The Tar-Heel Tavern

I am toying with the idea of starting a carnival of North Carolina bloggers. Meeting more than 120 local bloggers in person last week, checking the long lists of local bloggers at http://ncblogs.com/ and other aggregators, I understand that our state is one of the world's hubs of blogging, so why not showcase to the world how good we are.

I was thinking about a weekly carnival, posted on a different blog every time. I will do the inaugural here in a couple of weeks if there is enough interest. The early carnivals started small and grew over time. Today, however, and check my previous post for evidence, new carnivals need to come in with a splash in order to get noticed. Thus, the first issue, perhaps first couple of issues, need to be really big and good. While established carnivals usually accept only one entry from each blog, published since the previous issue, the new carnivals should start out by accepting one or two BEST EVER posts from each blog, before starting to impose such limits.

Also, many local blogs are very political. I think it is OK in the future to have a Lefty and a Righty chapter in each carnival, but for the very beginning I would prefer non-political posts, perhaps something with a local flavor, about culture, arts, science, philosophy, history....whatever you like to write about. I will organize the first edition by regions: Eastern, Western, Charlotte, Triad and Triangle, but future hosts may want to organize by topic or any other organizing principle (see Carnival of Vanities or Blog Tower for example).

Post a comment here if you are interested in submitting a post or hosting in the future (or e-mail me at coturnix AT gmail DOT com). Also, if you are creative and handy with graphic tools, consider making a pretty logo...something with a local flavor...perhaps the Lighthouse and the Wright's airplane on top of NC map....

As building a community is an important aspect of NC blogging, starting a virtual meeting-place and an online magazine all in one, is one of the important steps - thus a Carnival is in order. Do you like the name Tar-Heel Tavern?


[added later] If you like this idea, please promote it on your blogs. Thanks.

I will post all the info (submission info, logo/button code, past/current/future hosts, etc.) here:
http://thetarheeltavern.blogspot.com/

Update: Wow! Entries are already starting to trickle in! Keep 'em coming! Spread the message!