What in the world is WordCamp?
It is an event that brings together users, site owners, developers and advocates of WordPress, the world’s best open-source publishing platform. Open-source means free. WordPress people give generously of their time and expertise in forums, on websites and at MeetUps throughout the year but a WordCamp brings everyone together to share, learn and celebrate.
WordPress turns 11 years old in May. It was first released on May 27, 2003. Nearly 20 percent of the top 10 million sites in the world use WordPress. Starting in 2004, major updates to WordPress have been code-named for important jazz musicians. WordPress 3.8, released in December 2013, is codenamed “Parker,” for sax player Charlie Parker. “Smith,” named for jazz organist Jimmy Smith, was released to the public on April 16, 2014. Like a week ago. WP 3.8 has been downloaded more than 20 million times.
Nashville is in distinguished company by organizing its own annual WordCamp. Our first official WordCamp Nashville in 2012 shared the stage with WordCamp New Zealand – held same day, separated by continents and cultures but united in appreciation of WordPress. In 2013, on April 20, we split the the stage with Seoul (Korea) and Slovakia. This year, three other cities will join us on May 3, including Zurich, Switzerland.
The first WordCamp was in San Francisco in August 2006 and drew more than 500 people. By 2013, according to statistics compiled by the hard-working people at WordCamp Central, the landscape looked like this:
- Number of WordCamps: 71
- Number of WordCamps in the USA: 31
- Number of WordCamps outside the USA: 40
- Total Number of WordCamp attendees: over 19,000
- Total Days of WordCamp: 117
- Number of sessions presented at WordCamps: 1,565
- Number of people who spoke at WordCamps: 1,176
- Number of companies that sponsored WordCamps: 522
- New WordCamps: 15
- WordCamp videos published to WordPress.tv: 474
A $20 ticket is about so much more than Nashville WordCamp 2014, though we’re delighted to host you. The international WordPress community is generous, inclusive and growing. With input from local organizers, WordCamp.org sets standards and guidelines to keep these grassroots events about WordPress, learning and sharing best practices and new tricks with the platform many of us know and love.
Check out the schedule, and grab your ticket to WordCamp Nashville while you can.