The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Free Huggers

In preparation for the 2nd Annual SFShenanigans Free Hugs Event, we have assembled a list of learnings that we made during our previous Free Hugs events.

Enticing Hug Subject
1. Eye Contact

More than any other technique, establishing good eye contact with your passersby nets you a substantial number of hugs. When a potential hug-ee is open to the idea of hugging a stranger, they will try to gain a first impression of you by looking at your face. If you meet their gaze with a kind eye, many people will decide right there that you are safe to hug.

2. Leave one hand free
If you are holding some sort of Free Hugs sign, it is best to make it a single-hand sign. Use your unoccupied hand and body language to signal that your subject's hug is primed and ready to go. Holding a sign with two hands creates a false barrier that many people won't be inclined to breach.

3. Get down to kids' level
Sometimes families will show up and experiment with their child's openness to receiving hugs from strangers. Kids will usually react more favorably if you take the time to get down to their level. Drop down to one knee and outstretch your arms. At that point, many kids will run right into your arms.


Hug Etiquette
4. Hugging Style
Once a person accepts your invitation to hug you are now in their personal space. It is very important that you take cues as to your subjects hugging style. Some people like soft hugs, and others love bear hugs. Some people will only give strangers "a-frame" hugs. Some of them may be injured. Take the cues and match their hugging style, and they will have a great experience.


5. Heart to Heart
There is a little known custom that some people embrace, and it has to do with which side you hug on. The belief is that if you hug with the other person's head to your left, then you are conveying more intention because the physical hearts are face to face. Some people prefer this type of hugging, and others will specifically *not* hug a stranger on the left like this. Like all hugging style differences, just be aware of this and adapt to your subjects preferences.


Hugging Environment
6. Mix Genders
In the general public, and all-male group of huggers is kind of a hard sell, though not impossible. All-female or mixed-gender hugging groups seem to provide the "social proof" that you are not up to any kind of lascivious behavior. (We take this as an artifact of centuries of gender relations that we may not be able to change, but which we can surely challenge.)


7. Bring Extra Supplies
If you're going to be out in public hugging people for a couple of hours, you need to make sure to provide for yourself and your fellow huggers. Remember your water, as all that hugging can dehydrate you. If you're going to be outside, remember some sunscreen so you don't burn.
Many times people just love the idea of giving away Free Hugs, and they decide to your your rag-tag group of huggers. Having extra t-shirts, markers, and poster board with you will enable them to jump right in!

SFShenanigans 2nd Annual Free Hugs Event -June 21st 2008

Hello Shenanigan Fans! Come one, come all! We're doing it again! Let's give away some Free Hugs!

Let's meet at Geary and Powell from about 2PM to 5PM on Saturday June 21st, on the North-East corner of the street right next to the giant heart at the corner of Union Square. Bring self-styled FREE HUGS hats, shirts, posters, buttons, or whatever!


View Larger Map

Last year we accidentally scheduled our Free Hugs during San Francisco's Gay Pride weekend. To reduce the conflict for any would-be Huggers, we're moving it to the previous Saturday.

(To read more of the Free Hugs history, check out this post from a Free Hugs event in Boulder, CO.)

Update (16 June 2008): To get you prepared for this weekend's Free Hugs event, we have posted "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Free Huggers".

FLASHDANCE!

Hello Shenanigan Fans!

I know, I know... Long time no see... Sorry, I've been a busy little Beastie!

Anywhoo... Agent O.Range brought this weekend's FLASHDANCE to my attention.

Here's the deets:
FLASHDANCE 13 THIS SATURDAY (4/19/2008): 24th Street BART
Our next FREE outdoor dance party will be: Saturday 4/19 from 7:00PM
to 9:00PM at 24th St BART PLAZA - 24th & Mission

For more info about FLASHDANCE in general: http://www.deeptrouble.com/flashdance/
For the specifics of this next event: http://www.deeptrouble.com/nextfd.html

Get Out And Dance!

DANCEOFF!! - SF Event Via Improv Everywhere Global

Hey there!

Though the SFShenanigans are still on sabbatical cooking up some more events, we did want to share with you an upcoming event from a related organization.

