We had hundreds of amazing applications for WordCamp US this year. It’s clear that the WordPress community has lots of talented people who are passionate about sharing their experience with others.
A huge thank you again to everyone who applied. WordCamp US would not be a reality without you.
After we have announced all of our speakers, over the course of this week and next, we will launch the overall schedule so you can see the exact dates and times that each speaker is presenting, as well as full details about their talks.
Without further ado, let’s hear it for the first round of WCUS 2017 speakers:
Andrea is a freelance copywriter and digital content creator at Automattic. She trained as a broadcast journalist and worked in corporate communications before risking it all for a career in tech. Now she blogs and develops video tutorials for WordPress.com. She’s also a WordCamp Montreal organizer. Andrea loves wordplay, coffee-shop-hopping, and blogging about how to pack the ultimate carry-on. When she’s not at home in Montreal, Canada, she’s sampling the digital nomad life and documenting her travels on her blog capsulesuitcase.com.
Josh is a WordPress developer and educator. He is Founder/ Lead Developer/ Space Astronaut Grade 3 for Caldera Labs, makers of awesome WordPress tools including Caldera Forms — a drag and drop, responsive WordPress form builder.
Also, he is a WordPress core contributor, the author of two books about WordPress development and a member of The WPCrowd.
Formerly a WooCommerce extension developer, WooCommerce Ninja at WooThemes, a developer at WebDevStudios & Maintainn, e-commerce specialist at ColourPop Cosmetics, and now Managing Partner at Mindsize… Patrick has a unique set of skills and experience in e-commerce, product development, enterprise WordPress development, and scaling of WordPress & WooCommerce.
Susan is the unofficial “Department of WordPress” at Rutgers-Camden, which hosts more than 200 sites in its multisite installations as well as a number of standalone sites. She develops plugins and themes, administers the WP ecosystem and manages web content and social media for OIT-Camden. She became a full-time university web developer in 2003 and joined Rutgers in 2011. Previously she was staff writer and city editor for a daily paper and later a public information officer. Susan is a graduate of Lamar University (mass communication) and the University of Oxford (computer science). She is a co-organizer of the Philly WordPress meetup and WordCamp Philly 2017.
Agency and Community Engineer at Pantheon, Tessa has been a web developer for over 10 years. She enjoys front-end development but also loves to build sites from start to finish. She started in Joomla back when it was 1.0.x and worked her way into WordPress and Drupal about 7 years ago. She enjoys teaching others to code as well as speaking at conferences and youth events. Tessa is a northern Minnesota native, but now lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and four children – three boys and a baby girl. She loves dogs and enjoys helping local organizations rescue dogs in her free time.
Check back soon for the next round of speaker announcements! And if you haven’t yet,get a ticket to WordCamp US!
Rooms are going fast in our official hotel block for WordCamp US at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. In case there are no more rooms left on the nights you want, below are several nearby options. They are all within six blocks of the Music City Center venue.
At the time of this writing, rooms are going for around $275 by directly contacting the hotels. If you go through a service like Trivago, Kayak, Expedia etc., you may get a lower price. We do not have an official hotel block at any of the hotels listed below.
With just a couple of months to go, Nashville is revving up to welcome everyone from around the globe to WordCamp US. We are so excited to host WordCamp US, and it looks like you’re excited too.
Hopefully, you’ll have a little time to explore the amazing city of Nashville before or after WordCamp US. In order to make this free time more enjoyable, we cooked up a map that covers a variety of what you might need while in town.
In it’s current form, the map is a jumping off point that focuses on the area that is within walking distance of the venue and the hotel. We covered what we thought would be the most asked for areas:
Coffee and Tea Shops
Restaurants and Ice Cream Shops
Banks, ATMS, Pharmacies, Post Office and Shipping Centers
Bars and Karaokee
Parking Facilities
Public Transportation Routes
We will also have some upcoming posts that focus on the food and entertainment scene, not only in the immediate area of the venue, but also what’s available a quick cab ride away. We’ll also be making some additional maps to make those places easier to find.
Did you know that Nashville is an up-incoming foodie hub? Don’t just take our word for it, check out why Style Blueprint called Charlotte Ave. a Foodie Mecca, and why the New York Times and the Travel Channelsaid:
“Any higher-end Southern chef definitely has an eye toward opening a restaurant in Nashville these days because it is so dynamic and both the audience and good-quality meat and produce are there in abundance. The number of people from the high-tech sector, the country music industry and, increasingly, the Los Angeles music and film scene demand sophisticated food, but they also want it to be authentic. So you can get a great mix of smart takes on Southern standards along with dishes that push the envelope, with wine lists and cocktails to match.”
