I discovered row x row late last July. I really like it and watched for the start this year.
Last year I was able to pick up some rows and did a couple of trades for plates. What I like is you have plenty of time to collect up the patterns. Some shops were stops on the way to some other destination, some were local, and one was a trip to a town with 2 stores-day trip. Only one pattern per person in person but one can purchase the plates without restrictions. So you can trade plates with others which I think is a nice option. Kits can be purchased if you want the specific or specialty fabrics, but if you want to use what you have you can. And if there is a pattern you can't get to or find a friend to pickup you can order it after the experience and turn in time is over. Right now I don't plan to try for a prize as I have other things I need and want to finish first, maybe I will be trying next year.
I like the flexibility, and it gives me a chance to find quilt shops in areas I'm traveling through as I can check a list to get their information rather easily.
I look around the shops I stop at and sometimes find things I want to purchase, and sometimes there isn't anything especially appealing except fabric but I need to use up some of my stash so I have room for more. So unless it is something I really need for my current or very next project I would usually skip the fabric. No shop owner has ever made me feel like I had to purchase something either. I feel very welcome to the free pattern and they might say something like let me know if I can help you with anything, I feel free to look around and if there isn't anything I want to buy I feel free to leave.
I haven't done shop hops. When I have seen some of their events it is an expensive proposition. You have to buy a passport. You have to do a lot of traveling (at least for the ones I have seen in my area),lots of miles and therefore the cost of gas, and it is very short time a couple of days or a week. And if I remember correctly one had to either visit all shops or a certain number to be eligible for some type of prize or drawing so it seemed to me that it was pretty much a come and spend some money adventure. Which is great if one has plenty of time and money. It wasn't my thing. I would rather visit vendors at a quilt show and if in their area another time stop in their shop.