The best gathering ever was on a houseboat! I miss the old days when having fun was priority #1! While I respect the OP's intention...it's always a good thing to be as discreet as possible. Like Gneissguy mentioned...anything could happen at anytime...so, hiding under a rock isn't much fun either!
I remember traveling to PIT one month...a small group organized a M&G. Word got out of the gathering place...the local News got wind of it somehow and started sending email to various providers asking if we were going to attend. Needless to say...it got canceled.
You never know who's lurking, so to be on the side of caution can never be hurt. I would suggest doing the poll by pm...you could ask for suggestions from everyone on a favorite venue. Make your selection from the response...then all you have left is to screen for who's a verified provider...and a vouched hobbyist. Good-luck to you hope you all have a fun event!