We hope you fall in love with Nashville while you are here. If there’s a topic you’d like to see an upcoming post or map cover, give us a shout and we’ll try and include that information for you.
Congratulations! You’re attending your very first WordCamp. If you’re choosing WordCamp US as your first camp, we’re flattered and excited to share nearly a year’s worth of work with you. Over the years I’ve attended several conferences and other WordCamps and learned a lot of lessons. I’ve put together 10 of the most important tips and tricks to help make your first WordCamp a great experience.
1. Wear good, comfortable shoes.
If there’s one thing that makes me miserable the fastest, it’s when my feet hurt. I’m not talking about just a small ache because I did a lot of walking, but the kind of pain where chopping off your feet sounds like a reasonable option. If you want to have a great time the whole time you’re at WCUS, I STRONGLY recommend wearing shoes that are comfortable, but give you lots of support. You don’t want to miss out on all the fun stuff we have planned because you have to take a break to rest your poor tootsies.
Pro Tip: Don’t wear brand new shoes either. I made the bad choice of doing this when I went to Las Vegas for a conference earlier this year. During the 3 days I was there, I walked over 20 miles. By the end of the conference, my feet – and the rest of me – was screaming. I could have easily prevented this by wearing shoes that were still in good condition, but broken in enough to conform to my feet.
2. Bring a laptop.
The first WordCamp I ever went to, I only took my phone and my iPad. Needless to say, I was miserable. Everyone around me was able to follow along and try some of the cool things the presenters were showing us, but I was stuck sitting there with my iPad. If you want to get the most out of your WordCamp experience, be sure to bring a laptop. You’ll be far, far happier.
Pro Tip: Bring a notepad too. Sometimes getting to an outlet to charge your laptop can be tricky. So that you don’t forget something important while your laptop charges, bring a notebook or notepad (I’m particularly fond of legal pads) and a pen or twenty and take some notes. You’ll hate yourself a lot less later for not getting to an outlet sooner.
3. Bring a water bottle/travel mug.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to WCUS to learn. What keeps me from being able to learn? Among other things, being thirsty. While I could just run and grab a refill in a cup when I need it, that takes away from my valuable learning time. Because for me, it’s not just running to grab the cup of water, there’s also the part where I have to come back in and get focused again, which isn’t one of my strengths. Bringing a refillable water bottle means that I can stay focused on what I’m doing longer and get the most out of the sessions I’m attending. Not to mention, using a water bottle instead of a disposable cup is far better for the environment. If you’re more of a coffee drinker, I recommend bringing a travel mug for the same reasons.
Pro Tip: No matter how much you trust your beloved Nalgene, there’s a chance it could leak all over your laptop and anything else in your bag. Either find a backpack with a pocket for your water bottle, or get a carabiner clip and clip it to the outside of your backpack. You’ll thank me later when you’re not crying over the corpse of your waterlogged laptop.
4. Bring chargers for all of your devices.
There’s nothing worse than being out and about with a dead phone/tablet/laptop. Bring chargers for all of the devices you intend to use at WordCamp. If you use a battery-operated mouse (or wireless remote for presenting), bringing an extra set of batteries couldn’t hurt either. Even if you don’t end up needing them, you could find yourself with a new friend when you share those extra batteries with someone in need.
Pro Tip: Be sure to keep all of your cords separate. I wrap mine using this cable shortening method. It keeps the cables in a neat loop that I can clip on to one of those carabiner clips that I mentioned earlier. It works pretty well for charging cables, earbuds, extension cords, really anything that gets tangled easy.
5. Bring a pair of headphones.
As much as I want to be able to unplug from my job and just focus on the sessions, it’s not always possible. Sometimes you have to put your nose to the grindstone and get some work done. If you’re the type that needs to listen to some music while you work, bring along a pair of earbuds so that you can focus and not disturb others around you.
Pro Tip: Besides learning about new concepts and ideas, we’re at WordCamp to connect with other members of the community. Tuning out and keeping to yourself may be tempting when new people and situations make you uneasy, but when you stop yourself from meeting new people because you’re afraid of the worst, you also keep yourself from opening up to the possibility of making a great connection that could lead to a life-long friendship.
6. Condense your stuff.
My usual “load” for a day involves a purse, laptop bag, lunch bag, and the occasional tote bag. While this is fine when I’m going to work, it’s not so great when you’re running around all day at a conference. When I attend conferences, I usually condense my backpack down to the following:
Laptop
Chargers (phone and laptop)
Batteries
Wireless Mouse (and presenter remote if I’m speaking)
Wallet – I condense my wallet down to the following
Driver’s License or other government-issued Photo ID
My Debit Card
A Credit Card (for emergencies)
Insurance Card(s) (just in case)
A card with emergency contact info – ICE Card is a pretty great resource for this.
