Alcohol at DrupalCon Social Events – Making the Choice

Recently, a community member drew our attention to an article on alcohol and inclusivity at tech events. In it, author Kara Sowles talks about the strong focus on social drinking and points out that people who choose not to drink often feel uncomfortable or experience unpleasant peer-pressure — and that got us thinking.

 

DrupalCon is all about fun, inclusivity, and self-expression, and if that means not drinking, we want to make that not only easy, but cool to boot.  At DrupalCons, people from various backgrounds come together and our social events are intended to create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone to meet old friends and make new connections. No one should feel pressured or even “gently nudged” to consume alcohol at our functions.

 

We do our best to meet the needs of our community, and while the scope of DrupalCon makes it impossible to accommodate every single request that comes through the door, we feel very strongly that offering more drink choices is a no-brainer. That’s why, at the Opening Reception on Monday night, we will have a number of non-alcoholic options that are equal in value to alcoholic drinks. Attendees can choose from a variety of delicious craft sodas, or try our tangy alcohol-free cocktail “Don’t call me Shirley.”

 

We hope that offering a broader spectrum of nonalcoholic drink choices will help all attendees enjoy the social events at DrupalCon, and will empower them to make the choices that feel right for them. After all, it’s not the drink in your hand, but the people you are with that will make the evening fun and memorable!