WordCamp Europe 2020 is just 37 days away. Organizers announced in April that the event, which was supposed to be hosted in Porto, is moving to be 100% online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WCEU will kick off with a virtual Contributor Day on June 4, followed by two half days of talks and workshops broadcasted via livestream.
WordCamp Europe is one of the largest regional WordCamps on the planet and has been hosted in many magnificent venues and inspiring cities over the years. The event routinely sells out of tickets and sponsor packages, as companies and attendees rally around this unique opportunity to connect across boundaries, uniting Europe through a shared love of WordPress.
For the first time in the event’s eight-year history, the European WordPress community will have to forego the in-person networking time that many have come to value as both a personal and professional highlight of the year. WCEU Organizers have worked for the better part of a decade to make it one of the most polished and efficient WordCamps. Now the team is forced to pivot and use their expertise to host a top-notch virtual event.
Past local organizing teams have been successful at creating an intimate atmosphere that facilitates rewarding connections with a focus on hospitality. These in-person connections add context to remote interactions and conversations long after the event concludes. Reaching this same high level of interpersonal connectivity between attendees is going to be a challenge for this online edition, but WCEU organizers have a long track record of adapting to different environments. Dozens of other WordPress meetups, WordCamps, and educational events are currently facing the same challenges and are moving online.
Registering for a ticket to WCEU is optional but attendees who want to participate in the virtual networking, Q&A sessions, and contributor day will have be registered. Organizers were expecting approximately 3,000 attendees but hosting the event online may affect those numbers in either direction. Tickets are available for free on the WCEU website, thanks to the event’s sponsors. After eight hours of open registration, there are 4,257 tickets remaining. The event will return to Porto, Portugal, on June 3-5, 2021.