While it has been said many a time, it always worth reminding people that our community is an extremely social one, built on friendships going back decades thanks to convention experiences and social media, and is always welcoming new fans.

With last year’s TFNation a warm, but distant, memory, and our 2017 event glowing bright in our futures, spring is the time many smaller meets and get-togethers are set up. They allow “veterans” of the community the chance to catch up with old friends, while those new to fandoms get the chance to meet other people in a relaxed environment, free from the sometimes intimidating crowds conventions bring. In short, the social meets are back again!

Now into their umpteenth year, these meets are open to people of all fandoms and interests, with everyone welcome. They typically have a base of operations (often a pub), with group visits to local shops/events/restaurants during the day, with those staying later hitting a restaurant bar…. Or just staying in the pub. Ask around and you will find a few of the TFNation team attended a meet before they ever saw a convention…! So if you can make either of the following two events, you won’t regret it. Independent fan gatherings are important to us at TFNation and we are very excited to support them...

The first is run by our friends at the TRANSFORMERS AND SUCH team in the fair city of Birmingham. From the Wetherspoon base of operations, there will be trips to Forbidden Planet, Games Workshop, Oasis Centre, The Entertainer, HMV and Tokyo Toys, ending up in Nostalgia Comics (UK's 2nd oldest comic store) before going onto a meal. Then a night out on a pub crawl, for those who wish to stay later / overnight. It is billed as a “pre-TFN” meet for their Facebook group, but we assure you anyone is welcome, regardless of if they are coming to TFN or not.

The Transformers & Such Birmingham Meet
Saturday, April 15 at 10:30 AM
Wetherspoons
115 Corporation Street
Birmingham
West Midlands
B4 6PH 


The second is the daddy of social meets, the Southern/London social. From its traditional base of the Shakespeare’s head pub, attendees will be free to split off in groups to visit any of the capitals numerous geeky establishments…. Or simply sit in the pub and meet many of the Youtubers and community people prominent on social media. In the evening, many folks will busy chatting to their new friends, but attendees can also join the traditional restaurant meal or head over to Walthamstow where TF legend Peter Spellos will be having drinks after day one of his improve/comedy classes.

The Southern Meet: London 2017
Apr 29th and 30th, starting at 11am on the 29th
Shakespeare’s Head, 
Holborn
Africa House, 
64-68 Kingsway, 
London
WC2B 6 


If you have any questions about these meets, please message the linked Facebook pages and the organisers will happily advise.

If you have a meet, convention or gathering you would like us to inform the community about, let us know at info@tfnation.com

If you are unable to attend any of these events, don’t fret. We will be setting up threads for first-timers to introduce themselves nearer the convention, and we are looking at several ideas to help first-time attendees get into the spirit of things. We look forward to meeting you, if not here then at the show in August.

Previous
Next