Should WordCamp Afterparties Be Alcohol Free?

Inspired by an article published on Red Queen Coder on the pervasiveness of alcohol in the programming community, Gary Pendergast, WordPress core contributor asked the following question on Twitter, “Has anyone been to WordCamps that removed the alcohol focus from afterparties?”

It feels like the WordPress community has the same problem.

Has anyone been to WordCamps that removed the alcohol focus from afterparties?

— Gary (@GaryPendergast) June 6, 2016

Pendergast’s question generated a healthy discussion on whether or not alcohol has a place at WordCamp afterparties. Morten Rand-Hendriksen suggests that WordCamps should be dry events to avoid excluding people.

IMO WordCamps should be dry. Alcohol excludes young people, certain religions, and other groups.

— Morten Rand-Hendriksen is elsewhere (@mor10) June 6, 2016

The WordPress Community Handbook contains a specific page that defines afterparties. The handbook describes the pros and cons of a cash bar, subsidized bar, and an open bar. The way the page is written suggests that an after party has to take place at a bar. I enjoy after parties that are either at the venue or a somewhat quiet location. After all, the point is to network with people and that’s hard to do in a bar with loud music.

I don’t think much would be lost if afterparties were dry events. Not only would they become more inclusive, it would limit potential issues that come with alcohol such as poor decision-making. Let us know in the comments if you think WordCamp afterparties should be dry events.