The Largest Gathering of FlyerTalk Members EVER
 

The topic of this thread purposely has a double meaning:

• What and when was the largest gathering of the most FlyerTalk members at one time to date?
• Shall we attempt to break that record, starting with this thread?

Choose a date, time and location sometime in the distant future and let’s see if there is a gathering of FlyerTalk members large enough to require renting out an entire hotel, chartering an aircraft (while still earning miles, of course!) and/or completely filling up a restaurant.

Probably London in November 2003
 

I don't have the exact numbers, but the London Do in November 2003 would be a top contender.

We did manage to fill up an entire pub -- the Windmill.

We also took up an entire floor of a Dim Sum restaurant.

And are YOU volunteering to organize the NEXT huge gathering of FTers? Be warned, it seems like it could be an overwhelming task -- like herding cats, as some FTers have said.

Ah yes, I remember it well :)

Or how about the Chicago DO back in May/June 2002?

The largest ever for me was the last Catman Do. I don't know the exact numbers, but I do believe it was in excess of 100. Catman would know.

The other biggest one I attended was Chicago. AnnaS, should know the total count on that one.

The first big one, The Original PIP, had 66.

I wasn't there so it wouldn't count anyway.

I talked to AnnaS and comicwoman re the Chicago Do, and Catman re the various Catman Dos at the time I was organizing the November 2003 London Do. The honors went to London - largest FT gathering ever - and on international soil, to boot.

I'm happy to sit back and let another team do the work to break the record. Because believe me - even with our lovely, sweet natured, amenable, responsive FTers ;) , it is surprising how much work it is. Besides which, my co-organizer of two London Dos, the marvelous GK, is now in Hong Kong.

How many attended in London?

You did an ab-fab ;) job of putting the whole thing together! I'll be thanking you for a long time for your hard work on that one SanDiego1K!

Catman Do - Catman told me he had in the low 80s. Mind you, if memory serves me right, he was limited by the number of people the restaurant could handle.

Chicago 2002 - AnnaS deferred to Comicwoman. She said they had in the high 80s.

London 2003 - 110

We:

• rented out the Windmill pub and filled it
• Took over half of Masala Zone
• Filled an entire floor for dim sum and nearly had people sitting on the steps

1 more highlight for London - in the tradition began by MissyD at SEA DO, we collected in excess of 100 lbs (guestimate) or airline and hotel ammenities to go to an abused women's shelter. mashav and Matthew Vandamm had the arduous task of consolidating all of it and taking it there.

So far, London, NYC, Chicago, and Seattle have hosted some very large (or the largest) FT Dos.

So, should we stick with these tried-and-true locations, or go to a different one for the next mega-Do?

I'm sitting back, waiting to see who is foolish to volunteer to organize an event meant to draw the masses!

In the mean time, I am thoroughly enjoying the boutique events such as DEK's MAINE DO and Lobster Fest. He'll be doing a repeat in October and it is sure to be another fabulous weekend.

We have plenty of space here in the Emerald City for you all to join us at SeaDoo VI!. :)

Either that or we all scare the natives in Spain with alanw's Sitges-Doo over the Halloween weekend.

SEADoo and AW's BCN will be legendary DO's as well....look at the confirmees already... :cool:

Let's also not forget the ubiquitous LaborDoo in MSY over (of course) Labor Day. Not that I'm pimping just any do, of course. Is there such thing as a "do-whore?" :D