This is a damn good idea - please, I welcome any comments as some of the things we did this year came from suggestions from last year. Anyone got any (practical) ideas about things they would like to see/do at the next one?

This year did not change much from last year, except that we managed to get the feely bag game in, and the treasure hunt actually took place. I added the BarbyCam at the last minute 'cos I thought it would be fun: the main difference was the large number of people who came.

For next year, I am rather worried about how to run it. It is starting to outgrow it's venue (I hope not it's popularity!!!). What I had thought about as simple improvements were the following:

- retain more or less the same format for the weekend, but possibly stretch it out to a full 4 day event with one main tech day, and one main social day instead of one and a half as now.
- organise parallel social events for partners/family members, including bicycle hire, organised trips out, etc.
- a Web cam at the hotel with sound during the day
- more than one web cam at the Barby!
- change of location for the BBQ so that we can make as much noise as we want as long as we want
- possibly add a bonfire/campfire
- possibly add a go-karting event

These are only tentative: bear in mind that as the number of people attending go up, the number of common interests goes down, plus it gets more difficult to manage. I have found the format of the current event pleasant and fun to run, and everyone so far has said they had a good time at this event, so it must be pretty close to "right" - if it's not busted, then don't change it.

Let's hear your ideas!