WordCamp conference targets all levels, plus site and business owners
About 300 people who use WordPress – ranging from true beginners to advanced developers – will gather May 16 for WordCamp Nashville 2015.
The daylong learning and networking event, the fourth annual conference here, celebrates WordPress itself and the large global support community around it. A team of volunteer community organizers curates sessions, and this year’s event has more local speakers and local sponsors than ever.
“The big increase in local WordPress presenters as well as business sponsors is great for the community,” says Randy Hicks, one of the conference organizers. “It’s more evidence of the growth and popularity of WordPress.”
WordPress is free and open-source publishing software admired by fans for its ease of use, flexibility and ability to customize. The platform drives websites of major companies such as Best Buy mobile, TechCrunch and BBC America; to celebrity sites, including Katie Perry and LL Cool J; to single-author blogs; and everything in between.
WordCamp Nashville 2014 Photo by Chelsie Goodwin
WordCamp Nashville is part of a much bigger picture. WordPress powers more than 1 of every 5 websites worldwide, including 100s of those for Nashville businesses. Each year, volunteers in cities across the globe organize WordCamps to share best practices and their expertise.
The Music City event, at Nashville School of Law, features 18 sessions in three tracks based on skill level, though attendees are not locked into any track. A daylong Help Desk includes other volunteers offering one-on-one assistance.
Expect a crowd that loves tech, problem solving, entrepreneurship and business. The event is entirely volunteer-run and speakers are not paid. WordCamps are run under the auspices of the WordPress Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.
Tickets are $20 and include lunch, a t-shirt and admission to a party at the Flying Saucer in downtown Nashville following the event. Lyft, the ride-sharing service, has agreed to provide a ride worth up to $20 to WordCamp participants who are not already clients. Attendees, including speakers and sponsors, will get the ride code at the event.