• Pick a target date, considering game developers and students often work during the weekdays.

  • Evenings and Weekends are often the most accessible.

  • It’s best to pick a week that doesn’t overlap with the dedicated weeks of the current 2 events. Second week of the month. Last week of the Month.

• Pick a target locale. It’s best to pick a place with ample room, open later in the evening, and accessible by car and bus.

  • The more arterial the better.

  • Depending on your brand you can also pick a new venue for every month.

Note: The target theme of your event will dictate the aspects listed above. Being a daytime event, or weekend event, non-drinking, shared hobby (ex. boardgames or table top games) or rotating around the area event will change how you approach the details of your event. What matters most is consistency so that your attendees are able to rely on the event with the attributes it has that allows them to attend.

• Create a free event on a meetup/event site. Meetup, and Eventbrite are common services to use.

  • Use a chat ai to draft out a simple but direct event body.

  • Include the intent/tone of the event. The Location:, and the Date:. Even though they are included in the event info.

    • Use this event as reference: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/south-edmonton-game-dev-munch-april-tickets-875493634027 (You need to View Details, then View All Event Details again.)

    • This lets you have a common template to post on discord and other places where there is no extra sections for time and place.

  • It’s good to indicate the bussing and parking options.

  • You will be able to duplicate the event from “Past Events” on your my-events page on eventbrite.

• Then at the beginning of the month you promote the oncoming of the event in the appropriate channels. Discord, Social media, etc.

  • I do: Alberta Dev Server > #edmonton-events tagged with @yegevents and publish it to appear on other servers subscribed event channels.

    • It’s also worth contacting other community event hosts to cross promote the existence of your event during their events.

    • Consistency again is best because then the hosts can reliably disseminate your event details without continuously having to re-check.

• Nearing the event date (Week of)

  • You call ahead or use the reservation tools on the target venues website.

    • Make mention that it’s a community get-together and your RSVP count is close but will give or take a few seats.

  • You can post a friendly reminder that the event is nearing time.

    • Make this post smaller than the original event posting, but continue to include the event page link, Location, and Time.

• Then on event day. Make it there on time or a little earlier.

  • Introduce yourself as the host when you’re being attended by the staff, reiterate that its a public event and you may give or take from the seats you RSVP’ed for.

• Host the event!

  • Always be beaming no matter how you actually feel. (It actually feels pretty good to be there so your poor mood might not last too long)

  • Welcome people and thank them for coming as they arrive.

  • Make sure to not stick to one static seat. Mingle, and even make room by leaving a seat so people can join the guests.

  • Mention to guests about the other events going on throughout the month

  • Also make mention of the community discord servers. Here in AB we have Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Students, and Special interests like GameAudioYEG.

    • I have a Community Server Index available for AB events. Alberta Development Community Servers

  • Thank everyone profusely for coming as they’re leaving, and tell them they are always welcome to the next.

• Extra for AB hosts: I can give you a sticker with my QR link to my community servers index. That way, if people are confused when you mention the discords, you can just flash them the QR code to follow up on later.

  • The more closely you can make people feel to the mesh of the community, the more we’ll see people jump between events and servers and contribute in ways we can only begin to imagine. It takes everyone.