Inspired by his forthcoming trip around the country to visit Bitcoin meetups and spread Bitcoin awareness, Captain Sidd planned a massive "Mega Meetup" at Bitcoin 2022 in Miami, Florida.

The event was intended for people who attend local Bitcoin meetups to talk about how to grow and how to spread the Bitcoin ethos. Every Bitcoiner was invited, from meetup organizers and regular attendees to any local Bitcoin meetup from around the world.

The event was a chance to learn more about Bitcoin meetups and meet fellow Bitcoiners from across the U.S. and the world. Of the 992 people registered for the free event, there were attendees from all over the world, including India, Canada, Russia, Argentina, Austria, Venezuela, Colombia, Congo, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico. There were also attendees from at least 14 American states.

Justin Ragland, who is known as "The Connector," is one of the organizers of the Rocket City Bitcoin Meetup. He explained why he attends in-person Bitcoin events, "I just love people; I love Bitcoin and people. I'm a community guy. I love to try to empower and educate my community."

Not all meetups are the same. The Connector shared his reason for traveling to attend meetups in other cities, "It seems that when I go to different meetups, every meetup is unique and has a different perspective on Bitcoin."

Ragland isn't alone in his willingness to travel to attend Bitcoin events. Oftentimes, people will make a trip to some of the larger meetups in Bitcoin-friendly cities. Liz Parrish, who co-runs the Bitcoin Charlotte meetup group, shared, "As I've become more involved in the Bitcoin community, I've realized that there's so much more than Bitcoin that brings us together. There are shared values, similar interests, and we typically see the world the same. It's like we are all a family!"

Parrish described her reasons for planning Bitcoin events. "One of my passions is connecting people. I love bringing people together over a common interest. I also want to spread as much education as possible about Bitcoin, especially in a banking city."

Bitcoin meetups are a fantastic way to get to know other local Bitcoiners. They provide an opportunity to further learning and discussion about Bitcoin that can be hard to achieve through articles, podcasts or social media. Everyone should look to attend a local meetup. If there isn't one nearby, it's not too difficult to start one! Just sign up for Meetup.com, create a group and see where it leads.