A party is not a Party. Are you gathering to dance, or to win?
Whether you're holding a rally or a progressive social gathering, your #1 mission must be organising the people who show up. It's a lot of work to get all those people in one place, but if they don't DO anything afterward, so what? You just taught them that gathering together doesn't solve or produce anything. Or you made them believe that the purpose of gathering is to have a party, and that, magically, just gathering will solve their problems because "They" will understand and take action (whoever "They" are). So figure out your S.M.A.R.T. * goals as early as possible, long before game day. Once you know WHAT you hope those people will do, and HOW MANY of must act to be effective, you can figure out HOW you will measure whatever they do. That's the only way to know if you're successful. Realistic goals about productivity followed by stats! And your goals must include building the power and vision of participants to improve th...