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Are you Ready to Get Jiggy at the WCPHX After Party?!

Posted on by Jen Miller
Setting Up for Some 90s Gaming at the WordCamp Phoenix 2020 AfterParty

What’s more ’90s than Tamagotchi? Fanny Packs? Laser Tag? Virtual Reality? Digital Color Photo Booths and Video Games?

The Totally Wicked WordCamp Phoenix 2020 After Party, that’s what!

Plan to be there from 6-10 p.m. Saturday night!

Prepare to discover your inner child and step back in time as you come face to face with the fun and flavors of the 90’s. Don’t worry, you’ll find allergy, dairy and gluten free choices, along with plenty of vegan delights at the carefully crafted food stations!

Choose from:

  • The Slide Back Into the ’90s Slider Station
  • The When a Hungry Bunch Shows Up Grown-Up “Hot Pockets” Station
  • The Too Hot to Tot Tater Tot Station
  • The Last Things Left on My Kid’s Cuisine… Vegan-Friendly Station
  • The Sweeter Than My Little Pony Dessert Station

Plus, you won’t be out all night! Plan to attend from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Galvanize, located at 515 E. Grant in Downtown Phoenix.

Between the food by Conceptionally Social Catering, the fun provided by the Phoenix Virtual Realty Game Truck, and shouts of “Booyah!” from fellow WordPress peeps, this is one WordCamp After Party you won’t want to miss!

So, if you happen to come across someone who plans an alternate event, please give them a chance to talk to the hand.

Like someone might really not show? As if!

As a reminder, the Code of Conduct governs all WordCamp Phoenix activities, including the WCPHX After Party.

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Thank You Nexcess, a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air GOLD Sponsor

Posted on by Jen Miller
Nexcess Sponsors WordCamp Phoenix 2020

With over 99.99% uptime, 18 years of hosting experience, and a recent merger with LiquidWeb, Nexcess is making a splash in 2020!

In the video below, Carrie Wheeler from Nexcess shares her excitement about the innovation and product development collaboration efforts which are being launched in their first co-branding experience at WordCamp Phoenix 2020!

Explaining that Nexcess’ goal at WCPHX is to “spend really every minute we possibly can listening to the community there,” be they freelancers, enterprises, and ecommerce specialist. The end result is to add value to hosting and ecommerce bundles. Having launched six (6) new WordPress packages and additional ecommerce packages recently, Nexcess appreciates feedback from businesses of all sizes, Wheeler said.

Tune in to the video below to learn more or stop by their booth!

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Get the 4-1-1 at WordCamp Phoenix Contributor Day

Posted on by Jen Miller

Be sure to stay for a WordCamp Phoenix Contributor Day that will make you wish you’d been WordPressin’ in the ’90s! Psych! WordPress didn’t even exist back then!

Anyway, Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and you definitely won’t want to miss out as it gives you one more day to hang with your WP homeskillets. Held from 12-4 p.m. on Sunday, February 9, 2020 at Galvanize, located at 515 E. Grant Street in downtown Phoenix. Parking is free (at Galvanize) and food will be available for purchase at the Larry during Contributor Day.

This is your chance to make your mark as a WordPress Contributor, whether through an individual contribution or as a team member. Make the choice to make a difference in your WordPress community through attending. Check out the video below to catch a glimpse into last year’s WordCamp Phoenix Contributor Day!

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Welcome GreenGeeks, a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air GOLD Sponsor

Posted on by Jen Miller
GreenGeeks Sponsors WordCamp Phoenix 2020

As host to more than 500,000 websites, GreenGeeks is very aware of the energy cost of running servers, and does their best to conserve! Having replaced more than 615,000 kilowatt hours with wind power, they are creating a positive energy footprint! Twelve years in business has given GreenGeeks more than hosting expertise, it has also allowed them to truly understand their customer needs.

“At the website you can choose who you are and what you want,” Marco Berrocal explained, recommending new users visit GreenGeeks.com. “Then we can help do things for you. If you have a lot of websites we can help migrate for you.”

GreenGeeks is known for their customer support and Berrocal shared that their customer support team is trained to handle many issues so there is “no need to escalate these issues to multiple departments.” Berrocal said, “We try to solve it right there and then.”

GreenGeeks also actively encourages team members to participate in WordPress locally, through speaking, meetups and organizing WordCamps. Berrocal is on the organizing team of WordCamp Costa Rica and says speaking at WordCamps on beginner topics is one way GreenGeeks tracks what beginners need.

Marco will be speaking this weekend at WordCamp Phoenix on hooks, actions, and filters and how they can be an answer when you get stuck on something in WordPress that hasn’t already been solved with a plugin.

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Thank you WCPHX Silver Saved By The Bell Sponsors, WPMU Dev, SiteGround & HubSpot

Posted on by Jen Miller
WPMU Dev, SiteGround & HubSpot are WCPHX 2020 Silver Sponsors

Please join us in expressing gratitude to our three WordCamp Phoenix 2020 Silver Sponsors. Well established in the tech community, thes Saved By The Bell Sponsors offer a variety of services, yet all seek to improve the WordPress experience.

WPMU DEV assists site owners, developers, freelancers, and agencies in WordPress security, site management, hosting, performance, marketing, and premium plugins. Smush Pro and Hummingbird, as well as additional resources and white label opportunities are provided to WPMU DEV members, complete with with 24/7 live support.

Founded in 2004, SiteGround services more than 2 million domains worldwide, providing shared hosting, cloud hosting and dedicated servers as well as email hosting and domain registration. Their security first mind-set, passion for speed, and quick to help customer support has earned them the recommendation of WordPress.org and a 98% customer satisfaction rating.

HubSpot assists more than 68,800 customers in more than 100 countries in attracting and engaging clients. HubSpot’s award-winning software, services, and support combine with their Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and powerful free CRM, to deliver a complete customer care experience. Learn more about HubSpot for WordPress.

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

What You Need to Know for WordCamp Phoenix 2020

Posted on by David Ryan

We’re so excited to see everyone coming to WordCamp Phoenix 2020 this upcoming week and share our beautiful Arizona weather and Downtown Phoenix with you.

Please review this post for information on how to get the best out of your WordCamp weekend.

Get the latest updates on our social media, #WCPHX hashtag and WCPHX Slack

We’re @WordCampPHX on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (DM’s open and monitored) and our official hashtag is #WCPHX.

We also recommend joining our Slack to get updates and connect with other attendees!

Getting to Downtown Phoenix

If you’re flying into Phoenix Sky Harbor, you can use the free PHX SkyTrain and Valley METRO Light Rail to reach most Downtown Hotels in about 30 minutes. Head Westbound for 19th Ave/Montebello. Lyft & Uber also service both Terminal 3 & Terminal 4 and are roughly $15-20 each-way with a 15m ride Downtown. If you fly United, Alaska or Spirit, those airlines no longer are serviced at Terminal 2 and have moved to Terminal 3.

If you’re driving into Phoenix, please note that no free parking is available at Events on Jackson, but there is street parking and a $5/day garage (Jefferson Garage) nearby.

Getting to Events on Jackson

Events on Jackson: 245 E Jackson Street Phoenix, AZ 85004
Jefferson Garage: 333 E Jefferson Street Phoenix, AZ 85004

Events on Jackson is a 5-20 minute walk from most Downtown hotels. Scooter companies, GRID bikeshare and pedicabs are also available around Downtown. The nearest Westbound Light Rail stop is 3rd St. & Washington and the nearest Eastbound stop is 3rd St. & Jefferson.

For parking, we’ve secured a special rate at the Jefferson Garage of $5/day. If you arrive after 11am, you will need to mention WordCamp Phoenix to secure the $5 rate.

Full Event Schedule

Our full event schedule is available on our website, as well as bios for our speakers and our public attendee list!

Refreshments & Lunch on Friday & Saturday

We’ll be providing coffee, tea and light snacks both days. There is also a Fry’s grocery store a short five minute walk from Events on Jackson.

Lunch will be provided by our local caterer Conceptually Social on Friday & Saturday. There will be gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options available, as well as any other dietary restrictions you’ve let us know about. Everything will be labeled and we’ll have master list available for reference.

Friday

We’ll be serving Tacos Dorado, including Green Chili Chicken Tacos, Red Chili Beef Tacos, Potato & Soyrizo Tacos as well as Black Beans & Mexican Rice. We’ll have fresh salsa and toppings as well.

Saturday

We’ll be serving garlic-and-lime roasted pork or vegetarian mofongo with a corn tortilla, sofrito rice & beans in an achiote chile oil and a mesclun salad with a mango-lime vinaigrette.

Afterparty Saturday evening at Galvanize Phoenix

Address: 515 E Grant Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Our afterparty starts shortly after our event on Saturday evening at Galvanize Phoenix, a few blocks south of Events on Jackson. We’ll be serving a large spread of appetizers, have alcoholic and soft drinks (both valid for an included drink ticket) as well as a cash bar.

We’ll also have a photo booth and game truck to add to the fun!

