Mixing creative events and online tools

This weekend I was at BarcampUkgovweb, a get-together of civil servants developing Government web sites and online services, with the consultants, contractors and freelances who work with them. Or would like to!
As I've blogged here, the event was a terrific example of self-organisation. Participants introduced themselves, created the agenda for the day with sticky notes and a whiteboard, then got on with learning from each other. They were supported by online discussions, shared photos and video and much more pulled together through feeds to a Pageflake.
Great ideas emerged on how these collaborations could continue afterwards.
I think there is enormous potential in this sort of mix of online and face-to-face working. It is hugely more enjoyable and useful than conventional conferences - and I know Ruralnet|UK uses this approach itself, to some extend.
However, most organisations or networks would need some support in trying this new way of doing things: mentoring in online facilitation, a lightweight framework for the day, some tech support to stitch things together. Second time around they might be confident enough to do it themselves.
Ruralnetonline - or is it Networksonline in this case? - could offer a package that would be a lot more cost-effective than conventional conferences.
How about getting together with mutual friends like Ed Mitchell to explore the potential?