Wild Genius | Coordinates | Instructions

Hosting an Event in Your Location

Intoduction

INTRODUCTION

Coordinates | Instructions | Hosting | Introduction

In this section:

Curiosity
Intention
Deciding
Showing . . . up
Participating
Gathering—1 evening or 1 day events
Packing—multi day events

“Opportunity does not waste time with those who are unprepared.”

Idowu Koyenikan

Planning

PLANNING

Coordinates | Instructions | Hosting | Planning

In this section:

Initial discussion
Welcoming the Visitor
Evening event 2.5 hours
One day or multi day events

Initial discussion

A discussion is in order if you are considering hosting an event. What topic draws your interest? What topic seems current where you live? A clarification will be made.

There might be a consideration of how big the event should be. A larger event can take more work to organize, but also has the potential to make its own energy, like a weather system.

If you "sign on" to be a local host, there are a few responsibilities to fulfil to ensure the event goes well.

“There is no hospitality like understanding.”

Vanna Bonta

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Welcoming the Visitor

A local host is, by definition, someone very committed to bringing this work into their community, and someone connected enough in their community to ensure a full attendance at an event. It is not a job for everyone.

Certainly, the host should be inquiring what particular things are needed for the event to be successful. Often locals have knowledge of local venues and existing relationships that make the securing of a location much easier than over the internet.

And the local host should also have connections to a few people that can help with the many tasks of organizing. Especially there is a need to share around the invitation work, which should be done by phone, talking to people, inviting them. It is never a "sales pitch." The best that can be said is "I'd love to see you there!"

"Pre-ventative pre-event planning"
Tad Hargrave, Marketing for Hippies

Evening event 2.5 hours

Storytelling, with a focus on introducing ritual understandings of welcome and exile, life purpose and inner authority, grief and praise, ancestors and hungry ghosts, transformation and change.

Requirements

Preparation time 4 to 8 weeks recommended

A main host who is able to:

host the facilitator for a few days
provide accommodation and some transportation
be the key local contact person for the event
do initial reach out to hubs to invite participants
find 2 other people to participate in—

30 minute zoom meeting for planning

finding a location or venue

promotion

set up and clean up

Location or Venue

15 to 40 participants
Approximately 2 square meters per participant
The noise of drumming and singing permissible
Access to the room 1 hour early and 1 hour after event

Ticket price

Approximately $40 CAD | $40 AUD|£25 | €25

Children allowed, usually yes.

One day or multi day events

A full day or weekend holds the opportunity to work with the same ritual topics as noted above. Welcome and exile, life purpose and inner authority, grief and praise, ancestors and hungry ghosts, transformation and change might each be a focus of a gathering, while not excluding the other topics.

Requirements

Preparation time 8 to 16 weeks recommended

All of the above points apply, with appropriate extensions.

Helpers

The main host might have 4 rather than only 2 helpers. There might be a few more zoom meetings. Every event that is a day or weekend long is bespoke, custom created.

Date and Venue

The main thing determining the success of an event is to set a date with a confirmed venue. Without this in place it is impossible to orchestrate the invitations in time, allowing those who want to attend the chance to arrange their personal schedules.

Food and accommodation

These two areas require very good organization.

For a day long event, lunch can be "Bring Your Own." Likewise, the evening meal can be a potluck or catered.(Food needs to be labeled for allergies of course).

For a weekend event, for this style of work, it is best to have an experienced cook deliver omnivore cuisine that is hearty and good quality. The idea of cooking together of course has its benefits, but also has the problem that it can distract from the process of the work itself. An experienced cook can handle just around 20 participants. And the participants will always be helping with cleaning dishes.

Accommodation can be simple, even possibly as simple as tenting. Expensive venues raise the cost for participation.

The main difference in a day long or weekend long event is that the needs for the style of venue go up. It is important to have an indoor working area that is warm enough and has room to move. The minimum area is around 4 square meters per person. Ideally, a dream location and venue includes the following: