DrupalCon is an international premium event for people who use, design and develop the Drupal platform, the time when most people in the Drupal community get together. As the event is packed with many amazing keynotes, sessions, BoFs and more, for first-time goers it can be overwhelming. This is what you should know about it.
Three times a year (Europe, North America, and a third geographic region), the conference gathers the best from the Drupal community and beyond, to share knowledge and skills.
A week of dozens of curated sessions and panels is a great opportunity for networking and learning more about the future of the platform.
As every Drupal con, DrupalCon Barcelona will be packed with educational sessions related to all things Drupal. Participants are industry leaders and professionals from the Web Development, Open Source, Drupal Development, Technology and Informatics.
The first day is reserved for community summit and business day – a great opportunity to network for those who arrive ahead of the main conference. The second day you should get yourself a prime location for DriesNote and from Tuesday through Thursday you will enjoy great Keynotes, Sessions, and BOFs. As informal gatherings, Birds of a feather sessions are especially valuable for first-time goers as it’s a great opportunity to meet other Drupalists, and discuss a subject of common interest.
Sprints run all week, culminating on Friday with the largest annual global Drupal Sprint. Sprints are an important part of Drupal’s growth and community, and a great opportunity to get involved. If you have never taken part in sprints before, special First-Time Sprinter Workshop will guide you through the ways you can get involved.
And here are a few tips on how to get the most out of the conference:
Plan Your Schedule Ahead
Check out the schedule and plan ahead, but be flexible as you never know what opportunities you will get during the conference. And don’t panic, even if you miss something, the Drupal team will have all sessions published the same day to YouTube. If you need help, the volunteers at the Help desk are available all the time.
Don’t miss the Exhibit Hall
The Exhibit Hall opens Monday 17:00 to 18.30 and it just might be the best way to get into the DrupalCon atmosphere. The best giveaways go fast, so visit the hall as early as possible. The Drupal Association’s Store sells more than books, so while in the hall, don’t miss it out as well.
Meet the team and local community
If this is your first time in Barcelona, you might want some advice from the locals, right? Drupalists are a friendly people and they would gladly help you in preparing your trip. So, meet the team and see who you should contact in case you need some information, although every team that organizes the conference covers all essential information related to traveling and the city.
Check out the social calendar
Every DrupalCon has some noteworthy social events scheduled by the local community or attendees. Whether you want to visit a museum or get to know the city, you should check out the Social Events page and see if anything interest you, or you can create your own event and invite others to join you.
Follow the official Twitter account
Twitter is going to be your good friend during the conference. Use the official hashtag #DrupalCon to make plans during the conference and form new connections. Major announcements will be made on @DrupalConEur, so be sure to follow their official Twitter account.
In case you miss DrupalCon Barcelona, don’t worry, there will be other Drupal conferences. In fact, two conferences are already scheduled:
DrupalAsia 2016, Mumbai, India (February)
New Orleans DrupalCon 2016, Louisiana, USA, 9-13 May
There is also a great guide to DrupalCon written by Jeffrey McGuire you should check out. It answers the simple question: “What is DrupalCon?” and explains all you need to know about the conference in general.
Below is the list of the upcoming DrupalCamps if you want to join:
Europe
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- DrupalCamp Baltics , 28-29 September, Tallinn, Estonia
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- DrupalCamp Scotland, 7 November, Edinburgh, Scotland
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- DrupalCamp Vienna, 27-29 November, Vienna, Austria
- DrupalCamp Oslo, 13-15 November, Oslo, Norway
Australia
- DrupalGlamp Sydney, 5-6 September, Cockatoo Island, Sydney
The U.S.
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- Baltimore Drupal Camp, 9 October, Baltimore
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- Drupaldelphia 2015, 9 October, Philadelphia
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- New England DrupalCamp (NEWDCamp), 10 October, Providence, RI
- DrupalCamp Atlanta, 16-17 October, Kennesaw
