Three. Three is an important number to NorCal MINIs since our club was established in the 3rd year of the 2000s. In honor of the three, we will be holding social meetups on the 3rd Thursdays starting at 6:30 PM in various locations around the Bay Area.
Our monthly rally runs will continue to be available only to registered club members, so if you want to drive with us, please check out our membership forms. Our club is not just a MINI enthusiast organization, but also a 501(c7) registered organization to raise money for a variety of charities.
We know it is impossible for some of our members who live farther out to make it in for a weeknight event, but we are hoping to set these events up to be convenient for at least a third of our members to attend each month. The third of the group attendance target on the third Thursday of the month gives us the name for these events: "3rd 3rd Thursdays."
Registration and attendance details will be posted on the NorCal MINIs Facebook group pages as Facebook events, and emails will be sent to registered club members. We hope to see as many of you as possible at these fun new gatherings throughout 2024!
If you have suggestions for places with lots of free parking, nearby restrooms and places to buy dinner, send us an email at info@norcalminis.com!
Next 3rd 3rd Thursday Event:
The next event will be on May 16th at:
Park Place Restaurant
50 3rd St, Lakeport, CA
It is also adjacent to Library Park on the waterfront in the aptly-named town of Lakeport.
Recent 3rd 3rd Thursdays Events:
April 18, 2024
Panera Bread
We met at Panera in the Crow Canyon Commons, San Ramon. It was still under construction but that didn't affect our members!
March 21, 2024
Amici's Pizza - Redwood City
Our hosts, Gordon & Alison Lee, met up at Amici's East Coast Pizzeria in Redwood City. Members brought their MINIs, appetites, and wallets to grab some pizza with MINI friends!
February 15, 2024
In-N-Out - McCarthy Ranch
Our host, Eddie Vergara, returned the club to the scene of our very first such event in Milpitas at the McCarthy Ranch In-N-Out Burger. Had a great turnout for our 3rd Thursday meet up, including rare appearances of our esteemed ex-president Simon Tildesley in "Paddy", and even a GP3!
January 18, 2024
Fieldwork Brewing - San Ramon
Club Treasurer Larry Anderson hosted our first 3rd 3rd Thursday of 2024!
November 16, 2023
The Habit Burger - Pleasanton
We met up at a California original, The Habit Burger Grill, founded in 1969. The original location is in Santa Barbara, but most of us can't make it there after work. LOL Instead, we met in Pleasanton at The Habit Burger Grill on Bernal Avenue.
October 19, 2023
Mare Island Brewing Company - Coal Shed Brewery Taproom - Mare Island
Mare Island started as a shipyard for the US Navy back in 1854. The coal sheds that have been repurposed as a brewery began life as storage for the coal that fueled steamships before they converted to diesel and nuclear power. This was a very cool location with great brews and food to meet up with NorCal MINIs club members and anyone else who loves MINIs.
The very first 3rd 3rd Thursday event
We had 10 MINIs, their families, and 2 ex-racing greyhounds gather for burgers, shakes, and lots of fun conversation in the parking lot of the Milpitas In-N-Out. Most were registered club members, but we did have a couple of enthusiastic MINI friends meet up with us. One has already decided to register as a club member since that event.
