(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About WordCamp Philly

a view of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from the plaza

Do you have questions about the what, when and where of WordCamp Philly 2019?  You should find answers to most of them in this post about our weekend plans.

Keep this information handy to find pretty much everything you’ll need to know during the course of the event. We’ll update the details if there are any changes.

Location and Travel

We will be at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia. Activities are in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, which faces Broad Street across from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

We have Travel and Parking information, as well as maps of the area, available on our site.

Doors Open and Registration

Doors open and registration begins at 8 am Saturday, October 5. The first thing you should do when you arrive is register and pick up your name badge, which you’ll need to wear while you’re at WordCamp Philly events. We’ll also have some swag for our attendees.

Gender pronoun pins will be available at the registration desk. If you want, pin your preferred pronouns to your lanyard or outer garment. Doing so can help others refer to you in ways that you prefer.

Color communications stickers will also be available at the registration desk. These may be placed on your name badge to indicate your communication preferences quickly and non-verbally. Read our 2017 blog post to understand the meaning of the stickers: color communications badges.

Wireless Access

There will be wireless access in our venue. Details of how to connect will be distributed at the registration desk.

Saturday Sessions and Schedule

The opening remarks begin promptly at 8:45 am in the auditorium on the lower level. The keynote presentation will follow at 9 am

Talks are split into three tracks:

  • the Broad Street Track, in the auditorium on the lower level
  • the Arch Street Track, in the Tuttleman Gallery on the second floor
  • the Race Street Track, in the Sculpture Center on the second floor

We will also have a panel, “The Art of Getting Found Online,” starting at 1:30 pm in the Annenberg Gallery  on the second floor. This is a double-length presentation to enable our panelists and audience go into more depth.

If the schedule changes, the website will be updated accordingly. For real-time updates, follow @WordCampPhilly on Twitter. Our hashtag is #wcphilly. You may also find us on Facebook.

The Happiness Lounge

The Happiness Lounge will be available from 10 am-4 pm on the lower level. It provides a peer-to-peer help with questions about WordPress and websites. Read more about what to expect and what to bring if you’d like a volunteer to look at your site.

Meals

We will not have breakfast or afternoon snacks this year at our venue, but we will have coffee, tea and bottled water all day on the second floor.

Some of our WordCamp Philly regulars are planning to meet for breakfast as an unofficial WordCamp activity, and they welcome other attendees. You may check our Twitter account to see what they post.

Lunch will begin at 12:15 pm in the Annenberg Gallery on the second floor. Talks resume at 1:30 pm.

The buffet menu includes:

  • pan-seared chicken breast with cherry tomatoes, artichokes, nicoise olives, and fig balsamic reduction sauce
  • polenta lasagna
  • oven-roasted tri-colored potatoes
  • roasted seasonal vegetable medley
  • tossed garden salad
  • rolls

There are Halal and Kosher meals for attendees who requested them on registration. Ask an attendant for assistance.

The afternoon break will be 2:50-3:15 pm.

If you want to grab a snack during the day, there is a cafe, Tableau, on the first floor of the venue, and there are two or three coffee spots within a block. Reading Terminal Market, 51 North 12th Street, offers just about every type of cuisine you’d like if you want to explore at lunchtime.

The After-Party

The After-Party is  6-8 pm Saturday, October 5, at Lucky Strike, 1336 Chestnut Street. This is off Broad Street, about three blocks from our venue. Visit our page on the After-Party for details.

Don’t forget to bring your badge for entry.

Contributor Day on Sunday

Contributor Day is 1-4 pm Sunday, October 6, at 1776 Rittenhouse, 1608 Walnut Street. Read the details about Contributor Day.

Wireless access information will be available on the spot. To make the most of the event, bring a laptop or tablet. Writing materials may be helpful.

We plan to have coffee, tea and water for our contributors.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct is designed to empower everyone to enjoy the event to the fullest and all attendees are required to adhere to it. Please read the Code of Conduct in advance of attending WordPress Philly.

To report a Code of Conduct violation during WordCamp Philly, the After-Party or Contributor Day, you may file a report online or see one of our organizers or ask a volunteer to help you find one.

Getting Help During the Conference

We want WordCamp Philly to be a wonderful experience for all attendees. If you need help with anything, please ask an organizer or a volunteer for assistance. Organizers will be wearing rainbow lanyards and all volunteers will be wearing orange lanyards. We will all be delighted to aid you in any way that we can.

Questions?

If you have any questions for the organizing team you can contact us through our website or speak to us in person at the conference.

WordCamp Philly is over. Check out the next edition!