Helpful Tips for Visiting Phoenix

  • Check out our Local Guide for great local dining options and we recommend checking out First Friday in the Roosevelt Row Arts District on Friday evening.
  • We strongly recommend carrying a water bottle as it can be easy to become dehydrated.
  • We also recommend sun protection if you burn easily and carrying a light jacket if you get chilly as many buildings will be cranking up their air-conditioning.
  • If you plan to hike any of our spectacular (yet challenging) mountain parks, please bring at least one liter of water per two hours on the trail. The Phoenix Fire Department has the busiest mountain rescue unit in the world.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns

If there’s anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable or fun, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns!

See you all soon,
The WordCamp Phoenix Team

Code of Conduct

Please remember all attendees are expected to follow our Code of Conduct at all official event activities. Weapons are prohibited at all WordCamp Phoenix venues, except for on-duty law enforcement with jurisdiction.

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Thank You WP Engine, a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air GOLD Sponsor

Posted on by Jen Miller
WPEngine Sponsors WCPHX2020

Tony Le, Solutions Engineer at WP Engine, has a lot to look forward to as a Gold Sponsor of WordCamp Phoenix 2020. Along with it being his first time EVER in Arizona, it will also be his first time giving a WordCamp talk!

And WP Engine provides plenty of opportunity to prepare anyone as a speaker, with their customer responsive and inspired platform, that serves more than 120,000 customers in 140 countries. Offering their exclusive WordPress Digital Experience Platform, WP Engine strives to provide resources and custom solutions to unique customer needs.

Be sure to stop by the WP Engine booth to see what they can do for your business and learn about their recent integrations with HubSpot, FlyWheel, and other solutions that will help you better service your customers. You can also take a few minutes to listen to the interview below and get an overview of what’s going down, including their use of atomic blocks.

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Thank You Pantheon, a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air GOLD Sponsor

Posted on by Jen Miller
Pantheon Sponsors WCPHX 2020

Pantheon is almost as excited to be a gold sponsor of WordCamp Phoenix 2020 as we are to have them! They will be bringing a large team to the WordCamp in an effort to give back to the community through talks, mentoring, sharing information, and especially helping business owners and managers better understand the needs of their clients.

With global availability, and as host to more than 300+ million websites, Pantheon definitely has resources and knowledge to share! One of their current focuses is helping agencies find easier ways to increase sales and improve websites through iteration.

In an attempt to “kill the relaunch” Tara King, Community Developer Manager at Pantheon, explained that one of Pantheon’s goals is to educate developers on better practices. Part of this is, “Trying to help people understand a more agile website workflow,” King said.

Tune in to the video below for tips on how to simplify and improve processes so you can leave the era of 90s development far behind!

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Welcome Fresh Prince Of Bel Air GOLD Sponsor Wordfence

Posted on by Jen Miller
Wordfence Sponsors WCPHX 2020

Wordfence is a security plugin that protects WordPress websites with a malware scanner, firewall, and source code validation. Installed on more than 3 million websites, Wordfence has a clear view as global attacks occur, allowing them to block attacks before they occur. With more than 90 million downloads, it is easily one of the most utilized plugins on WordPress.org.

At WordCamps, Wordfence attempts to teach attendees how to “think like a hacker” through lock picking at their booth. The hope is that once attendees consider how easy it is to pick a lock, they may also understand how easily someone could hack into their site through easy passwords or out of date plugins. The goal is that attendees will begin to make better decisions about their site security.

“I think that being proactive instead of reactive really is the name of the game,” explained Tim Cantrell, Wordfence Director of Customer Support. “The bottom line is that if you don’t take some steps to secure your site, there’s nothing we can do to help.”

Get more insight on this crackalackin’ WordCamp 2020 sponsor by watching the interview below!

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.

Thank You Jetpack, a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air GOLD Sponsor

Posted on by Jen Miller
Jetpack Sponsors WordCamp Phoenix 2020

Jetpack brings free security and website management tools to WordPress sites all over the world! Installed on over one million sites, Jetpack provides a wealth of helpful tracking and marketing tools for both self-hosted WordPress sites and WordPress.com hosted sites. It truly is all that and a bag of chips!

With over 200 themes available and a powerful suite of tracking, SEO, email, and social media distribution tools, Jetpack allows real, engaged audiences to be created easily.

Jetpack served 29 million images each day, allowed free use of its CDN for images, blocked over 10 billion malicious attacks and helped share two million posts last week. Plus with a team of happiness engineers and offerings for full site-backup, Jetpack includes the comfort of support and website backups.

Finally, Jetpack goes where you go, allowing native WordPress apps for iOS and Android to talk to your self-hosted WordPress sites. Updates are a cinch, and can be done from any mobile device, providing you a sure fire method of making sure your blog is not stuck in the ’90s!

Stay Connected:

Follow our official event accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use our official event hashtag #WCPHX to connect with others.