Engadget reader meetup / holiday party in NYC, December 19th!

This is the one you've been waiting for, Engadget fans. We've decided to end the year on a high note with a big reader meetup and holiday bash for our faithful readers! On December 19th, we're blowing it out at the completely amazing Hiro Ballroom in Manhattan. We'll have a big selection of gear and giveaways on hand, including products (both to play with and to win) from: Nokia, Microsoft, T-Mobile, HP, SanDisk, Peek, Sling, Rhapsody, and more! And believe us, there really is more to come. Here are a few details:

• We're giving away tens of thousands of dollars in gear! Including...
  
• SanDisk 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB microSD cards for the first 200 people through the door!
• Free food, and free drink tickets for the first 500 people, totally awesome music all night
  
• Live Q&A session with Engadget editors
  
• The event is 18 TO ENTER / 21 TO DRINK, AND YOU MUST BRING AN ID. ADMISSION IS FREE. Sorry younger readers, but we'll do a follow-up all ages event soon!
• The venue capacity tops out at a tiny bit over 1000, so you if you're coming, be sure to get there and get in line early!
  

When: Friday, December 19th, 7:00PM to 12:00AM

We're still working out details as well as adding to our roster of giveaways and companies which will be in attendance, so expect updates as we move towards the event. If you're planning on coming, shout it out in the comments!

Update: Super exciting news! Music for the evening will be provided by Justin VanDerVolgen -- who you just may know from his bands !!! (chk chk chk) and Outhud!

[FatBastard @ Dec 5th 2008 5:33PM]

Free food, and free drink?

Sign me up.

[Cris @ Dec 5th 2008 5:47PM]

Can I bring my frequency-interferer gadget?

[halah @ Dec 5th 2008 6:00PM]

Any chicks going?

:P

[Jake Tobak @ Dec 5th 2008 6:09PM]

Yes.

[Josh @ Dec 5th 2008 7:03PM]

If i can convince the girlfriend to go, i'll be there for sure! Funny luck - we planned our trip up there nearly a year ago and this pops up just 2 weeks before we go :)

[JohnTitor @ Dec 5th 2008 7:51PM]

free food and free gifts are cool
but will there be free WiFi??

[a ham sandwich @ Dec 5th 2008 10:58PM]

also, not to be lame, but whats the dress code topolsky?

[Joshua Topolsky @ Dec 5th 2008 11:22PM]

@ a ham sandwich -- No dress code! But I encourage you to look awesome.

[Mitchell @ Dec 5th 2008 11:35PM]

C'mon, a 13 year old tech freak/computer programmer can't go, but a 22 year old cell phone junkie can :/

I WANT ACCESS

[1234321 @ Dec 6th 2008 12:12AM]

finish your homework first

[Game_playa @ Dec 6th 2008 2:16AM]

LOL@Mitchell, He said:
"It would be so nice to get this for my son, i'm in debt and its probably the only way he can get the game he wants."
In one of the articles. How does he have a son? Is he married? Does have no shame to post his devilish deeds on an international site?
Answers! I need Answers!

[1234321 @ Dec 6th 2008 2:27AM]

I have an answer, he's just a pedophile, he wants the access for 13 year old girls

[NoMoreJesus @ Dec 6th 2008 7:26PM]

I'll be there...

Then I'm gonna smash my gifts with a hammer and put it on youtube (except for Nokia goodies, which I'll keep)

[absinthe party @ Dec 6th 2008 10:59AM]

I'm gonna be all like "Topolsky!" and then you'll be all like "... Party!" and then it'll be awkward. Also, I heard Tom Selleck will be there.

[Mitchell @ Dec 6th 2008 1:14PM]

No, my dad was on here, he used my name, it was saved.


He was talking about me

[AwlAmericanDawg @ Dec 6th 2008 2:41PM]

Ugh, only two more years until I can go!

[neodorian @ Dec 6th 2008 4:05PM]

Yeah sucky timing. I will be in NYC the next couple of evenings but on Friday I will be home in Baltimore still :(

Oh well at least we have Wimax, right?......right?

[bob sakamano @ Dec 6th 2008 7:40PM]

i'd come but im shomer shabbat! not fair!

[El Taco @ Dec 7th 2008 11:36PM]

you have to be 21 to drink at the party? Like that's fair!

