Introducing the Bar Citizen Coordinator Recognition Program

Every Bar Citizen event starts the same way: someone decides to make it happen. They pick the venue, spread the word, and make sure everyone belongs.

So before any details, the thing this post is really about: thank you. We see the work. The venue calls, the Discord and Twitter posts, the effort behind origami spaceships, custom drinks, 3d prints, and everything in between. None of this happens without you. This program is just another way for Bar Citizens International to show our appreciation.

That gratitude is why this program exists. Not as a checklist or a transaction, but as a promise that the heart you pour into this community will never go unnoticed. Public spotlights, recognition gifts, a real voice in community decisions. Not because you asked for any of it. You never do. That's kind of the point.

Every coordinator gets recognized

There's no bar to clear here. Whether you ran one event or ten, you brought people together, and that matters to us. Every year we'll thank you publicly (only if you want that), keep you in the loop, and maybe even tell your story. One night of making this community real is worth remembering.

A voice in community decisions

Bar Citizen International was never meant to be a closed-door kind of thing. The people running these events know this community better than anyone, and we'd be crazy not to listen.

So we're opening the doors. Ran two or more official events last year? You get a vote on the things that shape this community, from policy and guidelines to tooling and this very program. 22 coordinators have already hit that mark, and the list is growing.

No applications, no fine print. Each January, we’ll go through the data, match emails and discord handles on the event submitted. For those that hit the threshold, an invitation will be sent, but it’s totally optional. One person, one vote. And if life gets busy one year, nothing is held against you. Run two again and you're right back in.

For those running events all the time, there's also a place for you in the work inside BCI that keeps everything running smoothly. If you want to help shape things behind the scenes, we'd love to have you. The Board still handles finances, legal, and governance. This is about everything else.

A gift you can hold

Each year, coordinators who run two or more events receive a physical recognition gift. New design every year, no rank markings. Just something to recognize the effort.

Public spotlights

The best coordinator work happens quietly. We want to change that with a handful of coordinator spotlights published each year.

Honoring your years

Every year you run at least one event counts, forever. Milestones at 3, 5, 7, and 10 years bring personal thanks from leadership and CIG, and one-of-a-kind gifts at 5 and 10. Unfortunately the historical data from the previous website was not provided to us so this tracking starts this year. On the upside we will ensure that the 10 year item will be worth it.

What this isn't

No rank, no titles, no hierarchy. Bar Citizen works because it's flat, local, and built on people showing up for each other.

To every coordinator who ever booked a back room, hyped an event on Discord, or folded one more origami spaceship: thank you. This exists because of you.

And if you're part of this community and want to help fuel what's next, you can make a tax-deductible donation at Tiltify. Every bit goes back into the community