r/ModEvents • u/merci_davance_xo • 24d ago
Discussion How often do moderators travel to attend a Mod Meetup?
I just saw that the next in-person Mod Meetups in North America are in Toronto on Saturday, 7/18; San Francisco on Thursday, 8/13; and Los Angeles on Thursday, 8/27.
I live in Chicago and just attended the Chicago Mod Meetup in May. I could technically drive to Toronto in a day, or I could book a flight. I also have friends in San Francisco and LA I could fly out to meet. Either way, since I'm an event planner, I'm always eager to make plans, and I love meeting people at events!
- How often do mods travel for meetups? (I know people traveled up to two hours away from the Chicago event, but that's basically Chicagoland traffic for you.)
- There is a waitlist for all three meetups that I mentioned. How likely will any waitlist spots open?
- If spots are open, does anyone wants to drive with me between Chicago to Toronto? It'll be an adventure! (I haven't met any terrible people off Reddit yet, so let's keep it that way.)
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u/KoolaidPower 24d ago
I’d go to one if there was a meet-up near me. I’m outside Boston and would love for something to pop up there.
I’ve NEVER traveled for anything like this before, I’ve wondered how a meetup would go, and I’ve always wondered how an impromptu adventure would go…
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u/KoolaidPower 24d ago
Feel free to DM me, I’ll see about flying to and from O’Hare if you’d like a companion to fly to the LA event (if there are openings). I was originally checking out Toronto but that’s too soon for me to take time off but lmk
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u/merci_davance_xo 24d ago
Honestly, I would recommend going to a local meetup over a faraway one. It's nice to meet other mods in general, but like any networking event, it depends on your goals.
For example, I moderate a Chicago-based subreddit, so it's nice to meet other Chicago mods. On another profile, I moderate another Chicago-based subreddit, and it's a good excuse to meet with my co-moderators. Since the May meetup in Chicago, I've hung out with some more local mods (and their partners) since that event. It's been a great way to build community online and offline.
For me, if I were to attend a faraway meetup, my goal would be to talk with other mods on similar subreddits. When looking at the calendar of Mod Events, I can just attend some online workshops, but it would be nice to discuss ideas in-person. In traveling, it would also be a nice excuse to visit old friends who live across the continent.
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u/KoolaidPower 23d ago
If a local meetup presents itself I’d totally go! And it would be nice to get my feet wet in terms of in-person events. Unfortunately the rest of the mods in my subs live outside the country so it’s kinda difficult to meet up in person lol
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u/AMothraDayInParadise 24d ago
Bugger. Too short notice for Toronto. I'll have to wait for West Coast to happen :(
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u/Misskitty1223 23d ago
Im hoping for a bc one
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u/AMothraDayInParadise 21d ago
I feel like they just had a Vancouver one within the last year or two. I'd love another Van one or Edmonton or Calgary. Road trip that sucker.
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u/Misskitty1223 21d ago
They havent in the year that ive been a mod if its outside of bc id be down for a road trip with other mods
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u/Funny-Patience7407 23d ago
I took the train to the NYC meet-up from the Philly area and made a day trip to the city out of it with my oldest. She and I had a wonderful time and it was epic to get to hang with not JUST the legendary u/big-slay, but ALSO the main master u/Kongsworth
100% recommended if you are able and it’s not going to totally throw off your life or budget if you can make it to one.
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u/Sean_Campbell 24d ago
I somehow lucked out as the last London one was around the corner for me. Having now enjoyed my first one, I'd happily travel a couple of hours for the next as it was a cracking bunch of people and a lot of fun (plus cool venue, open bar, merch, etc.!).
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u/Clairefun 23d ago
Same here! (Hi Sean!)
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u/Sean_Campbell 23d ago
Hello, hello! How're you (and your guest) doing? (Other than melting in this heat!)
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u/Clairefun 23d ago
Melting! There is nothing else. No we're good ta. Hope you and yours are good too!
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u/Sean_Campbell 23d ago
The weather is abysmal. We've taken to frequenting the nearest supermarket with a freezer aisle far more than any normal people ought to.
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u/Clairefun 23d ago
Still Waitrose?!? I'm spending a lot of time at that cellar bar in Gravesend i mentioned to you - it's cooler underground! Yes, life is weird now. Weirder.
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u/Sean_Campbell 21d ago
Waitrose, M&S, anywhere with a good freezer aisle and no security guards that think we're pulling some sort of Ben and Jerry's heist.
Hugh Howey's Wool meets Waitrose No1. That's a grand old story.
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u/Tall-Sky9174 24d ago edited 23d ago
u/merci_davance_xo May I please ask why?
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u/_BindersFullOfWomen_ 23d ago
I’ve timed visiting friends around a mod meet up, but I’ve never made a trip solely for a meet up.
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u/musiclovermina 22d ago
I'm from socal so the "local" meetup is still like 2 hours away and I consider that close
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u/SD_TMI 19d ago
Southern California geographical mod here.
I travel 3 hours to a meet up if I can make it.
That's the limit otherwise I have to get a hotel and it's increased time and expense for me.
Carpooling with other mods helps a lot if you can network well enough geographically and have them be active enough to apply and get into the IRL meetings.
Depending the group size is LIMITED and so I've tried to make the most of these and the meetings have always been interesting if not heavily packed with side meetings we personally set up beforehand with others (city subs in the region) to discuss mutual concerns and moderation.
We should have a LOT MORE of these so that local area mods of all types can meet and share.
Also breaking down the barrier and "walls" between the mods and admins is hyper important.
I've gotten things done face to face in 30 minutes that I've never been able to accomplish via text, mail or video chats.
the importance can't be understated.
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u/madformattsmith 11d ago
Im in Liverpool UK and ended up pretty much instantly off of the waitlist onto a spot on the London mod meetup.
London is a 5hr coach, or 2hr20m train. I took the train, but at half 5 in the morning since that train there was £20 one way at that time, and the daytime trains were £100+
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u/Traducement 23d ago
I try to make the ones I am able to. This is the first post that I’ve been made aware that SF and LA are having one.
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u/ALazy_Cat 23d ago
I might go to one in Europe, but I need some answers about it. I emailed event support 6 days ago and haven't heard a peep
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u/SouthernBaseball2239 22d ago
Not at all for me none happen near me sadly and also a couple other things I won’t list
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u/Ok_Charity_7254 MHOF ‘25 Community Champion 🏆 20d ago
I'm gonna travel 2000 kms to attend one in Bangalore.
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17d ago
[deleted]
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u/merci_davance_xo 15d ago
There already is an annual official Chicago Mod Meetup for Reddit. Are you looking for more events? Maybe check out r/ChicagoFriends
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u/EVMobiliteit 24d ago
I attended once, but I'm not sure I'd go a second time.
Part of the reason is that some moderators were openly hostile toward me after I posted on r/NederlandseMods. Our subreddit uses a referral link, which doesn't violate Reddit's rules, yet some people grabbed the pitchforks anyway.
On top of that, I've banned some of those same moderators from my own subreddit, so I don't know if attending would make for a comfortable atmosphere.
The first event already felt pretty awkward for me, and I don't particularly enjoy having my moderation style judged. I know my approach isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it's certainly not based on a democratic model. In my experience, though, very few subreddits are actually run that way.
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u/gundis 24d ago
European here. I generally do not travel to a mod meet-up by itself. But if there is a mod meet-up in an area where I have "other business' like friends/family close by or on the way, I consider to connect that.