Anyone can host Vegan Drinks! Here's some tips from us based on our experience running the New York City events. Don't forget to let us know if you've organized your own Vegan Drinks!
Do a little asking around and web searching to make sure there's not already a Vegan Drinks near you. If there is, maybe you can help them out rather than starting your own, or at least coordinate so that you're complementing rather than competing with each other. (Vegan Drinks we know about are listed here. Note that this list may not be the most up to date.)
Find a bar that will let you host once a month and will give you drink specials. If they are hesitant to commit, ask them to give you a two or three month trial run to show them all the business you can bring in. Let them know you'll acknowledge them in all of your online and offline promotions. We strongly suggest that you meet at a bar (or at least a restaurant with a large, separated bar area) where attendees have a better opportunity to mingle and interact than if they are in a sit-down restaurant setting. This is one vegan event where the food does not come first!
Reach out to organizations, individuals, restaurants, bookstores, infoshops, Web sites, blogs, message boards, etc., that you think will be interested in Vegan Drinks. Ask them if they will promote the event to their members, customers, readers, etc. Create an e-flyer and printed flyers and distribute them widely!
Wanna borrow our logos or text? No problem. Here's what we expect in return (We dig our Creative Commons license):
Logo Usage: You may use any of our logos, but must add your city's name to it. If you use our logos, you must also make your version available for use by other folks. And no commercial use!
Text Usage: Feel free to quote or paraphrase liberally. If you have a Web site, please be cool and add a link to us (www.vegandrinks.nyc) wherever appropriate. No commercial use!
Essential Supplies:
Name tags (we use basic shipping labels, and include our logo as well as spots for the person's name).
Sign-up sheets for your email list.
A list of what is and isn't vegan at the bar. Every now and then someone will ask what beers, wines, and liquors are vegan, so stop by the bar in advance of your happy hour and take a look at the taps and menu. (Barnivore is a great resource. Also, writing to the manufacturer will generally produce a response in a timely fashion).
Pens, pens, and more pens.
At our fourth Vegan Drinks, we started a "shout outs" portion of the night. We bring a sign up sheet and the first 10 people can have 30 seconds of time to promote their organization, self, etc.
More and more people are bringing literature to our event, so we now have a dedicated "lit table."
What else...hrmm...Be prepared to be super friendly. As the organizers, we feel like we have to make sure people are having a good time (or at least don't feel uncomfortable), so we make sure to chat up any lonely looking people who arrive on the early side. As the bar fills up, we're able to relax and have fun ourselves. You'll see that people will begin friendships quite organically.
