I don’t know about you, but I like information and details and knowing what to expect, especially when it comes to attending live events.
I know that one of the worst things as an attendee is getting to an event and not have something you need!
Between the organizers, attendees, sponsors, and speakers, we’ve got almost 500 people to care for, and while we are doing our best to serve your needs, we also know that we do have some limitations and ask you to be understanding.
Please be sure to read this entire post.
It will give you a one-stop spot to learn everything you need to know about attending WordCamp Sacramento. This way, you can arrive confident that you’re prepared to have a fantastic day.
Dates & Times
WordCamp Sacramento is happening Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22.
- Saturday registration will open at 8:00 am and Opening Remarks will be at 8:40 am.
- Saturday sessions run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with a Networking reception immediately following from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
- Sunday opening remarks are at 10:45 am.
- Sunday sessions run from 11:00 am to 4:15 pm.
Event Venue Details
- Venue Address: The Falls Event Center, 240 Conference Center Dr. Roseville, CA 95678
- Room Setup: The ballrooms will be set up mostly classroom-style and some theater-style — not everyone will get to sit at a table in every room.
- Power: There are MINIMAL plugs and power outlets available. If you want to bring a power strip, more power to you! I’m sure others will appreciate it. If you do need to recharge a device, there are plugs in the Happiness Bar/WordPress Help Desk room. We ask that you avoid using the outlets in the lobby as it’s a high-traffic, crowded area.
Parking
Leave early and be sure to leave enough time to find parking!
There is A LOT of free parking, but it is still a good idea to get there early. Every year people miss the first session because they had to park far away—don’t let that be you!
Event Registration
Registration opens at 8:00 am. Please arrive early, grab some coffee, chat it up with our sponsors and fellow WordPressers, and snag a seat.
- Registration will take place outside of the venue.
- Registration will be done by last name in alphabetical sections.
- At registration, you’ll get your name badge, lanyard, lunch coupon, and event program.
- We have A LOT of people to get registered in a VERY SHORT amount of time, and while we have many volunteers ready to make the experience as easy as possible, we do ask for patience and we ask you to arrive early!
If You Arrive Late: After registration is closed, any late comers will need to check in at the Happiness Bar/Help Desk to pick up a name badge. The Happiness Bar is in the
Event Swag
Sorry! No t-shirts this year. We do have awesome mugs though! One per attendee.
Event Volunteers
The WordCamp Sacramento Organizing Team and the event volunteers will be wearing black t-shirts with the event logo on it. At any time during the event, if you need something, have questions, have an issue or problem, or want some help, find someone in a WordCamp Star Wars shirt and they can take care of it or point you to an organizer who can.
There will also be a table at the back of each room specifically for organizers and volunteers. Someone will be at that table in each room all day, so you can check-in there for help as well. Please DO NOT sit at these tables. They are not for attendees.
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they make the best of everything.”
The entire WordCamp Event is organized, planned, run, and delivered by volunteers. A LOT of work — hundreds of hours — have gone into making this event happen within a set budget approved by, and within specific rules and guidelines provided by WordPress Community Support.
- Organizers are volunteers, donating their time to create this event.
- Speakers are volunteers, donating their time and paying for their own travel.
- Our volunteers are working hard to create a great experience for you.
Everyone involved with this event is giving their time because they love WordPress, they support this community, and they wanted to help create a great experience for you. Not a single person associated with this event is being paid in anyway, so please give grace, have patience, and be nice.
Opening Remarks
Official opening remarks will take place on Tatooine at 8:40 am on Saturday and at 10:40 am on Sunday.
The Learning Sessions
WordCamp Sacramento is delighted to offer two days of WordPress-focused learning delivered by members of the WordPress community sharing their expertise and knowledge!
The sessions are split between three rooms, named Tatooine, Dagobah, and Endor. You have the choice to stay in one room all day, or bounce between the rooms throughout the day to cherry pick the sessions you want to see most.
On Saturday and Sunday, Tatooine will house the Beginner Track. See the schedule for details.
There are VERY FEW places to plugin or charge in the rooms however, so you may want to consider bringing a power source, power strip, or longer cord. WordCamp will not be providing these items.
Most sessions will be video recorded and submitted to WordPress.tv.
Please know that WordPress.tv is managed by volunteers who are required to review and caption every video from every WordCamp around the world in full before posting it to the site. With more than one hundred WordCamps happening each year, with anywhere from 10-60+ speakers/sessions at each one, it can get backed up. Please understand that it may take a while for the videos to get posted.
Breaks
There is a 10-minute break between every full session, so you have time to switch rooms, use the restroom, or grab a drink. We also have a longer 20-minute break in the afternoon on Sunday to grab a snack.
Questions
At the end of each session, there will be a small amount of time for you to ask questions. We’ll have a stationary mic in the middle of the room, so if you have a questions, just walk on over during Q&A and line up.
If time runs out and you still have questions, most speakers will head over to the Happiness Bar following their presentation and be available to chat with you.
Event Schedule
The full WordCamp Sacramento schedule is posted online, with the sessions listed by room with times and speaker names.
Be sure to review the session descriptions and schedule before the event to figure out which ones you want to attend. Click the name of the session to read a description of what it’s about.
You’ll also receive a print event program with the schedule in it when you check in at registration and get your name badge.
Communication
We’ll be posting session reminders, event announcements, photos, lunch details, and more throughout the event via Twitter. We’ll also be tweeting the links to download the slide decks for each speaker/presentation.