[brian @ Dec 8th 2008 1:39PM]

I'm going, only a few blocks from work

[Jerry @ Dec 12th 2008 7:42PM]

I am so in. free drinks + free techs + thousands of geeks = ONE CRAZY NIGHT!!

[MartinZ @ Dec 10th 2008 4:29PM]

Hey, I do read your news everyday, I love it, its my source
I will take my wife with
Martin

[craig @ Dec 11th 2008 5:18PM]

i AM TOTALLY DOWN TO COME +3 is there an open bar2?

[The Number 1 Cubs Fan @ Dec 5th 2008 5:34PM]

To busy to fly out to NYC. Got work here in the Chi.

[Konstantin @ Dec 5th 2008 7:31PM]

Figures, the exact day that I am flying back to Chicago from NYC Engadget decides to throw a party! Unfair.

[Chi @ Dec 6th 2008 3:33PM]

im a chi...

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Dec 7th 2008 10:43PM]

Chicagoans... ASSEMBLE!

[Patrick @ Dec 9th 2008 9:19PM]

who would fess up to being clak?
i would punch him/her in the mandibles

[The Number 1 Cubs Fan @ Dec 14th 2008 5:34PM]

Cubs Fans, Assemble!

[Daniel @ Dec 5th 2008 5:34PM]

Just try and keep me away!

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 5th 2008 7:33PM]

NICE, Catch me there, Mite go



Professional Party Starter
Fusion Fuzo

[Mike10010100 @ Dec 5th 2008 11:21PM]

There will be a special section for trolls.

People will pay a dollar to throw rotten fruit at them and beat them up. Also, free dunce caps will be provided to all trolls.

For the entertainment, we can put a Windows fanboy in a cockfighting cage with an Apple fanboy.

[page87 and counting @ Dec 6th 2008 2:45AM]

Brilliant Topolsky, brilliant!

Set up this event... Open to Endagdet readers, free admission... iEye and "C"lak attend then, BAM! We got 'em!

[Samboini @ Dec 6th 2008 9:19AM]

I'm contemplating going just so I can knock the fuck out of Fusion Fuzo.

[i.c. weiner @ Dec 6th 2008 7:07PM]

doesn't fusion fuzo live in england?

[sharpdoodle @ Dec 9th 2008 10:57PM]

So down!

[egloskerry @ Dec 5th 2008 5:35PM]

I don't live there. I'm sad I can't go.

[Mikey @ Dec 5th 2008 5:44PM]

Me too. I don't know where you live, but i hope they show us Chicago based readers some love soon!

[Abhishek @ Dec 5th 2008 5:49PM]

Same here. Stuck in chicago =[

[Brent @ Dec 5th 2008 5:52PM]

Agreed! Come to the Windy City, Engadget. We can have deep conversation and deep pizza.

[nerdtalker @ Dec 5th 2008 6:44PM]

Same here, no such love for my part of the country. Engadget seems to have a huge number of NY-folk, and here I thought Ryan Block lived in southern California...

[DudeManDude @ Dec 5th 2008 7:49PM]

wow Chicago here too, never knew I lived near so many nerds! ;)

[Obi-Habby @ Dec 5th 2008 7:59PM]

Large contingent of Chicago reader on these Weblogs Inc. blogs. We did have a wowinsider party for the wrath of the lich king release, but that was just a couple of drinks and then waiting in line outside a gamestop.

[Techie @ Dec 6th 2008 12:47AM]

Damn Chicago here too! I live next to the White Sox Stadium haha...

[jere @ Dec 6th 2008 11:22AM]

Also from Chicago!

[Atanas Boev @ Dec 6th 2008 12:08PM]

Come to Europe, you have lots of readers here. Go to some city where RyanAir flies, so we could all go.

[StalematE @ Dec 5th 2008 5:35PM]

I'm SO there!

[StalematE @ Dec 5th 2008 6:29PM]

Do we get to have little name tags so we know who everyone is? And so we can beat up trolls?

[Messymeese @ Dec 6th 2008 12:29AM]

Yeah, 'cuz then iEye will have to hide in a closet.

[Dylan @ Dec 6th 2008 6:03AM]

iEye is already in a closet. :P