In September 2018, we held a WordPress Meetup Day here in Düsseldorf. That was great! In 2019 we wanted to go one step further and organize a proper WordCamp
WordCamps follow certain rules. Typically, ongoing Meetup Groups are considered the lifeblood of the local WordPress community and WordCamps are their annual celebrations. Since we are hosting the second largest WordPress Meetup in Germany after Berlin here in Düsseldorf, we already had expectations to fulfill. At least our own.
We had originally planned to hold the WordCamp in our Meetup-Homebase, the Super7000 and the connected Potato Hall. But unfortunately it is not heated and since the date was moved back in the year, we needed another location. One that can hold about 200 people who want to participate in several workshops and that stays room-warm even when the outside temperature is low.
After some research we decided to go to the elegant elephant studios. Normally a studio and charming location for photoshoots and video production, the studios are well suited to host parallel running tracks in the respective rooms.
I had the honourable task to take care of the catering together with my dear friends Simone and Frank. Great! Only disadvantage: the kitchen of the elegant elephant studios on the 1st floor, for whatever reason. On the floor plan you can see a long staircase in the middle. Over this staircase we dragged everything up and down that had to go from the kitchen to the participants and back again.
Preparation on 29.11.2019
Except for the long way to the kitchen via the nasty stairs, the location was perfect. The studios are chic and modern, the atmosphere is friendly and inviting.
We prepared the day before, what had to be prepared so that the speakers could hold their talks smoothly. We laid out shirts for the participants at the reception and looked forward to the next big day.
Unfortunately I had to jam the Pre-Show-After-Party, because I was pretty exhausted due to my full-time job as a trainer and I urgently wanted to go to bed.
WordCamp on 30.11.2019
In the morning at 7:30 o’clock the organizers had to dance. Since the entrance was at 8:00 am, we didn’t want to leave our Early-Birds in front of closed doors. And for me the most important task of the whole day: making coffee! The further plan for the day was
8:00
Doors open
9:00
Welcome
VARIOUS TALKS
12:30
Lunch Break
VARIOUS TALKS & WORKSHOPS
15:00
Coffee and pastries
VARIOUS TALKS & WORKSHOPS
16:30
Podium
17:30
Official end
„As a catering co-responsible, lunch and coffee was of course action time for me. In between, I could comfortably put dishes and cutlery into the kitchen for washing up and back for use and make coffee when it ran out. We had also prepared lemon and ginger on plates for tea drinkers, which went down quite well. Fresh fruit and homemade cakes & cookies were also available in the afternoon.”
Conclusion at the end of a long day
Like at our Meetup Day 2018 and at the WordCamp Europe 2019 in Berlin the mood and the togetherness of the community was very special again. On the one hand you come to such events to get information according to your own interests and to learn something new. But the personal exchange and the reunion of old acquaintances also adds a lot to the charm of here.
At the time of the event, I had held a three-month programming boot camp for SuperCode as the Master Trainer Frontend. The WordCamp organizers provided tickets so that students and job seekers from my Bootcamp could attend. Perfect! This symbolizes what I think Open Source should be all about: everyone who wants to participate is made able to do so.
I was very pleased that we were able to give the many motivated participants an insight into the WordPress-World and our Düsseldorf community. Also meeting old acquaintances and getting to know new people was, as always at such events, great fun. I really enjoyed the day, despite the nasty stairs.
