UPDATED: Getting Ready for WordCamp Fayetteville

Note: We have updated the schedule due to a speaker change so be sure to go download the newest copy. Can’t wait to see you all at WordCamp Fayetteville!!

WordCamp Fayetteville is just a couple of days away—are you excited yet? We sure are! There are more than 25 sessions available to campers this year that are chock full of great information that will help you blog brighter, grow your business and write better code.

Getting ready for WordCamp is pretty simple. Here are a few suggestions that will create a better experience for you.

What to do a couple of days in advance (that means kinda now)

  • Check the schedule so you know when you need to be somewhere. Stuff starts Friday night and goes through Sunday and we don’t want you to miss something!
  • Purchase your URL. Most already have this, but if you don’t have your website address purchased already, it could make life simpler if you do that ahead of time. That way the site can be running and people can help you with specific WordPress-related issues on the site. It can take a couple of days for a URL purchase to go live so the sooner this is purchased, the better.
  • Get a Twitter account and start using it. If you don’t have one already, sign up for Twitter. It makes sharing about the conference more fun and you can learn from each other. People with Twitter accounts will have the option to share their handle on their name tags. By the way, the hashtag for this event is #wcfay. Join the conversation!
  • Get a badge! These badges are for your website or blog and can share with friends and followers that you’re speaking, attending or sponsoring the event. They are fun, but they also show that you’re a part of a great event.

The night before the conference starts (or sooner if you’re that stoked)

  • Pack a small bag with the essentials. Just a few things to consider:
  1. A laptop and charging equipment if you have it (there is free WiFi for email and basic browsing at the conference venue but you will need an email address),
  2. Note-taking implements (electronic, pens/paper, whatever),
  3. A sweater or light layered clothing (yes, we’re serious. It’s supposed to be oppressively hot outside but conference venues are notoriously cold),
  4. A water bottle and a few small snacks to sustain you throughout the day,
  5. Money for parking in downtown (parking in the parking garage is Harmon parking garage is free, other places in downtown are not) or for vending machines, and
  6. Business cards if you have them.
  • Review the schedule and sessions so you know where you want to be and when. Having an idea of which sessions you prefer to attend will help the day go smoother. All the sessions are expected to be videotaped so if you don’t get to attend one live, it will be available on WordPress TV.
  • Review and possibly print off the directions/line maps for every location. With some recent street name changes, the directions from Google Maps and some GPS programs are a little off and can be hard to follow. The line maps will give a good picture of where to go for each event throughout the weekend. Those maps can be found on Facebook or here: https://2013.fayetteville.wordcamp.org/
  • Get a good night’s rest. Not to sound like you’re about to take standardized tests or something, but WordCamp is filled with great information. The better rested you are, the more you will gain. And snoring during the sessions just makes it hard for others to hear.

Most importantly, arrive at each venue safe and ready to have your socks knocked off!

Have questions? Contact us on the website, on Facebook or using the #WCFay hashtag on Twitter.

The Friday Night Meetup

Should you attend the Friday night meetup? Take this simple quiz to decide:

  • Are you new to WordPress?
  • Are you new to WordCamp?
  • Are you new to Fayetteville?
  • Do you want to meet some people with whom to explore Dickson Street on Friday night?
  • Do you want to meet your fellow WordCampers before Saturday morning?
  • Do you want to see people you met last year?
  • Are you free on Friday night?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re welcome to come to the meetup from 6:00 to 8:00 on Friday night! It’s at the Iceberg:

What’s Happening at WordCamp Fayetteville 2013?

Look at all these happy people! Why are they grinning like this? Because they had a great time at WordCamp Fayetteville 2012.

We’re expecting to have a great time at WCFay 2013, too. The weekend will kick off with a Meetup from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Iceberg downtown. You’ll have a chance to meet up with old friends, make new friends, and hear Eric Huber of Blue Zoo Creative, who will be providing this year’s introduction to WordCamp. There’ll be food and drink and fun — ending early enough to leave plenty of time to stroll over to Dickson Street to continue conversations and enjoy Fayetteville’s night life.

Saturday we’ll be on the U of A campus, starting with coffee first thing and then we’ll have sessions in four tracks:

  • WordPress 101 for beginners
  • Users for website owners, bloggers, and others who use WordPress for business or pleasure
  • Designers for web designers who use WordPress to create websites
  • Developers for developers who develop plugins or use WordPress for their projects

The Saturday afterparty will be back at the Iceberg.

Sunday will be the Guru Gallery, where WordPress experts will be on hand to answer your questions and give you a hand implementing the things you’ve learned.

Buy your tickets today — at least before July 15th, after which you are not guaranteed a T shirt.

Have what it takes to be a WordCamp Speaker?

Would you like to be a speaker at WordCamp Fayetteville 2013? We’re bringing together the best in local designers, developers, business owners, and bloggers from across Northwest Arkansas and beyond, and we’d love to add you to that list as a speaker!

If you are passionate and knowledgeable about WordPress – from new user basics to custom function development – please consider coming to speak at WordCamp Fayetteville.

WordCamp Speaker Details
1. We’re looking for talks that are relevant to WordPress beginners, casual WordPress users (bloggers) or experienced developers. We’ll be offering four tracks (a WordPress 101, a User/Blogger Track, a Designer Track, and a Developer Track) so keep that in mind as you write your proposal.
2. We have a list of specific talks for each track that we are interested in having, but we will give consideration to others talks.
3. Talks will be allotted 45 minutes.
4. Speakers will be offered free admission to WordCamp Fayetteville 2013. We cannot, however, reimburse travel expenses.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Sign up now to speak at WordCamp Fayetteville 2013!
Deadline for Speaker Applications is May 7, 2013.

Welcome to WordCamp Fayetteville 2013!

WordCamp Fayetteville 2013 is scheduled for July 26-28, 2013, on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Is WordCamp for you?

Do you use WordPress for your personal or your company blog? Do you have a website built on the WordPress platform or are you thinking of having one built for your business or organization? Do you build WordPress websites, and if so, would you like to be able to do it better? Are you a WordPress fan who enjoys meeting others who share your enthusiasm?

WordCamp is perfect for all these situations. WordCamps are grass-roots local conferences put together by WordCamp users, designers, developers, and fans for themselves and one another.

That means that we need you — yes, YOU — to volunteer, sponsor, attend, and/or spread the word about WordCamp Fayetteville. Please subscribe to our updates so you can see everything as it happens. Very soon we’ll be sending out a call for speakers, selling tickets, and asking your T-shirt size. If you can’t wait, leave a comment and someone will get in touch so you jump in and work on the preparations right away.

Still not sure WordCamp is for you? Read some blog posts about the previous WordCamps here in Fayetteville: