edit: If I missed you in this post, let me know below and I'll add you!

It's crazy how much things have changed in a year.

Around this time in 2022, I was going through a lot of things when I first went to Toronto. I didn't really know what to expect aside from meeting tons of folks I had never met before and hoping that I would enjoy myself.

Well everyone, to say I enjoyed myself would be an understatement.

Long story short, hearing that I'd get to go back and see all those lovely, fantastic people again I absolutely could not pass up the opportunity.

And so, that brings us to Toronto 2023!

Man, this year was even better than the last. More people, more fun, and I had been waiting for so long to see all my Toronto buds again.

@Luis, @Crashtroid, @Teravex, and I all stayed at the same hotel this year; right next door to where we met up last year, College Park. Later, I ended up finding out that @BrandyBuizel was staying at the same place too because he texted me the address of his hotel. The first couple days were full of meandering and exploring the streets of Downtown Toronto, interspliced with getting to see some folks like @spicycoffee, @octopus58, @demifrog, @wandaboy, @ninjamuffin99, @aza210, @arkoirisangel, @connorgrail, @funpix, @snackers, @drype, and @cadaver, among others! I don't exactly remember who all I saw the days before the meet, but it was a pleasure regardless!

I also got the chance to see my pal @manlypotato aka Pot again after him, @RickSteubens, and their other friend Quinn stopped by my place a couple weeks before the meetup :) I really missed having Rick around but he was too busy moving appliances around his house for fun.

I also got to see @pollyanoid who I MISSED and was OVERJOYED to see again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day of the meet was absolutely ridiculous! We showed up to Christie Pits park and saw that there was another group of art school students who had set up shop and were setting up some fashion stuff right next to the meetup. They were bumping some sweet music that really added to the ambiance, so I allowed it.

There were so many folks haha. I can't even begin to tell you how many there were, but there were at least 10 there. Here are some of the names I remember running into in no particular order:

@Alexmigo, @Thell1, @Coby, @vhsdreamland (who makes SICK art), @gachakoi, @JacksonTime, @Ryychii, @goberryyogurt (who I distinctly remember as being the first person I ran into), @aaron-long, @punkape, @wailer, @nothanytpm, @postboy, @bobbyburt, @elikapika and others!

I know for a fact there were tons others I talked to but my memory is bad and I was frankly overwhelmed but it was amazing getting to see so many people and even better getting to talk to them all!

After this, it was time for the theater screening where we got to see tons of NG animations! It's always nice seeing animations, but it was even better seeing them on a huge screen!

Mister Muffin doing a big talking

Hell

Here's a playlist of the animations that were screened:

After the screening it was bar takeover (a recurring staple of the Newgrounds meetup) where this time we did NOT get kicked out :) More mingling was done and I got a ton of folks to doodle in my Nespresso-Machine-Manual-Turned-Sketchbook. Lots of fun was had and lots of neat little memories made :)

he pour da syurp

Really, the last couple days were for recovery and resting. I got to hang out more with my buddies @luis, @brandybuizel, @Crashtroid, and @TeraVex, not to mention lots of the same folks I saw the days before the meetup. Getting to explore Toronto a bit more has only made me want to move there even more (though I would have to figure out the whole housing thing. Or maybe not.)

I don't want to keep gushing every time I make one of these posts, but I really do love this community so much! I've made so many amazing friendships and gotten to hang out and rub shoulders with even more amazing people. I hope that meetups like this only continue to grow and that the community keeps getting bigger and better. It's so full of incredible and amazing people and I WILL get to know EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! Some day!!!!!

Miss everyone from the meetup and really hope to see you all again at the next one!

Long Live Newgrounds!