- Be sure you’re following @WC_Sacramento to get all the updates.
- Follow and use the event hashtag #wcsac.
- Check out our Twitter Feed for all of the WordCamp speakers, organizers, and sponsors.
Don’t want to worry about bookmarking links or downloading the slides during the event? Don’t use Twitter but want the slide decks? No problem! A list of all of the presentations and associated slide decks will be posted to the WordCamp blog after the event.
The Happiness Bar
One-on-one help with your WordPress site is available throughout the event at no extra charge in the Happiness Bar, our WordPress help desk!
Throughout both days of the WordCamp Sacramento event, the Happiness Bar will be staffed with skilled volunteers who will be on hand to answer your WordPress questions and help you with your WordPress site. If you need help, this is your chance to speak with someone 1:1 and ask questions, get plugin recommendations, get help with your theme, learn hands-on, get help with your code, and troubleshoot any problems you’re having.
Whatever you need help with, as long as it’s related to WordPress, we’ve got you covered.
If you want help with your WordPress site, you need to bring a laptop or device and know your usernames and passwords. We will not have public computers available for use.
The Job Board
We love connecting members of our local community and we’re doing it at WordCamp too with a giant Job Board!
- If you’re hiring, grab a marker and write down the position and the contact email/website URL.
- If you’re looking to hire a contractor or get help with your site, write down your name and email, and a quick note about what you’re looking for.
- If you’re a freelancer with availability, grab a marker and write your name, website URL, and “available for hire.”
- Looking for full-time or part-time work? Grab a pen, write down your name, portfolio URL, and “looking for FT work” or “Looking for PT work.”
- Design looking for development support? Developer looking for a design partner? Write it down!
Just be nice and share the space on the job boards and don’t write really big or hog the space. If you hog the board, your entry may be erased.
If a posting looks interesting, you can respond right from WordCamp and maybe connect face to face before the event is even over. Or, if you’re a follow-up-later type, snap a photo of the Job Board and reach out after WordCamp.
The Networking Reception
The first day of WordCamp officially ends for the day at 5:00 pm when the final sessions of the day wrap up.
All attendees are invited to stay a little longer for a networking reception that starts immediately after the event and runs until 6:30 pm, leaving you time to enjoy dinner with friends, check in with the family, or get a great night’s sleep so you’re rested for the Sunday sessions.
Food And Drinks
I know some of you are big eaters and some of you have special dietary needs, so we’re giving you all the details about exactly what is being provided at WordCamp so you’ll know if you need to pack your own lunch, or bring some snacks in your backpack or bag. Likewise, if you’re a BIG water drinker, you may want to bring your own water bottle or your own travel coffee cup.
Beverages:
- On Saturday morning, there will be regular and decaf coffee, hot tea, and water available.
- On Saturday afternoon, there will be regular and decaf coffee, lemonade, and water available.
- On Sunday, there will be regular and decaf coffee, hot tea, lemonade, and water available.
- If you’re a soda drinker, there is a soda machine in the hallway outside the ballrooms.
Saturday Lunch:
On Saturday, lunch is being provided by four incredible Sacramento food trucks! That means you’ll have four different trucks to choose from, each with several options available. And, you have the ability to customize your item as well, so if you don’t eat dairy, you can ask for no cheese.
Below is a link to the event menus for each food truck, listing each menu item and what’s included/on it. Hopefully, this will help you identify the best option for your unique dietary needs.
Check out the WordCamp menus for each truck:
- Chickpeas Kitchen
- La Mex
- Mac Daddy Island Gril
- Slider Nation
Saturday Networking Reception
When you walk out of the final sessions on Saturday, we’ll have a networking reception setup and ready for you with some delicious small bites.
Sunday Afternoon Break
During the Sunday afternoon break, we’ll have an assortment of soft pretzels and freshly baked brownies on hand to help you perk up and finish the event strong!
Snacks
Of course, it wouldn’t be WordCamp Sacramento without snacks! Be sure to say hello to our sponsors and stop by their tables for little snacks and treats throughout the event.
We hope you’ll join us!
Get Social Please!
Show your love for WordPress and WordCamp and use the event hashtag #wcsac. We will have wifi available, so help us get Sacramento WordPress on the map and elevate our local WordPress community by sharing the event on social media.
- Tweet about things you’re learning, the speakers, the sessions, people you’ve met, and more (@WC_Sacramento).
- Share things you loved from the sessions or publish them to Facebook.
- Take photos with other WordPressers and share them.
- Share posts about the event on LinkedIn.
- Live blog the sessions you attend and share them on Twitter with the hashtag.
- After the event is over, write recaps of the sessions or the entire event on your blog and share them with us using the hashtag #wcsac — we’ll promote you and your posts through our social channels and post links to your website on the WordCamp site!
Code Of Conduct
Let’s keep WordCamp positive and friendly! WordCamp Sacramento believes our community should be truly open for everyone. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, preferred operating system, programming language, or text editor.
Our Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for participant behavior as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. We invite all sponsors, volunteers, speakers, attendees, and other participants to help us realize a safe and positive conference experience for everyone.
Also, please remember, none of us are professional event planners. This is a volunteer-run event and we’re all doing our best to make this a great experience for everyone.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for being part of the WordPress Community and for coming to WordCamp Sacramento 2019!
We look forward to seeing you this coming weekend!
