Once a year, my friends embark on a great drinking adventure. It's called: The Neighborhood Crawl.
Many of my friends are in the entertainment industry, so our last one was aptly called:
Neighborhood Crawl 3:The Return of the Revenge of the Fallen Dark Knight Rises with a Vengeance Beyond Thunderdome and the Prisoner of Azkaban Part III (Ultimatum)
It's one of the yearly events that I participate in with a very active and creative social circle (more on that here) and I thought it would be fun to share with my fellow Steemers.
How to Run a Neighborhood Crawl
The Basics:
- Adventurers follow a map, stopping at different homes along the trail, until they reach the end.
- Each home has a host who prepares a drink and a snack for the adventurers.
- Adventurers stay at each home for a set amount of time, drinking, eating, and socializing.
- After the allotted time, the adventurers leave the home and the host is absorbed into the group, joining in on the adventure.
Invite Guests
Setting up a Neighborhood crawl will involve at least two emails. The first to know who's showing up so you can plan the crawl. The second will have the details, once the crawl has been planned. Here are the details:
The First Email
A simple invite for the crawl and an explanation of what it is.
Services like paperless post are great for collecting RSVPs. Once you know who's participating, find out which people would like to host and which would simply like to join the adventure. Include the details of hosting so that people know what they're getting into.
Plan the Adventure.
More on planning below, but this happens between the first and second email.
Second Email
Once the crawl has been planned and mapped, send a second email with the finalized details:
- Date
- Start Address
- End Address
- Number of stops
- Minutes at each home
Plan the Adventure
Map out the Crawl
Everyone meets at apartment #1 and they hang out for about 45 minutes. Then they leave and walk over to apartment #2, where a host greets the group with drinks and snacks, after about 30 minutes, everyone takes off for the next place.
- Find out which guests want to be hosts.
- Make a list, including addresses.
- Decide where the crawl starts
- Decide where the crawl ends.
- Choose a start and end time.
- Divide the total time up between each home on the trail.
- Make a map. (You can use google maps for this.)
- Let each host know approximately what time the group will arrive at their place.
Designate A Group Leader
Someone will be designated the group leader. Probably you, if you're planning it. They'll carry a party backpack, including travel cups, napkins, and anything small that gets left behind at each venue. They'll also keep track of time and make sure all the drunk ducklings stay with you as you move from house to house.
The group leader might also want to share their location with potential guests who can't be there from the start, so that they can join the adventure later on.
Understand Hosting Duties
- The host should be trying to create an interesting experience. The goal being a series of different homes with a variety of themes. In other words, one home is wine and hors d'oeuvres. Another house might be beers and chicken wings.
- Don't forget to play around with the atmosphere and music.
- Strategize with the other hosts to see who’s serving what, so you don’t have any repeats.
- Prepare a round of cocktails for the group right before they arrive. This will give them more time to socialize and keep the drink area from getting crowded.
- Remember, if you’re last on the map you’re going to have a bunch drunk people over - hide all the breakables.
- Have something for non-drinkers. I suggest having coffee and Tim-Tam Slams.
Have fun!
I write, I teach, I tell stories. Read my intro post.