It’s that time again to come together as a community to help improve mental health and well being resources for all of us, and have a good time doing it!
You’ll notice as you read through that some things have carried over from the inaugural event in January, and we have some new additions. Pay close attention, particularly to time zones and when things start, so that you can have your best WordFest Live yet.
We’ve tried to make time zones easier to manage on both the home page and in the schedule. All times are UTC, and we’ve tried to include local times where we can.
Now, knowing you’re as excited to get underway as we are, let’s talk about registration!!
Getting into the Event
Early Registration
Once you register for your free ticket, you’re invited to start your WordFest Live fun early by joining the Big Orange Heart Slack community. Additional information on how to access the event will be emailed to you shortly before start.
Remember, the 12:00 am start on July 23 is UTC. It will likely be different for you in your time zone. For instance, in the Eastern time zone of the US, the event actually kicks off at 8:00 pm Thursday. Check the schedule to stay on top of this.
Day Of Registration
Because sessions will be available to view after the event, registration will stay open through the full 24 hours. If you register at this time, you will automatically be given access to join the event.
Donations at Registration
WordFest Live is a 100% volunteer-run, fundraising event for Big Orange Heart, a registered charity committed to improving the mental health and well being of remote workers.
Let’s pause for a minute so I can make this clear: tickets are FREE.
However, your optional donation, as well as funds raised from sponsorship, goes toward growing our four support hubs which then allows Big Orange Heart to continue it’s global mission to create resources that help remote workers manage the challenges they face.
Micro sponsorships
Micro sponsorships are open to individuals or businesses who would benefit from global visibility or want to give in a bigger way. For a minimum donation, your logo will appear on the WordFest Live sponsor page, showing your support of building a healthy, global remote work community.
Per Session Thank Yous
This WordFest Live we wanted to offer attendees the opportunity to show their appreciation of a specific session. While watching a session, you can decide at any point to add a Thank You that will display directly under the live chat and remain with the session even after the event is done.
To do this, simply click where it says “Your Logo Here” below the chat box and a form will pop up.
You’ll have a total of 140 characters for your message as well as the opportunity to add your logo and link. Once it’s paid for — each costs the same as a micro sponsorship — your information will automatically appear below the chat.
Getting the Most out of WordFest Live
Use the Schedule
Make sure to check out the WordFest Live schedule to see what’s happening on both stages. We have a mix of WordPress talks, wellness sessions, and community interviews for you to enjoy. Some are live while others are pre-recorded with live Q&A.
And while there are perks to attending the event live — opportunity to join a session’s Q&A, ability to talk to other attendees, live events in the sponsor area, prizes in the games tent — all of the content will be available to watch later.
Know Your Time Zones
This time around WordFest Live has been broken down into 6 segments (continents) that are 4 hours each. The home page lays this out and allows you to see it in your local time zone, as does the schedule.
We’ve also added in more time around sessions to let you drop in on the sponsors, hang out in the community tent, take pictures at the photo booth, and win something fun from the games tent. It really is a day to kick back, relax, and enjoy yourself.
Navigating the Event
Moving around the event is similar to last time.
As you enter the Main Gate of the festival, you’ll easily be able to see which session is broadcasting live and choose any of the available tents to enter. You can join a session in progress, check out what a sponsor has going on, or simply leave and move on to the next area of the venue with no one the wiser.
If the tent you’re in has table capability, you’ll be able to see who’s already at an existing table before you join. From there, you can decide if you want to join an existing table or create a new one. The venue is designed to have a relaxed flow that lets you move around as you like.
It’s as close to a hallway track as we could make it, and all on a global scale!
And if you’re looking for a little more help on having your best time at this virtual event, check out this post from the inaugural WordFest Live.
More than Just Talks
This is a festival that combines fun with global networking and business growth, even better!
For one 24-hour period you can enter our Main Gate, move about our tents, and sit at a table with friends, old and new. You can learn, laugh, and maybe even lose yourself in our positive environment.
But we haven’t stopped there. This time we’ve increased the festive atmosphere by adding in a games tent and photo booth.
Games Tent
Our generous sponsors have donated a variety of prizes. Swing in to see if you are the lucky winner. There’s definitely something for everyone.
Photo Booth
Our photo booth adds an additional element of fun. Drop in whenever you want and use any of the backgrounds to create your own souvenir.
Best yet, share it on social media with the hashtag #WordFestLive so everyone can get in on the fun!
Supporting Big Orange Heart with a Virtual Event
“As a registered charity Big Orange Heart relies on donations and support from industry. We’ve trialled a number of sponsorship models, with varying success. We took an honest review of this and decided to find a more sustainable model, one that lends sponsorship to being directly beneficial for those purchasing it.
[A virtual festival enables] companies to sponsor an event that they themselves can participate in and meet with their potential customer base, all whilst supporting well being and mental health for the remote working communities they serve, indirectly. It’s a win-win situation.” – Dan Maby, founder of Big Orange Heart
Why This is a Global Celebration of WordPress
WordFest Live embodies the four fundamental hubs of Big Orange Heart: Skills Health, Business Health, Physical Health, and Mental Health.
The mental health and well being challenges that remote workers experience aren’t stopped by borders, and we wanted an event that wasn’t either. Including WordPress enables attendees to also grow their technical skills and their businesses alongside their mental well being, creating an overall healthier path forward.
Hosting it on a global stage allows us to achieve these goals at a larger scale.
One large event allows us to have attendees, speakers, and volunteers meet globally in one location. Having participants from each continent creates greater local representation in each of the six live segments and promotes a diverse atmosphere for all of WordFest Live.
Additionally, a global event let’s us use our platform to elevate many different community members without the restrictions of travel, and — in the most positive way, for the most positive reason — we’re taking full advantage of it as it’s an all around win for everyone.
Don’t Miss It!
Whether you’re looking for WordPress knowledge or working on your overall well being, WordFest Live has something for everyone. Its laid back atmosphere and easy-to-maneuver venue is just the break we all need.
Make sure you get your ticket today!
Big Orange Heart