Montreal Tech Watch

HolidayCamp? Communities that play together stay together

By austinhill Nov 27th 2008 in Events

The holiday seasons are quickly approaching.   With the growing concern over the economy and how it affects startups and the technology industry I’ve recently spoken with a number of startup founders who are looking for cost effective ideas for holiday parties.

Despite the doom & gloom over the economy, our community has a number of exciting things to celebrate.   We saw a record number of startups launching in Montreal this year.   We have had a growing list of community events including Barcamp, StartupCamp, DemoCamp, StartupDrinks, Founders & Founders, Entrepreneur’s Breakfasts, MontrealNewTech, GameCamp (plus others I’m sure I’ve forgotten) take hold this year.

With the size of many of our startups still under the threshold to throw a large party, the cautionary good sense about budgets and spending levels – there has been a discussion among the startup community about hosting a shared holiday party in December that would be open to all startups, contractors and members of the technology community.

With a great DJ, drinks and lot’s of friends we think it would be a better chance to enjoy & celebrate the seasons delights as a community with a large fun party then many of us doing smaller parties.

The organizing group is right now working on finalizing a date (Dec. 11th (Thurs), 12th (Fri), 13th (Sat) or Dec. 18th (Thurs)) and the location (Somewhere on the Main, St. Laurent Blvd area).

We are going to have door tickets (which include some drinks) and individual drink tickets to cover the costs of the event with any proceeds going to one of the many worthy Montreal charities (Old Mission Brewery or Montreal Childrens Hospital).  Prices for the drink tickets & door tickets are going to be startup pricing and designed to be very affordable for anyone looking to attend.  We may also have some sponsors donating a few prizes for a door prize draw.

This would be an open event with significant others, friends and employees all invited to attend.  If you, or your startup team are interested in participating in this we are trying to guage the numbers to finalize the location.

Please comment on this blog post with an indication of the number of people from your company who might be interested in attending the event.

We will confirm the location & details on pre-purchasing tickets shortly.

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Comments

  • jfdeschenes November 27, 2008

    that could be cool

  • Alistair Croll November 27, 2008

    Count me in, plus maybe a couple of others. Great initiative!

  • Carl Mercier November 27, 2008

    Definitely a great idea! The only date that would work for me is the 18 though.

  • Erik Yeargan November 27, 2008

    Great!
    Me + 3
    Thanks Austin

  • Heri November 27, 2008

    hmm seeing Carl’s comment, this seems to be a case for tungle.

  • Cherif Habib November 27, 2008

    Great idea. Count me in.

  • Martin Aubut November 27, 2008

    Gooooooood Idea Me + 3, dec 11th is perfect,, good day

  • allan isfan November 27, 2008

    i’d be up for dec 18th. other dates possible. 2 people.

  • Ben Yoskovitz November 27, 2008

    Standout Jobs is in – although don’t know exact number of people, some may be on vacation, etc. But we could put together a decent contingent.

  • Jonathan Bond-Caron November 27, 2008

    I’m in, dec 18th would be best.

  • Chris November 27, 2008

    Great idea! Like many others the tech community has came up with over the last few years. Count me in and I will communicate this to some of our portfolio companies. Nice way to finish off the year, and what a year we had!

  • austinhill November 27, 2008

    Akoha and some of the MSU portfolio companies are in to this (well we are kind of instigating it :)

    With significant others, staff and a few friends of the company we think we would be around 25.

    If everyone can give us #’s as close as possible to what you would bring that would be great.

  • Stirling Westrup November 27, 2008

    Sounds like a great idea. I’d probably attend, and bring my wife.

  • George Favvas November 27, 2008

    SmartHippo and Reflexity are in tentatively. About 16 people. Dec 13th and 18th are the only days that would work.

  • Tom Birch November 27, 2008

    The 11th or 18th would be great ..

  • Mark MacLeod November 27, 2008

    We’ve already booked our party, but I’m sure I and a few others could come out for another. I am a Scotsman after all. Any excuse for a beverage

  • Tanya McGinnity November 27, 2008

    The MTL Girl Geeks group are certainly up for attending a tech holiday party

    I can’t give you numbers yet, but can put the word out to the gang once a date is close to being set.

    I suggest some games (Guitar Hero / Rock Band) but that’s just the gamergeek in me wanting some interactivity to my drinking/socializing!

    DM me if you want some location suggestions or help.

  • Fred November 27, 2008

    Yup, I would put in my vote for the Thursday nights.

  • Greg Isenberg November 27, 2008

    Great idea! Would prefer the 18th.

  • Austin Hill November 27, 2008

    Montreal friends interested a HolidayCamp? Shared holiday party for the technology community. Please comment & retweet http://bit.ly/SCSe

  • Sebastien Provencher November 27, 2008

    : RT @austinhill Montreal friends interested a HolidayCamp? Shared holiday party for the technology community http://bit.ly/SCSe

  • heri November 27, 2008

    rt @austinhill @sebprovencher mtl friends interested a HolidayCamp? Shared holiday party for the technology community http://bit.ly/SCSe

  • Claude Théoret November 27, 2008

    Great idea… We are having a party with the Station C folks but I could easily see some of us at Exvisu attending this as well. Being on the Main is even better.

  • MTLGirlGeeks November 27, 2008

    @austinhill @mattforsythe @MTW MTGirlGeeks will certainly attend HolidayCamp! We’ll fight the fear of “sausage fest” http://snurl.com/6vzp4

  • Paul Marshall November 27, 2008

    This is a great idea…GTA?? RT @austinhill: Shared holiday party for the technology community. Please comment & retweet http://bit.ly/SCSe

  • rossmckegney November 27, 2008

    retweet: @austinhill Montreal HolidayCamp http://bit.ly/SCSe – great idea… any Toronto entrepreneurs interested in a Toronto HolidayCamp?

