WordCamp LA 2013 Sept 21 & 22

Yay! #wclax is upon us! I certainly don’t want to rush things and talk about after the conference when it’s just getting started! Nonetheless, as the official WCLAX 2014 AfterParty Planner, I must confess I’ve been thinking about the endgame for months!

And I don’t mean that metaphorically! I’m super excited to announce the WordCamp Los Angeles Selfie Scavenger Hunt (aka #wclax #ssh), which is not only a game, but a game with prizes!

This year we decided to get the AfterParty started early, so the Qualifying Round of the Selfie Scavenger Hunt takes place all day Saturday, during WCLAX!

To play, simply post the indicated selfies to Twitter! Everyone who posts the first six selfie pics and their respective hashtags to Twitter by the close of WordCamp LAX Saturday Sessions will win a FREE YEAR of Shared Hosting from awesome AfterParty sponsor SiteGround! The first 5 people to complete the Qualifying Round will also get a Bonus Prize from SiteGround!

The Final Round (aka the Grand Prize-winning Round!) takes place at the AfterParty itself. Complete the Qualifying Round, then come to the party to post your final selfie and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one of FIVE Grand Prizes!

WCLAX SSH Grand Prizes

• one iPad Air!
• two iPad minis!
• two pairs of Sennheiser PRO headphones!

Please see the WCLAX Selfie Scavenger Hunt Official Instructions included below for selfie and hashtag details!

Now, we all know not everyone is gonna wanna be selfie-ing and hashtagging all day, so I’m thinking the odds of you winning one of the Grand Prizes are pretty good! And hey, you’re going to come to the AfterParty anyway, right?

Because when you do there will be a nacho bar, sliders, bleu cheese fries (!!) and a drink waiting for you. Gratis.

The WordCamp LAX AfterParty is at Los Angeles Brewing Company right down the street from Blankspaces DTLA, where Sunday’s sessions are being held. The AfterParty is free and open for all WCLAX attendees, but because it’s LA, you’ll have to pay for parking (your best bet is the lot around the corner at 8th and Spring).

WordCamp LAX AfterParty
Who: WCLAX attendees
Why: Free food, drinks and chilling
When: Sat, Sept 6, 6-8pm
Where: Los Angeles Brewing Company
750 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014

At 8pm sharp we will do the Grand Prize drawing! Yes, you must be present to win!

BTW, in addition to the Grand Prize giveaway and food and drinks, there will be a photobooth from the rad folks at SnapYourself.

Oh, and mini-cupcakes. Of course.

Anyway, like I said … no need to focus on WordCamp LAX being over just yet! Enjoy it! And remember, at the end there’s a mini-cupcake with your name on it* waiting for you.

*mini-cupcake not actually inscribed with your name

WCLAX Selfie Scavenger Hunt Official Instructions

QUALIFYING ROUND
1. Take the first six #wclax #ssh selfies
2. Post pics to Twitter using the specified hashtags
3. Win a FREE YEAR of SiteGround Shared Hosting!
*bonus prizes to first 5 people to complete this round!

FINAL ROUND
1. Complete the Qualifying Round
2. Come to the WCLAX AfterParty (it’s free!)
3. Post selfie #ssh7 by 7:30pm to be entered into the GRAND PRIZE drawing at 8pm!

THE SELFIES

QUALIFYING ROUND
#wclax #ssh1
you and your WCLAX badge

#wclax #ssh2
you and another WCLAX attendee

#wclax #ssh3
you and a WCLAX speaker

#wclax #ssh4
you and a WCLAX volunteer

#wclax #ssh5
you and a WCLAX newbie

#wclax #ssh6
you and a SiteGround team member

FINAL ROUND
#wclax #ssh7
you at the WCLAX AfterParty!

Thanks to everyone: the speakers, the sponsors, the volunteers, and the attendees for such a great WordCamp LA! We hope everyone had as much fun as we did.

Please tell us about your WordCamp experience by taking the survey so we can make next year even better!

photo cred: Adam Silver (http://silverliningphotography.net)

As organizers, it can be tough to look past all the hiccups, the things that didn’t go the way we expected, and the stuff we planned that didn’t end up happening. But, in spite of all that, I’ve heard nothing but compliments and good things about the experience all of you had this past weekend as our guests at WordCamp Los Angeles.

Sure, we organized it. We led the charge and oversaw everything. But this event would never have happened in a million years were it not for the support and help of everyone in the community. I speak, of course, of the amazing and talented speakers who traveled at their own expense to Los Angeles to present unpaid to our audience. I speak of the sponsors who gave us the funds to pay for venues, food, tshirts, printing, and more. I speak of those who volunteered to help us out. Those who pitched in and made the event something really extra special. And I speak of all of those who bought tickets and gave up their weekend to attend WordCamp.

