The Embassy of Sweden used Facebook to invite young Washingtonians to its new "Innovation & Technology" exhibition opening last Friday, at the sleek waterfront House of Sweden building in Georgetown, and got more than it bargained for.
According to the Reliable Source, the invitation—beckoning with Svedka vodka, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing at a $10 cover fee—attracted more than 2,700 Facebook members. Embassy spokesman Anders Ericson told the column, "That surprised us quite a lot."Before the event, embassy marketing coordinator Linda Tocchini-Valentini told DCist that the space’s capacity was only 400. But even with eight security guards stationed at the front, assuring that no more than 400 guests were inside at one time, partygoers stood in line for over an hour, bringing the count up to 1,165 total guests by the end of the night, according to Reliable Source.
The embassy may limit its guest lists in the future (and rethink the use of Facebook), but it does have plans to make the events a regular happening, with one every two to three months.
According to the Reliable Source, the invitation—beckoning with Svedka vodka, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing at a $10 cover fee—attracted more than 2,700 Facebook members. Embassy spokesman Anders Ericson told the column, "That surprised us quite a lot."Before the event, embassy marketing coordinator Linda Tocchini-Valentini told DCist that the space’s capacity was only 400. But even with eight security guards stationed at the front, assuring that no more than 400 guests were inside at one time, partygoers stood in line for over an hour, bringing the count up to 1,165 total guests by the end of the night, according to Reliable Source.
The embassy may limit its guest lists in the future (and rethink the use of Facebook), but it does have plans to make the events a regular happening, with one every two to three months.
