Hi Dave and Ted, I've been following your discussion and just want to put in a little word in support of food.
I've been to events with food and a very few without food. I find food changes the atmosphere. Part of it is our social conditioning, I guess, and part of it is simply that when you are as engaged with deep conversation as you are in Open Space, it's very hungry work. (One of the things that bugged me about our OSonOS in Vancouver was that there wasn't food available at all times - I think we should have made it clearer to the caterers that the food table needed constant replenishment throughout the day - there's some learning I need to pass along to Viv and Brian!) At any rate, maybe it's only me, but I'm interested in hearing if others think food is an essential element of an Open Space event. Best, Laurel.
