What is a WordCamp?
What comes to your mind when you hear “WordCamp”? Let me guess, a writing event or a camp outing? No it’s not.
WordCamp is an all-encompassing term referring to a conference, a community organized and officially sanctioned event to deal with all things WordPress. To you reading this, welcome to WordCamp Lagos, the first official city WordCamp of its kind in Nigeria.
If you are new to the term “WordPress”, it is an online, open-source website creation tool written in PHP. It is probably the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management system in existence today.
How Much Does it Cost to Attend WordCamps?
WordCamp conferences are extremely economical, not charging more than N14,400 for two days of high quality speakers and networking opportunities or N7200 for a one-day event or its equivalents. Hence WordCamp Lagos 2018 is charging N3500 for a full day event ticket, N1000 for a KidsCamp Ticket and N20,000 for a microsponsor ticket.
Who Attends WordCamps?
WordCamps should be attended by everyone who uses WordPress, and everyone who should use WordPress. According to Maddy on her blog, this includes but not limited to bloggers, designers, developers, authors, marketers, SEOs, Businesses, nonprofits, photographers, realtors, consultants, entrepreneurs, school employees, teachers, project managers, etc.
As an attendee to WordCamp Lagos 2018, you should be prepared to learn new dimensions of and using WordPress. You will also have fun networking physically with other people who are just as obsessed with WordPress as they are, or just as new to WordPress as you are. There will be an after-party for you to meet new friends, business partners, employees, employers, and life partner (who knows?).
What does a WordCamp offer, what type of event is it?
WordCamps can be in any kind of format with a good number of swag (apparel and branded items) given to attendees. They range from a one-day event to a three-day event depending on the local community organizing it. They comprise of but not limited to conference-like sessions, panels, interviews, unconference, kids-camp, short or multi-hour workshops, and lightning talks.
People attend to share ideas, learn about WordPress, talk about opportunities, and meet other WordPress users in person, all of this you will enjoy at WordCamp Lagos 2018. All WordCamp organizers and speakers are unpaid volunteers; they offer their services as a labour of love.
Who Speaks at WordCamps?
Speakers range from WordPress developers, businesses owners, designers, and users, drawn from the local community. According to WordCamp Central (the organizers of all things WordCamp), the goal is to have 80 percent local speakers and 20 percent out-of-town speakers. WordCamp Lagos 2018 is set to offer you the best of the best of content and value that will empower you and your business this year 2018.
Who funds WordCamps?
In an effort to mirror the nature of WordPress software (a platform that is both free and powerful), WordCamp WordPress events tend to be low in cost with funding coming from the people who attend, local sponsors in the community, as well as multi-event sponsors organized by WordCamp central. The call for sponsors is still open for WordCamp Lagos 2018, your support will be appreciated, microsponsors are also welcomed, as well as donations.
How to Find Upcoming WordCamps
According to WordCamp Central, there have been 784 WordCamps (and counting) organized since the first one in 2006 was organized by Matt Mullenweg. So far, WordPress WordCamp events have been hosted in 69 cities, 65 countries and 6 continents. All information about past and upcoming WordCamps can be found here.
