I've been planning and organizing DrupalCamp Australia 2009 for the weekend of Oct. 31st and Nov. 1 (expecting ~100ppl) as I have discussed with several people. I've already secured a venue, but I have been getting pulled away from posting the full details and official announcement over the last month due to being overseas and busy with work. Now that I am back, I am finding myself still busy and worried about giving everyone enough notice. (I'm even wondering whether to try postponing it) Long story short, I'm finding myself a bit short of the bandwidth to fully organize an event this large and I need more help.
So, this is my call for help.
If you would like to see this event actually happen and are able to put some effort towards it, please contact me. http://drupal.org/user/35936/ or http://ryancross.com/contact
I can use help will almost all aspects of the event:
Sponsorship
Logistics
T-shirt (design and ordering)
Marketing/Communication
Catering
Etc.
I expect programming to still be organically organized, but I could still use help making sure we get high quality speakers and possibly finding a keynote.
Comments
t-shirts - drupal camp australia
I'd be happy to organise the production of tees, perhaps we could get someone else to come up with a design - perhaps we could run a quick competition and a vote.
Need 2 weeks lead time for production so design would have to be completed by 15 October - 2 WEEKS AWAY!!
Craig Rippon
Brisbane, Australia
http://www.CustomTees.com.au
Oh Man
2009 or 2010? That's a bit short notice, and just accidentally reading it here. Would have loved to come and help. Have booked my scuba diving licence course though, so will be under water that weekend.
Hi Markus, That's a bit of a
Hi Markus,
That's a bit of a coincidence, I'm in the middle of doing my own certification course now! Drupal Divers, yay!
obDrupal: http://spums.org.au is about to be a Drupal site (once client sorts their hosting out), and my local dive club here seems interested in doing the same, with ubercart roles etc. Woop!
Regards, Simon
(just enough Drupal content to keep it ontopic :)
Simon Roberts
Taniwha Solutions
2009
@mbohner - The idea was Oct 2009, and I understand about the notice being short. Which is part of my reasoning for posting this.
@customtees - thanks for the offer. I agree it might be short notice. As for design we could use last years design in a pinch, but I've also got someone who has already volunteered to create a new design. I don't really think we have time for a competition, but happy for people to post their designs if they have them.
Does anyone else want to help with other logistics?
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
gonna need hands on deck ....
...to organize this within time.
Count me in, would be happy to help out with logistics too
a thought...
would it make sense to push it back a bit to buy a bit of time ?
~Erle
time
It looks like pushing it back is your best option. I'm happy to help but not sure how...
Im totally in,but
Im totally in but Oct31st 2009 is not alot of notice at all. I would suggest pushing it back as im sure this is an issue for more than just me.
Also where are you planning on holding this event??
L
I'm in too
I'm happy to help too but won't be here on that weekend. I think pushing it back a little bit could be a good idea. Maybe we can post a list of the actual tasks required and we can start taking on those tasks?
Raul Caceres
www.simsolutions.net.au
+1 for pushing it back a bit,
+1 for pushing it back a bit, simply because if it's post-20th November, then I may be able to make it :D
Secured Venue Already Booked?
Please push back into end of November, if your secured venue will allow, then we all have time to help organise
The name issue again
I hate to be the one to bring this up all over again, but seriously... Drupalcamp Australia??? Did you not see the discussion from July at http://groups.drupal.org/node/24316? What you're organising is either a Drupalcamp Sydney or it's a Drupalcamp NSW.
Jeff
Technically, for an
Technically, for an Australian event, the consensus was that any name will be fine.
http://groups.drupal.org/node/24485
As I've mentioned to Ryan though, I was hoping for a few months notice. And with maybe 200+ people that's when you could really make it worth while for interstaters.
Agreed
I was also aiming for 8 - 10 wks notice, but traveling and free time prevented more notification - this was what prompted this post. Considering that last year's event had ~60 people - several from interstate - I'm not sure 200+ is a requirement to be attractive, though it could be a good goal. I had expected / planned for ~120 this year (assuming marketing had gone to plan).
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
I'd come along if you hosted
I'd come along if you hosted it in your city. Why not submit a proposal to us all?
Planning is already underway
Planning is already underway for a QLD DrupalCamp, to be held in Brisbane. So yes indeed, we'd love to have you come!
Maybe I misunderstood, is it that in this thread we're talking about an event that will actually be nationally focussed? For example, (and I guess principally) not always be in the same place (Sydney) every time etc
Not trying to be difficult...
Jeff
notification dates
i would expect that the following notifications be given:
for a national event 6 months
state event at least 3 months
city event 2 months
local meetup 4 weeks - usually set at the last one
if this is the national event can i suggest that a new date be found outside of the nov-jan period as most people are focussed on christmas then
maybe feb 2010
also not trying to be difficult and also appreciating the work Ryan does to get this organised.
National Event
This thread aims to produce a national event. I am highly supportive of having it in other cities (both conceptually and my time/resources/experience), but to date no one else has stepped up to host it. Also to date, Melbourne is the only other city that has hosted an event marketed at an audience larger than a local user group meetup. This is definitely not to say that other cities can't do it, but experience and local support can play a big role in having a successful event.
@Jeff - I know you attended the event last year (and came from out of state), so can you clarify how that event was not nationally focused (or could be more so)?
