Guidelines for guests

Given that Wednesday Night has been in existence since 1982, it is not surprising that some of the etiquette has been forgotten or ignored, so it seems useful to reiterate these guidelines.

1. The invitation is sent every week to a selected group of individuals who have a particular interest in one or another of the proposed topics.
2. Those who receive the invitation should read it – it sets a provisional agenda, even if we do not cover all the topics.
3. The best ‘Friends of Wednesday Night’ are those who send a comment on the invitation, adding to our knowledge.
4. Aside from the OWNs, no-one is invited every week; this permits rotation of what is a long and diverse list.
5. It is helpful, though not an absolute must, that people who are able to come reply.
6. Tradition has it that every guest brings a contribution to the bar (some prefer to bring special treats instead).
7. With the exception of the West Wing organizers, who need to keep up to date on what we are doing, out-of-towners usually do not receive invitations unless we know that they are scheduled to be in Montreal. Those who arrive unexpectedly usually phone first to let us know (which helps us to adjust the agenda to include some of their interests), but if that’s not possible, they are still very welcome.
8. People are expected to ask before introducing new guests – it helps with the agenda preparation and permits us to suggest another evening if a large crowd is expected, or the interests of the proposed guest do not match the agenda.
   
9. People are encouraged to arrive before 9pm in order to enjoy socializing with other guests and to avoid disrupting the conversation once everyone is seated.
10. If that is impossible, then they are expected to quietly take a drink, have a seat and not ‘meet and greet’ other guests until the end of the evening.