Wiki » Events HowTo

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We also need guidelines/mentoring to help newcomers to events to represent the project.

Before: how to prepare for the event?

• organize Mageia's participation
  • put out a call on Mageia lists and forums to find out who will attend
    • update Mageia_wiki:Current_events with a dedicated page on the wiki if needed
  • publicise the call for projects / call for papers of the event across Mageia lists and forums
    • if a project or paper is proposed, gain council support before going ahead
  • decide on Mageia's focus for this event
  • find out what budget there could be for travel and accommodation
  • book stand space if there is to be a Mageia stand
    • organise a roster of who will be at the stand, so it is never empty
    • make sure the Events box is ready to go
    • organise any special stand events (presentations, prizes etc) and arrange publicity if needed
• organize the team, who's coming, accomodation, travel, diner
  • make accommodation and travel bookings if needed
  • arrange the team dinner to be held during the event - book the restaurant, make sure everyone knows where it is

In Germany we use a template like this: froscon organization See the following translation of the template: template

How to setup and manage the booth?

During an event, our goals are severals:

• to attract the attention of passers-by,
• to showcase Mageia and what can be done with it,
• to showcase/explain/educate about the community and the project,
• to hand out CDs for people to try!
• to share opinions, ideas,
• to have fun,
• to report/build on the event, afterwards.

Setting up

We are building an Events Box for use at conferences and other events where Mageia will have a stand. The box will include the banner and posters, tablecloths, CDs, stickers, t-shirts.

The table or tables are used in two ways; first to showcase Mageia, and second to act as storage space. People working on the stand want a safe place for their bags; the Events Box needs to be under there.

When setting up, first put the tablecloth(s) on the table(s), and then make sure that it's easy to lift the cloth from the back of the table to get access to the space underneath.

Once the tablecloth is on, decide where the banner and posters are to go, keeping in mind that you want people to find the stand - look for lines of sight from the entrances, and look at which ways the foot traffic will come. Place the banner and posters for maximum coverage, remembering that if the event is crowded, people will not be able to see the Mageia logo on the tablecloth.

When the banner and posters are up, decide where on the table you will have t-shirts, where CDs, where stickers. If there is a stand for CDs and brochures, load it and put the refill CDs where you can reach them easily. Put t-shirt refills somewhere clean (consider keeping them inside the Event Box).

Put the cashbox in a safe place. Make one person responsible for it at each roster change, and make sure they hand it over to the next responsible person. Otherwise, one responsible person will never be able to leave the stand!

Remember to leave enough space for laptops/monitors to showcase Mageia.

Encourage Mageia people staffing the booth to stand on the people side of the table, rather than sitting behind the table playing on laptops; when people stop to say hi or ask questions, there should be someone ready to talk to them right away.