COG Event Hosting

From July 2006 (thanks to Nawty) up until early 2020… there had been a COG Event somewhere each month.

This page should help those who aren’t sure how to organize or create an Event (or CITO) make their first leap.

Planning

  • Ensure you have read the Geocaching Guidelines and checked the Geocaching Knowledgebase to be sure you know what an Event/CITO is all about!

  • Check to see if there are other events going on nearby (that way, you don't miss out attending the OTHER event as you'll be hosting yours!).

  • Arrange your event day/time with your venue -- that could be in Barrie, Orillia, Newmarket, Midland, Collingwood, Bermuda, Cuba, Peru, Florida or anywhere in-between!

  • If your event venue is a restaurant (for example) - when you contact your event venue, make sure they know that everyone will want separate bills and they won't all be arriving at once.

  • Keep your venue informed; always call them a week before to make sure they didn't forget!

  • If you want to host a COG event in Midland on the same day that there is an event in Sutton... why not? Just make sure you aren’t “stacking” events; leaving a 4-5 hours between nearby events is a good way to ensure Reviewers don’t poke you with sticks for “event stacking”.

  • Check the latest guidance from the Reviewers in the Ontario Regional Geocaching Policies Wiki

  • With a CITO - make sure you have arranged with the town/municipality/property owner so that any collected items can be disposed of properly. You can ask folks to bring their own gloves and garbage bags… or you can provide them. Take a look at other CITO events (past and present) in Ontario to get an idea of CITO page text.

The Event Cache Page

  • You do NOT need a log book for events - so there’s no need to mention them in the listing at all.

  • Include the word "COG" in the (super cool and catchy) title of the Event when and submit it for Review.

  • It's encouraged to have an event with a social element; meeting/chatting with other geocachers is a GREAT way to keep established everyone entertained.. and informed!

Example Event Page HTML

  • The generic HTML text below can be copy/pasted into a new cache page (in the </> Source view)

  • The resultant page will display a centred COG Logo

  • Modify the text as you need to suite your requirements!


<h1 style="text-align:center"><strong>A COG Community Event</strong></h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/06ea78ea-12d8-4abb-a726-c19d1fb92de0.gif" /></p>

<h2 style="text-align:center"><strong>A Meet and Greet for all geocachers</strong></h2>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Where : Venue Name, Address</p>

<p>When : Date, Time</p>

<p>The venue has seating for <strong>##</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You only need to drop by and say &quot;Hello!&quot; during the Event to log your <strong>Attend</strong>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Words, words, words, words, words, words, words, words, what to expect, what to experience, words, words, words and even more words, words, words if you want words, words, words.</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Please indicate the number of attendees in your party in your <strong>Will Attend</strong> log.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>