Luggage Tag – put this on the outside of your backpack
Flash Drive/External Hard Drive
Extra Socks (optional) – I hate wet feet, so I always pack an extra pair.
Any medications you might need during the day – pack each medication separately in a clearly labelled container. I usually just keep mine in their bottles from the pharmacy and black out any personal info.
A small snack – there will be food and snacks provided throughout the day, but I always bring an extra just in case. Think nuts and granola bars vs. something soft and/or melty. Choose something durable that won’t get destroyed in your bag, but will give you a little energy boost if needed.
Pro Tip: Get a small tote or even a Ziploc bag to stick all of your conference swag in. That way all of the stickers and little bits and pieces are in one bag that you can stick in your luggage at the end of the conference.
7. Invest in a good backpack.
Getting a good backpack is a sound investment in your neck, shoulders, back, knees…really your whole body. Carrying around your stuff all day in a tote or shoulder bag is murder on whichever shoulder you choose as your victim. I strongly recommend a backpack, preferably one that has a strap that connects the shoulder straps across your chest. This extra strap helps to distribute the weight more evenly across your upper body, keeping your neck and shoulders safe and the straps in place. I usually look for the following in a good backpack:
Laptop pocket – it’s usually situated closest to your body when you put it on and it’s padded for extra protection for your most valuable device
Accessory pockets – I like a variety of pockets to put all of my little bits and pieces in
Good padded shoulder straps
The cross body strap I mentioned above
A water bottle pocket
Rain cover – this is a feature I didn’t know I wanted until I got stuck out in the rain one day with my backpack. I ended up putting my jacket over my backpack until I could get inside. I was soaking wet, but not a drop of water ended up inside my bag. Something like this backpack coverwould have saved me (and my hair) a lot of grief.
Pro Tip: Get a lock for your backpack, something that can loop through the laptop zipper and then wrap around something. While I hope something like this wouldn’t happen, it does, and it sucks. While WordCamps are generally very safe environments, people often meet up for breakfast in the morning before the conference or dinner after, and they have their backpacks with them. Extra security never hurts. I have had my laptop stolen and I still get the heebie jeebies when I think about the stuff I lost.
8. Dress in layers.
Let’s face it, room temperatures are unpredictable. For this reason, I would bring a sweater or hoodie that you can throw on and/or take off as the climate requires. As I write this post, I sit in the middle of a Meetup freezing because I left my sweater in the car. Don’t be like me, bring a sweater. Otherwise, your brain will freeze. Disclaimer: I’ve never actually heard of someone’s brain freezing from being too cold.
Pro Tip: Let’s not forget that we’re going to be in Nashville in December. The historical average for that time of year is in the mid 50’s (about 12 – 15 celsius). However, last December temps were in the 70s (anywhere from 21 – 26 celsius). Bottom line, be sure to check the weather report and pack accordingly.
By Sportstagid (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
9. Wear a medical bracelet.
Do you have a condition that requires special treatment such as a food or medication allergy, asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy? Wear a medical bracelet. Under normal circumstances you may not need one, because people familiar with you probably already know about your medical history. But you’re going to be coming to a city you’re not familiar with and hanging with people who may not know about your medical condition. In the event of an emergency, first responders will need to know these things and if you’re not able to communicate them, you could be in a whole lot of trouble. There’s loads of options out there (Walgreens carries several different kinds), pick one and make sure you wear it.
Pro Tip: If you have an allergy that causes anaphylaxis, such as a bee sting, and you carry an epinephrine auto-injector (you may know them as Epi-Pens), it couldn’t hurt to label that pocket on your backpack. That way if you can’t get to it fast enough, someone can help you get help.
Attendees talking between sessions at WordCamp US 2015 #wcus Photo by Sheri Bigelow, licensed cc-by-nc.
10. Bring a friend.
While not required, having a friend tag along with you can make for a memorable WordCamp experience. If you’re like me and you’re road tripping to WordCamp US, think of all of the awesome photos, sing-a-longs, and weird roadside attractions that you’ll see and get to enjoy together. If you’re flying, it’s always nice to have a travel buddy to keep you company while you’re waiting at the airport during the inevitable layover.
Pro Tip: Don’t use your buddy as a reason to shut out others. Go in with an open mind and you’re sure to find another new friend (or friends!) to share the experience with.
Whether you follow my advice or not, WordCamp US is sure to be a great event. Tickets are on sale now for the low cost of $40. Get your ticket today!
