for a better environment than a bar. Though I am sure it depends on the crowd. I’ve had all kinds of creepy Dopers, even strangers, over to my creepy house. LOL ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/23 "2004-05-17T15:48:12Z")
> [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](#): > > I dunno, sometimes the coziness of someone’s home makes for a better environment than a bar. Though I am sure it depends on the crowd. I’ve had all kinds of creepy Dopers, even strangers, over to my creepy house. LOL Consider though if no one knows each other and for some reason only one person shows up (actually had this happen, as well as only me showing up!) - if you’re at a restaurant you can each have a quick drink/appetizer or something and go find something else to do for the day. If you’re the one person to show at someone’s house…awkward! Plus the host gets stuck with a buttload of food/drinks. I’ve only been to a Dopefest at one person’s house and it felt somehow "high-school"ish. Grown-ups go _out_ to be social, because they can. Just my twisted opinion, of which I have several, heh. ---
**Author:** ![luluBahrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e5b9ba/32.png) [@luluBahrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luluBahrain)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/24 "2004-05-17T17:02:54Z")
See, I think it would be less frightening at someone’s house. Out of the public eye and all. Maybe I’m just weird that way. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/25 "2004-05-17T18:46:25Z")
Y’see, this is why I call mine ‘parties’ and not Dopefests. If I invite Dopers to a party they’re comfortable coming to my place. ---
**Author:** ![Obsidian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@Obsidian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obsidian)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/26 "2004-05-17T19:45:49Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > Second of all, I think you had a small turnout because there are only a handful of Sac dopers. Have the fest in the Bay area and you’re more likely to have a better turnout, because of people being able to take public transit, etc. (And there is other stuff to do.) I wanted to toss in that I plan parties/dinners/outings often as part of my job (to entertain visiting clients, people from our overseas offices, company dinners, and odd tradeshow group and the many, many parties my boss throws for various reasons). So if you _did_ decide to relocate your dopefest to the bay area, I could be of help and would be happy to do so. I personally think it’s hard to have a bad time in San Fransisco, no matter how few people show up. (You don’t know a bad dinner party until three of your guests are shouting at each other in more than one foreign language) ---
**Author:** ![luluBahrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e5b9ba/32.png) [@luluBahrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luluBahrain)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/27 "2004-05-17T19:51:36Z")
Hey, I would be fine with going to the Bay Area but, alas, my car is of the non-running variety. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/28 "2004-05-17T19:56:46Z")
> [@Ringo](#): > > It’s usually taken about 6-10 weeks to generate a crowd of 8-12, sometimes more, sometimes less. Well I just hosted my first Dopefest this past Saturday, and I managed to get 7 Dopers! It was my Bon Voyage Bryan BBQ (aka farewell to **Edward the Head** ), and I only gave about 2 weeks notice, so I guess I did OK. It was a blast! I hope to have another one sometime. Maybe I could do another cookout - my backyard worked out really well for it - maybe towards the middle-to-end of summer? Actually I was going to offer myself up for Dope-a-Ween this year since **Jonathan Chance** has abandoned us. Well actually I was thinking of hosting it at my parents’ house, they have all the amenities: bar, pool table, dart board, stereo, and the place is definetly drunk-proof, it has hosted many many wild parties. So keep that in mind, MADs! Also I have to give props to **AnitaVacation** for hosting two awesome Dopefests in the recent past. I hope we can have a housewarming party for you when you move into your new place! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/29 "2004-05-17T20:15:58Z")
And me having to abandon it here because of that darn **thinksnow** and his Hall-o-Dope. DARN YOU THINKSNOW!!! ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/30 "2004-05-17T20:27:21Z")
I’m having a mini dopefest at my house with a thread with a crappy title and everything. I thought having it here would be easier on people especially since I’ve said bring the family 🙂 Also all the previous dopefests in our area ended up either in a restaurant or at a pool hall - not everyone’s idea of a good time. I’ve had the one thread open for a month or so. The one with a better thread title dropped like a stone ☹ While it has been open for all that time the bulk of the replies saying ‘yes I will come’ have arrived only in the last few days. I’ll let you know monday how successful it was 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989/31 "2004-05-17T21:14:00Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Seriously, another way is to read threads when somebody advertises a dopefest and see how they are doing it (especially the small to moderate sized ones, they do not require as much logistics expertise as the big ones [Chicago, NYC…] 🙂 ). You need someone enthusiastic and charming ( **me** ), and someone who knows all the cool spots in the city that you’ll never read about in a tourist guide ( **detop** ). Seriously, though, it helps to throw the idea out about two to two and a half months ahead of time, so that out-of-towners can consider coming, and can then plan accordingly. Suggestions for activities will no doubt follow. After a certain point, you can set a date based on how many out-of-towners can make it on a given weekend. Then, about a month ahead of time, start an official planning thread. Finally, the week before, post an itinerary and check-in thread. Hopefully those who live in town will have space for others to crash. The **Pad of Evil®** has hosted many A-list board members. 😉 Anyway, that’s how we’ve done it for the Montreal 'fests of the past couple years, and they’ve always been well-attended and a lot of fun. So, don’t forget: **Coming August 2004:** _ **Doperéal 3D!** _ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/key-to-a-successful-dopefest/244989.md?page=1)