I have an author friend who lives in Arvada, CO, and we try to go to the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's conference in Aurora every year. I just got back from an amazing weekend spent with my people, and I'm still riding that high - lol.
I attended dozens of insightful sessions hosted by independent and traditional authors, visited with authors I only see once a year, maybe, and met several new authors from other parts of the country that I hope to maintain a friendship with.
Something exciting...