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
@Jeff - I know you attended
Basically, the way I see it is, the 2008 event WAS DrupalCamp Australia because there had never been a DrupalCamp in Australia before.
Now that there have been state level DrupalCamps, I see our first Brisbane one being called QLD DrupalCamp, but if there's one in Townsville next year, I would call our next one the Southeast QLD DrupalCamp or the Brisbane DrupalCamp or something similar.
I just wanted clarity that this node was legitimately about a national event, that's all.
Jeff
Not to be overly pedantic,
Not to be overly pedantic, but I just wanted to point out that we had at least two other events prior to the Oct 2008 DrupalCamp Australia. I can understand better where you are coming from now I think.
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
+2 for other date
I'm keen, but can't do that weekend.
yep another date sounds good.
sounds awesome!
If only I wasn't having my
If only I wasn't having my Bucks party on the 31st :P
@BrianGilbert_
Help make Drupal Melbourne meetups more awesome:
http://groups.drupal.org/node/204518
The best way to grow your local commununity is by participating in it!
There's clearly an
There's clearly an overwhelming request for the date to be pushed back so that everyone has enough time to plan. Let's face it, an event is no good if barely anyone can make it.
If there's gonna be a national event (putting aside my doubts as to whether a country-wide event could really be pulled off/worth it), lets reconvene with Ryan, who's excellent at organising stuff from what I've seen, and work out something that might suit more people in terms of timeline.
And as sime pointed out, I'd like to see a national event regardless of what it's called. The only issue really here as far as I think most people are concerned, is the amount of time given. So let's fix that first.
Pushed Back
So, based on feedback (and my sanity) the event will be rescheduled/pushed back. Tentatively looking at the end of Nov. but am meeting with people who have volunteered to help to discuss in more depth. I am also conscious of the OSDC conference around that time and the proposed DrupalCamp QLD - though attempts to contact the organizers have been fruitless, so unsure of current status of it.
The venue is still secured for the 31st/1st, so there is also the possibility of a scaled back event that would be DrupalCamp Sydney. If people are still keen for this to happen, please add your support here.
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
QLD DrupalCamp
Ryan, if you need any info about the QLD DrupalCamp feel free to drop me a line.
Currently we're in limbo pending a date being set for this National event. We don't want ours to be too close to it. At this stage it looks like we'll be pushing into next year, probably March, but I'm happy to work around the National event.
That said, my personal feeling on end of Nov is that it's too little notice for a National event and I know we (marmaladesoul) wouldn't be able to attend if that's when it happens. Not that the world hinges on us being there obviously but we'd like to be there.
Jeff
likewise
Nov 30/Dec 1 is too short notice to get there from QLD and wont be able to make it
sounds good bad timing
All the best unfortunatley i can not assit in the pre planning or sponsorship this year as i am deep in the midst of research and will be until early next year... as stated before i am up for both local and national events spread the code baby spread the code ;) also with some recent events occuring in australia i feel it is imperitive for the community that we include a Drupal and Security talk especially at a National Event...
DrupalCamp Oz
Hi all
I just wanted to add my support for a national event. I don't really care what it's called.
Also, I changed my mind about the Sydney event being the Oz one. It makes a lot of sense really. We need a national event because it gets everyone together and it's great for networking. If it is to be in Sydney, why would you have a DrupalCamp NSW as well? It would be unnecessary.
The same logic would apply if DrupalCamp Oz was held in a different city. For example, if we host in Melb next year, then that year there could be a DrupalCamp NSW, but no DrupalCamp Vic.
Another weekend maybe?
I'm keen for a DrupalCamp soon, Ryan... but I have to join in with the others who say "not the best weekend for me". Saturday should be fine, but Sunday 1 Nov is the Gong Ride, and I'm in that.
Will also talk to the fine folks here at work re: sponsorship / catering / etc, see what I can do.
Jeremy Epstein - GreenAsh
Update
So, after discussions with several people including feedback from the recent user group meetup. This is the idea:
Scale back the 31st event to a 1 day workshop that can accomodate ~50 ppl.
Make plans for a full scale national event (2 days, 200+ ppl) for early next year (feb/march). Location to be determined with an eye to move it around over time.
--Ryan
Ryan Cross
Drupal Development Services
ProjectPier project management and collaboration software
Make plans for a full scale
A full-scale event in February/March sounds great. If this is scheduled and announced sooner rather than later, Exaltation of Larks would love to attend and present.
Drupal South
Drupal South is happening in New Zealand at the end of January. If there was a Sydney event in Feb/Mar, I would probably skip it. If it was later in the year then I would be more likely to make the trip north. I think it is a good idea to spread the events across the year rather than cram them all into the warmer months.
I wanted to reply sooner, but I finally got my accounts merged so I can post.
That's a really good point.
That's a really good point. Event planning should be done more carefully while the account syncing is in progress, as many people are having difficulty accessing groups.drupal.org.
other events: BarCamp
There's a possibility that BarCamps will be held on the Anzac Day weekend (April 24-26) in a few different locations around Australia. It's not firm yet, but is being discussed.
Donna Benjamin
Former Board Member Drupal Association (2012-2018)
@kattekrab
Social Innovation Camp
When selecting a date it would be great to keep in mind that the Social Innovation Camp will be on March 5th-7th. There will probably be a few drupallers (including myself) at the camp so it would be great to plan DrupalCamp for a different date.
Raul Caceres
www.simsolutions.net.au