Laser-Tag LRP Information Portal Page 5.

As to exactly when Laser-Tag was first used as an LRP (Live Role-Play) mechanic

is ambiguous at best. Clubs like Starlore Adventures, the South London Warlords

and The Light Brigade all seem to have started somewhere between 1988 and

1990. What ever the true date is it wasn't really until 1989 that it came to the

general knowledge of the LRP hobby when Laser-Tag was included as part of

Summerfest. Summerfest was (before it was replaced by The Gathering) the largest gathering of

LRP'ers in the UK, taking place over the August bank holiday weekend. One of the

groups that ran Summerfest was called Event Horizon and it was them that started

to run Lazer-Tag games at Summerfest. Starlore Adventures also started to run

nationally-attended weekend-long events at this time as well. It wasn't until

Summerfest 1991 when some rather lacklustre games and organisation brought

about the suggestion that Laser-Tag really deserved it's own national event.

That suggestion snowballed until the first Dropzone was run over the late May bank

holiday in 1992 at the Overstone Scout Camp in Northampton. Just over 100

people made it to the event making it perhaps the largest Laser-Tag event ever held

at that time. The event also garnered significant press coverage in both the local

newspaper and from Anglia Television (although the piece was broadcast at 04:00

one morning). Dropzone has been run every year since at sites up and down the

UK, including places like Kings Lynn, Thatcham (near Newbury) and Thoresby Park

in Nottinghamshire. The format of the weekend has changed as well with the first

having a predominantly Star Wars theme. The organising committee has changed

each year as well with people from all of the major Laser-Tag clubs stepping

forward to be meet the challenge.

Dropzone is an event that has grown and expanded the hobby in ways that were

never initially envisaged. Despite criticisms that the hobby was dying, Dropzone

has stood firm and has been a rallying point for the rest of the hobby signalling that

there is still life left out there yet.

www.firefight.org.uk