Via Improv Everywhere's "Improv Everywhere Global" social network on Ning.com, the San Francisco contingent are planning an event called "DANCEOFF!!".

Here's a link to the most up-to-date info: http://improveverywhere.ning.com/group/sanfrancisco/forum/topic/show?id=1982446%3ATopic%3A107463

It seems the rehearsal is scheduled for Saturday April 12th at 3PM at Yerba Buena Gardens. The target location is Union Square.

Get out the dance! :-)

We're ALIIIIVE!!

Hello readers!

Sorry for the un-announced sabbatical... The SFShenanigans crew decided to take some time off of the merry-making for a couple of months...

Though, we are still in this sabbatical, we are pleased to announce the re-discovery of several incriminating photos that were long ago promised... Here they are:






We'll let you know if any other Shenanigans come up!

Free Hugs Debrief - Boulder Colorado Edition

SFShenanigans and Free Hugs History: In the fall of 2006 while living in Colorado, Agent TheBeast came across this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4) of the "Free Hugs" campaign lead by Juan Mann. The simple beauty of hugging strangers, just because you can, was an infectious and intriguing idea.

Agent TheBeast wanted someone to organize an event like this in his area, but the realization came that he himself could/should be that "someone". So he sent out some emails asking friends to embark upon this social experiment with him. This rag-tag group of huggers targeted the "Fall Festival" being held on Boulder's popular Pearl Street Mall.

The event was a smashing success, with up to 15 people giving out hugs, and hundreds of people receiving hugs. There was even a gaggle of 5th grade girls who put on some impromptu-marker'ed Free Hugs t-shirts to dole out the hugs.

When Agent TheBeast joined the SFShenanigans (after having moved to San Francisco) in the Spring of 2007, he convinced the SFShenanigans that while "Free Hugs" may not be a 'shenanigan' per se, it is a very good-natured, break-social-norms-in-public type of event. The SFShenanigans agreed, and since then the SFShenanigans blog has become the new face for a San Francisco based group of huggers.

Most Recent Incarnation: Unlike the last Free Hugs event (http://sfshenanigans.blogspot.com/2007/06/free-hugs-debrief.html) that took place in San Francisco, Agent TheBeast brought the Free Hugs campaign back to Boulder's Farmer's Market while on a short weekend trip back to that city.


Via an extended network of friends, Agent TheBeast was able to round up several fantastic huggers: Agent Del, Agent Bobalicious, Agent Michelle, Agent Robin, and Agent Katherine. We also had a couple of "ringers" in our midst, as Agent UncleDave brought along three of the most well received huggers: Agent Kaylee, Agent Shanley, and Agent Evie.

Whilst standing as a loose group of huggers, the young lady in charge of the Farmer's Market came by to speak to the group. Some feared for the worst, but not to worry! "I love you guys. I really want you guys to stay here all day, just please make sure to leave a path so people can get by." How's that for an "official sanction"?


Agent Del really upped the ante as far as competitive hugging is concerned. First, he shows up with an eminently huggable orange fuzzy coat. Then, he slashes his prices, adding "10% Off" to his sign. That's a great deal at twice the price! Luckily, there was such a high demand for hugs that day that none of the other huggers went under-employed!

Yes, many hugs were had that day. (Even doggie-hugs!) At the end of the day all the huggers left tired but smiling.

Wrap-Up: One of the best things about the Free Hugs campaign is how catchy it is. Agent UncleDave reports that his three Agents are feeling empowered and still enthusiastic, asking "When can we do it again?"

The answer: Anytime, girls. Anytime.

Free Hugs - Boulder Colorado Edition - October 20

It turns out that the next (non-)Shenanigan is going to be held in Boulder, CO!

Agent TheBeast is traveling back to Boulder for a social weekend, and seeing as that's where he executed his first "Free Hugs" event, he thought it would be appropriate to revive the tradition there!

Along with some remote SFShenanigans fans, the group will be "setting up shop" from 11AM to 2PM at the Boulder Farmer's Market located at "the 1700 block of 13th Street".

If you know any Boulderites (or Denverites) who would enjoy handing out hugs, let 'em know we're comin'!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artistmelissa