  • Alistair Croll November 27, 2008

    RT @austinhill: Interested in Montreal HolidayCamp? http://bit.ly/SCSe . Needs a better name but sounds like a great idea…

  • Alexis November 27, 2008

    Count me in. Would prefer the 18th.

  • Marc Chriqui November 27, 2008

    Awesome idea! I’m in, with 1 or 2 more people, for the 18th. I’m out of town on the other dates.

  • Tamu November 27, 2008

    I can go any day but the 18th. I’m not exactly your target audience anyway. BUT I might be able to help you find some good DJs and a bartender, depending on the day.

  • Guillaume November 28, 2008

    Great idea, count me in. 18th is great.
    Thanks for the great initiative !

  • JS Cournoyer November 28, 2008

    I’m in with my wife if its on the 18th and I can find a sitter.

  • Christian Laforte November 28, 2008

    Good idea, but it’s too late for us, our party was planned a couple of weeks ago. Next time please plan in early November. ;-)

    Christian Laforte
    President, Feeling Software

  • Martin Cadorette November 28, 2008

    Count us (3) in! Any date is fine with us.

  • Alok Mohindra November 28, 2008

    I like it and I’m in – just me as my co-founders are not Montrealers (yet)

  • Robert November 28, 2008

    Yes on a thursady night would be great for me too.
    December 18 seems to be the most voted date.

    regards Robert

  • AJ November 28, 2008

    Sounds like a plan…i shall circulate and see who wants to attend.

  • austinhill November 28, 2008

    Looks like the 18th is going to be the date.

    We’ll post details on tickets, event activities and other stuff early in the week so people can plan accordingly.

    Thanks everyone.

  • fritz November 28, 2008

    Count me in for 2 please.

    Many thanks
    Fritz

  • Heidi NextGen Commerce November 28, 2008

    Yes great idea please let me know asap
    We would be a small group around six

  • David N November 28, 2008

    GRRRRrrrreeeeeaaaat Idea ! 11th is my preference.

  • Sylvain Carle November 28, 2008

    The Praized Crew is in too! That’s about +8 from a rough email estimate we did this afternoon. 18th is good for us.

    @JSCournoyer ping me for a sitter, my daughter or some of her friends could help.

  • Marc Andre Lamarche November 28, 2008

    +2 CodaPay

  • Godot November 29, 2008

    Awesome idea ! Will be there (x2)

  • hugh November 30, 2008

    Book Oven will be there, when date is fixed. will confirm numbers – probably 4ish.

  • David N December 01, 2008

    December 18th …2 or 3 people

  • Matt Harrison December 01, 2008

    A great idea. Will be there.

  • Carl Mercier December 01, 2008

    What’s the status on this?

  • John Elton December 01, 2008

    Count me in… Thanks!

  • Austin Hill December 02, 2008

    We are confirming the location & time over the next few days.

    It looks like Thursday the 18th will be the night and we’ll post details on ticket purchases shortly.

  • George Favvas December 02, 2008

    @Austin Hill:

    What about a meal before the party? Could be optional at an extra cost.

  • Montreal NEWTECH » Blog Archive » Great turn out! December 03, 2008

    [...] HolidayCamp: Sometime Dec 11-18 [...]

  • Austin Hill December 03, 2008

    @George Favvas

    We thought about that, but we pinged a few people and it was going to be too hard to co-ordinate schedules, catering & menu requests for the time we had.

    Next year we may start early and do something with this.

    About to post the details for December 18th party.

  • Montreal Tech Watch » CelebrateCamp for the Grateful & Thankful Thurs. Dec 18th December 04, 2008

    [...] Thursday December 18th at 8:00pm everyone is welcome to join us at CelebrateCamp (was HolidayCamp). This shared holiday party will allow us all to come join in the holiday festivities, drink, be [...]

  • CelebrateCamp 2008 - Shared Holiday Party for Montreal Tech Community » Billions With Zero Knowledge December 04, 2008

    [...] Thursday December 18th at 8:00pm everyone is welcome to join us at CelebrateCamp (was HolidayCamp). This shared holiday party will allow us all to come join in the holiday festivities, drink, be [...]

  • Heidi NextGen Commerce December 05, 2008

    Question,

    Is there additionnal costs to the start up besides the drink tickets? Will there be any food and if so is that additionnal cost?

    Please let me know

  • Ariadne Decker December 08, 2008

    I am 90% in for at least two people. Thanks for organizing this – great idea.

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    [...] from inspiration for a shared tech holiday party in Montreal, the Toronto technology, marketing and PR community used Twitter to build momentum for [...]

  • caz February 09, 2009

    RT @austinhill: Interested in Montreal HolidayCamp? Shared holiday party for the technology community. Please retweet http://bit.ly/SCSe

  • Twitter Trackbacks for Montreal Tech Watch � HolidayCamp? Communities that play together stay together [montrealtechwatch.com] on Topsy.com August 30, 2009

    [...] Montreal Tech Watch � HolidayCamp? Communities that play together stay together montrealtechwatch.com/2008/11/27/holidaycamp-communities-that-play-together-stay-together – view page – cached The holiday seasons are quickly approaching. With the growing concern over the economy and how it affects startups and the technology industry I’ve recently spoken with a number of startup founders who are looking for cost effective ideas for holiday parties. — From the page [...]

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