Sooo, do you just show up?

[Robbb]

Surprisingly, as least to me, I can't find the process for joining a club in the Villages. I will be in the Villages this winter and wanted to join an investment club, Beatles club etc. Do you just show up at a meeting? do you need to "pre-register"? What's the process? are some clubs restricted, or are all open to new members?

[Bill14564]

I looked up the contact information and called ahead. For the clubs I looked into, the POC said to just show up.

[retiredguy123]

Go to "districtgov.org" and search for "clubs". It will take you to an extensive list of clubs that include a leader with an email address and phone number.

You can also use the free Villages app for a schedule of upcoming activities. On the home page, click on "Calendar" and seach for activities that interest you. The information will include a point of contact for the activity.

[ThirdOfFive]

If there is a club listing I'd believe there'd be a contact number as well. Otherwise just show up. I did that with the Chess Club and no problem.

[Bogie Shooter]

Surprisingly, as least to me, I can't find the process for joining a club in the Villages. I will be in the Villages this winter and wanted to join an investment club, Beatles club etc. Do you just show up at a meeting? do you need to "pre-register"? What's the process? are some clubs restricted, or are all open to new members?

Here is the list if clubs.
https://districtgov.org/images/documents/Clubs-Listing.pdf

[JMintzer]

Typically, unless otherwise noted, you just show up to the next scheduled event...

For the Beatlmaniacs, it's an open invitation...

[MrFlorida]

Just show up, they will tell you how to join.

[GpaVader]

I run the Scale Modelers Club and we have no formal process. You show up, put your name and email address if you want to get updates and enjoy. Not all clubs are the same but the ones I've attended, you just show up. That's not how it works every time though. My wife wanted to join a quilting club and they have a cap on how many people can join.... I still say go to the club and find out. The worst they can tell you is leave.... :-)

[Tustin714]

Typically, unless otherwise noted, you just show up to the next scheduled event...

For the Beatlmaniacs, it's an open invitation...

Beatlemaniacs is a great club, and starts pretty promptly at 10:00; many/most people seem to be there around 9:45 or so. You'll enjoy it.

[Pairadocs]

Surprisingly, as least to me, I can't find the process for joining a club in the Villages. I will be in the Villages this winter and wanted to join an investment club, Beatles club etc. Do you just show up at a meeting? do you need to "pre-register"? What's the process? are some clubs restricted, or are all open to new members?

Thevillages.gov is your friend. Every activity that requires a fee states so (things like movie and ice cream night at a certain rec center, bingo around the pool, etc.). You'll find those kinds of activities require a reservation, even if they might be free. Otherwise, the clubs such as a sports car club, or team fan club such as Cardinal's club, and arts and crafts activities , painting, drawing, ceramics, pottery, exercise, yoga, and dance lesson classes of line dance, jazz, ballet, etc. are all listed in the weekly activity list (found on line) for each rec center (neighborhood and regional). Those (generally) do not require you to do anything but "drop in" to something your are interested in.
However, many find it very helpful to call the phone number listed under the activity for the "group leader" to get additional information. Many like to contact this person to determine if the group is "right" for them, but this usually relates to skill level, would not often apply to a club such as model airplane club, and other affinity interest clubs. It can be confusing to new folks, but going to the weekly schedule on line really helps you understand what is available and decide if you need additional information or not. Most important to remember is during the winter months, people go as early as they can to groups like exercise and yoga, they are PACKED wall to wall in the winter ! Hope this helps !

[bowlingal]

pairadocs....isn't the website districtgov.org? NOT thevillages.gov

[mntlblok]

pairadocs....isn't the website districtgov.org? NOT thevillages.gov

Googled the latter and it re-directed me to the former. Bet it's some sort of previous address. . .

[Gunny2403]

Some Clubs have waiting lists. The Three Rivers Club has 600 members. They have a waiting list and new members are invited from the list. They only have new member inductees in July.

[AKKlein]

Is there a place where they give you a description of what the club is about? Some are obvious from the name, others are not.

[MandoMan]

Beatlemaniacs is a great club, and starts pretty promptly at 10:00; many/most people seem to be there around 9:45 or so. You'll enjoy it.

Yes, BEATLEMANIACS is a lot of fun, and it is a good example of music groups in The Villages. As clubs go, it’s a little weird—not really a club. It’s really a weekly concert by a large band of talented musicians dedicated to being able to play every Beatles song as well as possible. Many in the band have played with it for years. It’s not really a club you join. It’s more invitation only. I was spotted when I moved here by one of the band leaders who invited me to sit in. I did, with an acoustic guitar and no mic, and had a wonderful time. I stopped going after a couple months because I wasn’t really needed, and I had ended up in nine musical groups, and I needed to cut back because I was burning out. I dropped half the groups and just stayed in some where I not only enjoyed the music but was a valued soloist. Now there are just three where I play every week and some others I visit on occasion.

Meanwhile, Beatlemaniacs has an AUDIENCE every week that is sometimes 200 people. You don’t have to JOIN to be part of the audience. You just go and listen and have a terrific time.

In all of the groups in which I’ve played, an audience is ALLOWED—you can come listen if you want to—but not all of them usually HAVE an audience. Some of the groups, if you like that sort of music, you can just show up and play if you know how. The jazz groups and orchestral ensemble are pretty much limited to long-time members trained as musicians or music teachers. Their meetings are pretty much rehearsals. You are free to sit there and listen, and occasionally someone does, but not to try to play along. Most of the musical groups I tried, by contrast, allow people to show up with an instrument and play along. If they do, and if they want, their name and e-mail will be added to the list of members. There is no other signing up to do. Some of us are devoted to being as good as possible. Others just enjoy the music and want to play along. Both are welcome in general in The Villages. All of the clubs where I play exist for anyone interested, not just for the best players. I see part of my job in each group where I play as encouraging people and helping them be what they want to be. I share pointers, sometimes fix their instruments, etc. There’s room for all of us. Meanwhile, the audience that shows up, which is occasionally over a hundred people, does NOT join and aren’t members.

Don’t trust the list of clubs to be completely accurate. In my experience, it’s not unusual for the contact info to be wrong. You can call or write and see. I know one musical group that actually meets a couple hours earlier than advertised. The group aim on the page may also have shifted.

Each musical club has nice people in it, but the group dynamic varies quite a bit. For example, there is a dulcimer club where members are expected to learn to read standard notation or tablature and all play the songs the same way. I understand there are ukulele clubs packed with beginners just shaving a great time. There are harmonica clubs with enthusiastic players. There is a big Folk Music club that may have forty guitar players going at the same time—including many in the audience—and everyone, including the audience, sings at the top of their lungs. The Hampton Singers is really mostly singers and guitar players where everyone has a mic and the repertoire is often sixties and seventies rock. There are a couple clubs where several hundred people come to sing country or bluegrass gospel songs. There are banjo groups and an autoharp group.

Some clubs are more for listening than playing. For example, the Villages Blues Society brings in talented blues bands many times a year. They play in Rec centers. You buy tickets online if you want to attend. All the money goes to pay the band. Come listen, but leave your guitar at home.

[Regorp]

Surprisingly, as least to me, I can't find the process for joining a club in the Villages. I will be in the Villages this winter and wanted to join an investment club, Beatles club etc. Do you just show up at a meeting? do you need to "pre-register"? What's the process? are some clubs restricted, or are all open to new members?

When you find a club that interests you, find out where it meets and go. We did that and were welcomed with open arms.

[hguertin]

Do you need to be 55+ to participate in activities?