Minnesota Furs has long hosted the Oval Meet at the Roseville Skate Center (Aka Roseville Oval) venue as a welcoming indoor space, originally designed to provide a warm, accessible gathering place during the winter months. Over time, the frequency of these meets has increased beyond their original purpose. Another reason for this proposal is the feedback in the surveys mentioned event fatigue and the event becoming stale with their frequency.
We’re currently work-shopping an internal proposal which suggests refocusing the Oval Meets to their foundational intent—hosting them only during the colder months—while introducing a different venue as a casual outdoor alternative (or outdoor/indoor hybrid) during the warmer months.
Unlike the Minnesota Furs Spring and Fall picnics, these outdoor gatherings will be casual, social-focused events without organization-provided food, themed badges, or heavy advertising. However, like the Oval Meets, attendees will still be encouraged to bring food to share.
Proposed Schedule
If we moved forward with the Ovals as a winter event…
| Oval Meets | Warmer Summer Events |
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During months that have the formal Spring or Fall picnic, there would be no outdoor event that month. |
Core Differences: “Warmer Summer Events” vs. Picnics
- Picnics: Large, highly advertised, semi-structured org provided food, themed badges, and broader activities. More of a focus on being a fundrasing event. Larger attendance.
- “Summer” Outdoor Events: Smaller, lightly promoted, casual outdoor gatherings focused on simple community engagement and shared meals without organization-provided food. Smaller attendance. Potentially not entirely outdoors.
Benefits
- Better Alignment with Oval Meet’s Original Purpose: Ensures that the indoor event remains a winter-focused gathering.
- Encourages Seasonal Community Engagement: Warmer months provide an opportunity for a different style of gathering with the outdoor meetups.
- Efficient Use of Resources: Reduces operational strain while still maintaining consistent opportunities for community interaction.
- Stronger Attendance & Engagement: Less event fatigue and better participation by having seasonally appropriate gatherings.
Community Survey
We want to hear your input though! Please help us understand the community desires for the reoccurring event with this short survey. This survey will remain open for roughly two weeks from the date of this post.
