I must admit that I am rather of a convention neophyte. Between my job and playing music I have had very little time to go to gaming conventions and when I did go on vacation it was usually to Las Vegas or Florida.

However, now I find I am having more free time this year and I am looking forward to going to some conventions. Just through casual reading on the geek I come across the Gathering of Friends convention quite often. I hear this convention is invitation only and at first I thought it was like a trade show where only insiders attended but I heard rumors of just regular gamers attending this convention. SO I am a little confused, can someone tell me why this is invitation only? Is it because of space limitations?

Is this a better convention than BGG Con? How do you get an invitation? I sent Alan Moon an e-mail but he has not responded. No doubt he is a busy man designing games, so can anyone fill me in on the Gathering of Friends Convention? The requirements for an invitation, etc...

Thanks!

Just show up.

*yawn*

I hear you're not allowed to attend unless either you've designed a SDJ winner involving elves, or you host a popular series of video reviews wearing a kilt.

Attendance is pretty small.

You have to be nominated by someone that has been attending the Gathering for a certain amount of time and then that nomination has to be seconded by someone else that has been going for a certain amount of time as well.

I'm guessing the invitation system is to maintain the "friend" feel of Gathering of Friends.

From what I've heard, the feel and size of the con is very similar to BGG.CON.

Interesting, I got the impression it was the King of Conventions where all the movers and shakers in the boardgame industry went. So you are saying it is more like a private cocktail party and not really a major boardgaming event?

So why the sudden reappearance Steve? Not enough nasty over at FAT? Or do you just feel like trolling?

Nasty? Are you looking at the same website as I am??? F:At has some of the finest writing in the boardgame hobby!!!

I am not trolling, I am asking a legitimate question about a game event which Chad was kind enough to answer.

I am not a fan of mr weeks, but he seems to have 'grown up' since his reappearance. Its those that have been attacking him looking like the immature trolls in my opinion.

This question doesn't exactly ring as genuine. If you've been around gamers and BGG at all, even if you've been busy with your work, you know it's an invitation-only event that is private.

Sort of like the suspended Three Day Frolick, only a lot bigger.

The question is genuine. Go back and read the entire post sir. I know it is invitation only, my question is HOW do you get an invitation and why exactly is it invitation only.

In this thread at least, I don't think anybody attacked him. There were three "joke" answers (one of which was mine, based on the fact that the only two attendees I know of are Alan Moon and Scott Nicholson), and a few "do you seriously want to know?" type posts, and that's it.

I've always thought it was because it was private and elite. What more needs to be understood?