We always used to have a night out and stay at a travel lodge type place after the Club G40 rolling road days, I've had some properly funny nights out in wolverhampton civic hall.
It's just always been in october, I think the reasoning was that there's nothing else going on then so it's easier to organise and not have it clash with other shows or big events. Plus it gives us something to do over winter.
I'm definitely up for a summer get together though, Pete's idea before VWNW sounds great.