WordCamp US kicks off in Nashville tomorrow and we want everyone to be ready. Here are some updates regarding our venue and ways to make your trip easier and more enjoyable.
Early Badge Pick-Up
If you are in town early, and you would like to pick up your badge on Thursday, December 6th, we will have a table set up in the lobby of the Westin Nashville Hotel at 807 Clark Pl, from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm. When you see the WordPress logo in the fountain, take a left and go behind the Guitar Wall.
Registration and Badge Pick-Up
Once you arrive at Music City Center on December 7th or 8th, come to the registration desk in the main lobby near the 5th Avenue South and Demonbreun Street entrance.
We’ll give you your attendee badge and lanyard. From there, we recommend checking out our hallway track area (see it described below) to grab a refreshment, check out our sponsors, and then head to one of our two speaker rooms for opening remarks at 9:00 am.
Your registration entitles you to one of our commemorative event t-shirts and special surprise swag item (1 per attendee) which will be available in the Hallway Track starting late morning on Friday. To ensure attendees who registered before the t-shirt size cutoff receive their prefered shirt size we ask attendees who purchased their tickets after the November 1st deadline to please wait until Saturday to pick up their swag items when the swag table re-opens that morning.
If you wish to trade in your t-shirt for a different size, please wait to do so until Saturday afternoon.
If you need to be in touch with us during the event the best place to do this is via Slack or Twitter. You can use the contact form, but we will not be checking this as regularly.
Volunteers wearing maroon shirts can help direct you to the correct person on site for any matters of urgency or emergency. Organizers will all be wearing rainbow colored lanyards. Our Code of Conduct (updated with our new policy on weapons) is in effect at all WCUS events.
NOTE: No one can attend the after party on Friday, December 7th unless they have a badge, so please plan accordingly. If you are bringing a child 9 or younger, please see the registration table for a badge before attending the after party. All badges must be picked up before 5p.m. on Friday, December 7th. Badges will be available for sale at Music City Center for last minute attendees.
Music City Center: Venue for Sessions and Contributor Day
Music City Center is a large convention center, and we are only using part of it for our amazing schedule of speakers and events.
We recommend that you enter at the corner of 5th Avenue South and Demonbreun Street.
If you need to park there are a variety of local options in the area. The closest facility is located directly across the street on the corner of 6th Avenue South and Demonbreun Street with P2 being the most convenient section.
To book convenient and affordable parking, we have an opportunity for our attendees from SpotHero. To reserve your parking spot for WordCamp US, visit Music City Center SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. New to SpotHero? Click here to download the SpotHero app and use code WCUS18 for 10% off your first park.
Getting Around the Venue
The Music City Center now has a wayfinding app to help you find your way around. You can download the app for iOS or Android.
If you would prefer to speak with a human, look for the “Ask Me” stations with uniformed MCC staff members throughout the building. They know information about the building, Nashville, our event, and more.
The Hallway Track
Aside from having our regularly scheduled speaker sessions, there is also what is commonly known as “The Hallway Track.” We even did a GoWCUS episode where we talked about it.
The Hallway track consists of:
- Happiness Lounge: Need help with something WordPress? We can assist.
- Get Involved Table: Learn how to contribute to WordPress.
- Swag Area: A place to pick up your free WordCamp US commemorative swag
- Coffee, Water, and Snacks
- Job Board: Postings for those seeking and offering employment
- Sponsor Area: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Digital Sponsors there all day
- Shared Swag Table: Info from Digital Sponsors along with others
- Swag Store: A place to check out and pick up the latest WordPress swag for purchase.
- Community Bazaar: Highlighting Communities from around the world
- Morning Shift: 8:30 am -10:00 am
- Afternoon Shift: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
The Layout
We will be on several floors of Music City Center. All are fully accessible. There will be lots of signage and volunteers to help you to get where you want to go.
Floor 1:
- Registration (where you grab your badge and sign in)
- Lost and Found
- Speaker Session Rooms: Banjo (101) and Guitar (104)
- Quiet Area (104E)
Mezzanine Floor – a.k.a. 1M
- Swag Table (where you grab your free WCUS t-shirt and special surprise swag)
- Happiness Lounge
- WordPress Get Involved Table
- Coffee and Snacks
- Community Bazaar
- Swag Store (where you can purchase WordPress swag)
- Sponsors
- Job Board
- Nursing Room (1st floor, near the elevators on 5th ave side of building)
Floor 3
- Lunch (Hall B): Hot lunch each day, and live jazz band entertainment.
- State of the Word (Hall A): Plenty of seating for all attendees to hear WordPress co-founder, Matt Mullenweg, speak on Saturday afternoon. In the State of the Word, Matt will share his thoughts on where WordPress has been, where it’s going. He will also take questions from the audience.
The After Party
Our after party will take place at Adventure Science Center located at 800 Fort Negley Blvd. Nashville from 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm on Friday, December 7. We will have beverages, light hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. We advise attendees to eat dinner first.
No one can attend the after party unless they have a badge. For anyone wishing to attend the party, badges must be purchased and picked up by 5pm on Friday, December 7 at the Music City Center. Please plan accordingly. If you are bringing a child 9 or younger to the after party, please see the registration table to pick up a child-badge.
Contributor Day is December 9th
On Contributor Day, you can help give back to the WordPress Open Source project. Newcomers are welcome. You don’t have to know how to code to participate. Swing by the “Get Involved” community table in the hallway track on Friday or Saturday to find out more about all the ways you can participate.
Traffic and Road Closures
For those driving in, there will be some road closures due to the Santa Dash 5K Jolly Jog on December 8 from 8:00 am – 11:00 am (Route goes through Symphony Pl/Cumberland Park/John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge).
David Needham and Cami Kaos contributed to this post.