It’s no small thing to announce that you’re going to try and pull off some wild and crazy caper only to find hundreds of people, some of whom you don’t even know, offering up support and encouragement in any way that they can. In the weeks leading up to the event, we had volunteers pitching in every which way to make sure things were taken care of. Not once did anyone turn us down when we asked for help. Not once did anyone drop the ball and not follow through.

All weekend long, people came up to us and offered help. And sometimes, guys, the stuff we needed help with was not the most glamorous. We needed help setting up a couple hundred folding chairs, we needed help sorting and handing out hundreds of tshirts, we needed help cleaning up trash and recycling hundreds of lemonade bottles. And every single time we asked, people pitched in and helped – and they did so cheerfully and happily. We didn’t hear a single grumble, a single complaint.

It takes a community to pull off what happened here in Los Angeles this past weekend. It takes hundreds of people who understand that they’re going to get back way more than they put in, people who are happy and thrilled to be a part of something larger than themselves, people who are selfless and supportive and giving. It was an absolute honor to be a part of making an event this wonderful and amazing happen, and we can’t think of anything better to say than thank you from the bottom of our hearts and SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

It’s almost here, party people. WordCamp Los Angeles is, like, less than 24hrs away and I couldn’t be more terrified about the whole thing! Kidding, kidding. A lot of effort and planning has gone into making this thing happen and the community has really rallied around us in support of those efforts and that has been awesome!

You guys are going to love WCLAX!
Some of the tips below come from this post on WPcandy.

Are you prepared?

Well. Are you? To help everyone get ready for what’s going down this weekend, I’ve made a list of things to note:

1. For Saturday and Sunday eat a good breakfast. We’ll have coffee, water and tea at the venue Saturday but no snacks.
2. T-shirts will be handed out after 3pm.
3. Power outlets and strips will be limited, so plan accordingly i.e. bring extra batteries, or an external charger, limit wireless usage etc.

What should I bring?

Your beautiful brain and yourself of course! There’s going to be a ton of content to cover and while you may find that you want to bring all of your electronics, you really only need to bring your phone and a notepad; I’d say a laptop/tablet isn’t actually necessary and can even be cumbersome to lug around all day and could hinder your ability to socialize and network. Just my two pennies there.

• Smartphone
• Laptop
• Chargers
• Pencil and a Notebook in case the other items die on you

What do you want to know?

I find that attending these events is similar to drinking a milkshake too fast. It hurts and can be discombobulating. That is, there’s going to be a ton of content to cover on both days. Really. Ask yourself “what do I want to learn” and start jotting down questions; ask them of your speakers, peers, strangers and more. Having a strategy or an idea of what you want to know can help you get more out of your WordCamp…

That’s great, but how do I get the most out of this thing?

What makes WordPress such a great platform really is the community that drives it. Anyone who is a part of this community will tell you as much. If you’re new and just coming into it, you’ll find it’s unlike most other communities you’ve been a member of. So jump on in, the water is fine!

That said, to get the most out of a WordCamp is simply to partipate

• Make a new friend. Say “hello!’ Lots!! Meet new people, talk about what you do and ask questions! People love questions! I’ll even tell you how I keep my hair just-so.
• Find a friend who’s going to be there. Carpooling is the bees knees
• Ask questions of your speakers
• Download speakers’ presentations

What else do I need to know?

Participation in WordCamps events, for attendees, sponsors, speakers and volunteers, is an elective endeavor for most. People participate for a variety of reasons: to learn; to connect; to give back; to share… If you see a sponsor or a speaker at the event, be sure to give em a quick ‘thank you;’ they, along with our attendees and speakers make these events possible.

Here’s what you’ll need for a great day at WordCamp LA:

REGISTRATION
When: 8-8:45AM
Where: Cal State LA, Golden Eagle Building: Soriano Boardroom (3rd floor)
Free parking in Lot 5, you do not need to purchase a permit
Download the Campus Map

Remember, power outlets will be in short supply so bring a power strip if you want to win friends and influence people

See you all tomorrow!

With all the awesome going down during the day, you know we had to do an after-party to match! We’ll be partying it up in Downtown LA with free food, drinks and prizes, thanks to our exclusive after-party sponsor … (mt) MediaTemple!

WHO
YOU + speakers, sponsors and other WCLAX attendees!

WHAT
Come party with us! Network, mingle or just come enjoy the ambiance of Downtown LA at twilight! (Plus, free booze!)

• Hosted bar
• Appetizers
• Cupcakes from Big Man Bakes

WHEN
Saturday, September 21
7-9pm

WHERE
Blue Cow Kitchen and Bar
350 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90071 (map)
2-hour validated parking in the Blue Cow building ($7.50 flat rate after that)

WHY
Because there ain’t no party like a WordPress party! Plus, (mt) is giving away free hosting and …. a Google Chromebook!