Post Contributors: Laura Byrne-Cristiano
Featured Photo Credit:
Top Left: Attendees at WordCamp US 2015 #wcus Photo by Sheri Bigelow, licensed cc-by-nc.
Bottom Left: BY SPORTSTAGID (OWN WORK) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (HTTP://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/BY-SA/3.0)], VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
We are excited to announce that that our volunteer applications are open starting today. Every year, our volunteers give our event a personal touch. Their community spirit is a huge part of what makes attendees eager to come back the following year.
Without question, volunteers are the backbone of WCUS. WCUS could not happen without the myriad of people who donate their time in so many different ways to ensure that the event goes off without a hitch.
There are lots of options for people who would like to volunteer. We have flexible hours and roles. There is one thing that is certain; there is something for everyone. If you would like to volunteer, fill out our application to help us find the right role for you. No previous experience is necessary, just a willingness to lend a hand.
A big thank you in advance from everyone on the organizing team. We could not do this without you!
We are pleased to announce that applications for the Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship are being accepted as of today.
Kim Parsell was an active member of the WordPress community until her untimely passing in 2015. She was given the nickname “WPMom” because of the care she took in making sure any member of the community that she encountered felt welcomed and valued.
Kim actively participated in WordPress Meetups in her native Ohio, often driving over 90 minutes each way to do so. She also attended multiple WordCamps from Ohio to San Francisco and everywhere in-between. As a contributor, she contributed to every release of WordPress from 3.7 to 4.2.
Online, Kim could often be found on Twitter encouraging community members in whatever they were doing. She’d also post comments on countless WordPress sites to give members a shout out, boost of confidence, or help if they needed it.
For the reasons above, and so many more, a scholarship for a women who has never attended WordCamp US before is named after Kim Parsell.
Applications for the 2017 Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship are now closed. Applicants will be contacted in the fall regarding their status.
WordCamp US is in the very accessible location of Nashville, Tennessee. After you get your ticket, you’re going to want to get your hotel reservation, and then figure out your transportation. Here’s some tips and tricks to make your planning as stress free as possible, and get you here ready to celebrate all that the North American WordPress community has to offer.
Airport
Nashville International Airport (Airport Code: BNA) is located about 30 minutes from the the downtown Nashville area where all of our venues are located.
Hotel
Renaissance Nashville Hotel, is our official hotel for WordCamp US. It is withing walking distance of Music City Center, the site of the WordCamp US and Contributor Day. Make sure you reserve before October 31, 2017 to take advantage of our $189 per night special rate.
Ground Transportation
The Renaissance Nashville does not provide shuttle service from the airport. No worries, you can get to the hotel a number of ways:
Rental Car
Nashville International Airport has a rental car facility a short walk from the terminal. There, you will have the choice of nine (9) rental car brands including Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, and many more.
Note: If you do intend to rent a car and stay at the Renaissance Nashville, please note that the hotel does not own any on site parking. The hotel provides valet parking services through a company called TownePark. This service is currently $38 a night (plus applicable taxes) and includes in/out privileges. If you prefer, there are a number of garages downtown that you can choose from. The library garage, which is right across the street from the hotel, is about $14 a day (plus applicable taxes) with no in/out privileges.
To book convenient and affordable parking, we recommend using SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservation app.
Spot Hero Parking Deal
Spot Hero has offered WCUS attendee the following deal. To reserve your parking spot today, visit the WordCamp US SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.
New to SpotHero? Download the SpotHero iPhone | Android app and enter code WORDCAMP for $5 off your first spot!
Taxis
There are a variety of taxi companies to serve you. There is a flat rate of $25 to get to the downtown area.
Ride Sharing
Lyft and Uber are available in the Nashville area.
reserving a parking space if you are driving (see Spot Hero offer above)
Please note according to parade organizers:
8:45 am – foot traffic across Broadway should cross at 8th or Higher
Foot traffic will not be allowed across the parade area until after the parade is over.
International Travelers
To make traveling to the US a little easier, we’ve put together an International Travelers page with instructions on how to get a letter to attach to your visa from the WordCamp US organizing team and the latest information we have on traveling to the US.
To make this as smooth as possible for everyone involved, please follow the directions as listed in the Sending a Secure Note via LastPass documentation.
Don’t Forget
You MUST purchase a ticket before we can send you a visa letter. No exceptions. If you have issues purchasing your ticket, please contact us.
We’ll need 1-2 weeks to process your letter. Allow yourself plenty of time to get your letter and submit it with your visa application.
To ensure that your request is processed in a timely fashion, we need your request no later than November 1st.
Update: Speaker submissions are now closed. Thanks to everyone who submitted a talk! We’ll get back to everyone as soon as possible.
