Celebrate, of course!
Whether you are a developer, a user, a fan, or just a curious on-looker, a new GNOME release is something to celebrate. It is a great reason to get together with fellow members of the GNOME community and do something social.
Join a celebration
Is there already a release party in your area? If there is, please feel free to join! Our celebrations are open to all GNOME enthusiasts.
But what if there isn’t one yet planned near enough for you to attend? Obviously, what you need to do is…
Plan a GNOME release party!
A release party can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. Anything from getting a group together for celebratory drinks to a big shebang with decorations, food, and swag can and have been done. And since you’re the one getting the ball rolling, you get to decide how big you want to go!
Quick steps to having your own party
- Have a ballpark figure of how many guests — While release parties tend to be open to whoever is local and wants to attend, you can take a quick stock of who may be around. You can always send a quick note on social media or local email lists to see who is interested.
- Have swag — If you have time and inclination, having GNOME stickers or other swag to give out is always popular. One sticker template is available if you want to print your own. Other designs do exist; if anyone has a link, please add it to the comments. In the future, the Engagement team may have extra stickers on hand for such situations. Other swag possibilities include posters, buttons, stamps, postcards,… You are only limited by your imagination
- …and provisions — No party is complete without food. It can be something you provide, a potluck, or even just access to a place where guests can purchase food. If you need funds to provide provisions or to create swag, you may consider requesting funds from the Foundation.
- Select a time and location — Knowing what kind of party you are planning should help you decide on a location. Is there a local small coffee house that would let you host your event if people plan on purchasing all food and drink there? Or if it is a smaller group, maybe a local bar. For a large group, consider a local park or a room in the local community center.
- Announce your bash — Let others know about your event by announcing it to the local user groups or posting on social media. Have fellow enthusiasts help spread the word.
- Keep in touch — Make sure to keep in touch with all the attendees. They are GNOME enthusiasts too! If you get their contact information, you can make sure they are invited to the next release party!
- Take lots of pictures — Everyone loves to see what fun release parties can be. Make sure you take some of the local GNOME enthusiasts having fun and send them our way and use a permissive license so that we can share your fun!
- Pat yourself on the back — Thank you! You are helping cultivate the feeling of community that the GNOME project relies on. Cheers!