Hear, hear! It's disheartening to me to see that related "fellow traveler" conventions (FanimeCon comes to mind because it's local, but there are others) don't think parties are important (sometimes they actively discourage them or prohibit them), and more importantly, the attendees don't seem to think they're important. To me, room parties organized by various groups -- not just "official receptions" or catered events provided by sponsors -- are a key part of the "do it ourselves" culture of fandom.

This also reminds me of the people I encountered at conventions I attended while promoting Bay Area 2002/ConJose who were completely boggled that someone would travel, at his own expense, to some place far away (read: beyond commuting distance, or some place you'd have to fly) to promote a fannish event. They'd never do something like that. Maybe if you paid their expenses. Maybe if you paid for their time.

*sigh*