We’re thrilled to announce that WordCamp US 2017 is officially accepting speaker applications!
The 3rd annual WordCamp US will be held December 1-3, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. We are excited to bring together WordPress enthusiasts from around the globe to participate in this fantastic event that celebrates all things WordPress. We appreciate the varied talents and perspectives that developers, content creators, designers, etc. bring to the WordPress community. We’re looking to build a program packed with amazing presentations which reflects this incredible diversity of the WordPress community, and we want you to be a part of it!
Photo credit: Seth Goldstein.
What We’re Looking For
WordCamp US showcases the best of WordPress and the WordPress Community. We’re particularly interested in hearing from those who have used WordPress in interesting, innovative, and significant ways. Whether the open source software was used to deliver something technically amazing, or whether WordPress was the foundation for creating something meaningful in the community, we want to know about it. We’re also looking for dynamic and versatile speakers to talk about how they use WordPress to grow their business, develop advanced plugins, tell their stories, and much much more. Everybody has a unique WordPress story to tell, and we want to hear yours.
There’s much we can learn from others who haven’t traditionally spoken to our community. Your voice is welcome here. If you work on other Open Source projects or web design and development in general, and think the WordPress community could benefit from your story, we want it told at WCUS.
Please use the application website below to share your ideas with us. We encourage potential speakers to upload more than one pitch, but no more than three submissions will be accepted from an applicant. If you choose to submit more than three, the first three will be the only pitches considered. If you run into problems submitting your application, please contact us.
Cool off in the indoor pool, burn off some steam in the fitness center, or relax and enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi in the hotel lobby while you work on a few lines of code.
Several trendy eateries and bars are located within the hotel proper, and there are multiple other options within walking distance of the hotel.
Photo Credit: Marriott International
We have also been able to secure a special rate for WordCamp US attendees of $189 a night for rooms that feature either a King or two Queen beds. Reservations can be made online at this specific link. Alternatively, attendees can call 1 (800) 468-3571 or (615) 255-8400 and mention WCUS to get the special rate.
Don’t wait until the last second! Reservations are being accepted now through October 31, 2017.
Nashville is hosting WordCamp US, y’all. We are excited to announce that WordCamp US 2017 will take place at the phenomenal Music City Center. Even though this venue is just 4-years-old, it has already made its mark as an amazing destination center.
Music City Center is able to boast its 2.1 million square foot presence in the heart of Nashville. It’s the perfect site for everything from intimate bridal shows to massive comic conventions. With its downtown location, visitors find themselves just steps away from Nashville’s many offerings.
In addition to hosting events, Music City Center is the host to public artwork. The center represents over 50 artists and displays with over 100 pieces of eye-catching artwork. The art pieces include a mixture of paintings, suspended pieces, new media, mosaics, and light works that can be observed throughout the building.
All you foodies out there won’t be disappointed. Whether you’re looking for something high-end to good, old-fashioned home cooking, there’s a place for you. Withing walking distance of Music City are a variety of eateries to explore including: Etch, The Southern Steak & Oyster, Bakersfield Tacos, Merchants, and more. Just a short cab ride away is the Germantown section of Nashville which is home to one of the hottest rising destination food scenes in the US.
Nashville is growing by leaps and bounds as a diverse city with many possibilities. Here are just some of the accolades Nashville has received in recent years:
Nashville named WalletHub’s #1 best city for women-led businesses
Nashville named the 2015 Destination of the Year by Travel and Leisure Magazine
Nashville named 2011 Best Music Scene by Rolling Stone Magazine
Nashville ranked within the top 10 on Cvent’s list of Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States. (August 2015)
Nashville listed in Collaborate Magazine’s list of the Top 12 Foodie Cities for Meetings.
Nashville named #3 Best Convention City in the 10 Best USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards.
Nashville named in GreenBiz.com’s list of Top 10 U.S. Cities for Green Meetings in 2014.
With all that Downtown Nashville has to offer, you can see why the Music City Center was chosen as a great venue to host WordCamp US. We can’t wait for you to come and enjoy the conference as well as the wonderful city!
Photo credit: Randy Hicks. Contributing Writer: Eleasha Drew
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We had hundreds of amazing applications for WordCamp US this year. It’s clear that the WordPress community has lots of talented people who are passionate about sharing their experience with others.
Andrea Zoellner
Josh Pollock
Patrick Garman
Susan Walker
Tessa Kriesel
1. Wear good, comfortable shoes.
2. Bring a laptop.
4. Bring chargers for all of your devices.
5. Bring a pair of headphones.
6. Condense your stuff.
7. Invest in a good backpack.
