I’ve been getting quite a few emails about the planning for WordCamp Chicago 2011 and I wanted to drop in here real quick to make an announcement that I will not be able to head up the organization of the WordCamp Chicago event for 2011.  I had an absolute blast doing it in 2009 and 2010 and I wish that I were able to continue this event – but life interfers, as it often does, and its just a time comittment that I am unable to make in 2011 and beyond.

My family and I are moving to Atlanta, Georgia in summer of 2011, making event planning and involvement in Chicago near impossible.  I will most likely get myself involved in the WordPress community in Atlanta once we get settled in!

In prior years, Brian Gardner helped out a bit with this event – and I am unsure if he is interested/willing to pick up the ball and run with it for 2011 – that will remain to be seen as he organizes and prioritizes his life and work on his end.  I have notified him that I would be unable to do it in 2011 – so we’ll see what happens!

At this point, I do not know who or if anyone will continue.  What I can say is that I will be contacting the WordPress Foundation and donating the wordcampchicago.com over to them.  That way, whoever does pick up the ball can host the site over at the official WordCamp.org location and map the wordcampchicago.com domain to it so previous years attendees are not confused as to where to go for future events.

When the time comes, and if an organizer does emerge – - I’m also willing to hand over the @WCChicago Twitter account and Facebook pages and any other properties that I’ve built associated with the WordCamp Chicago event.

WordCamp Chicago had a run of two very successful years.  In 2009, we hosted 200 passionate WordPress users in Chicago – - and in 2010 we hosted 500.  There is a very active, passionate and involved community in an around the Chicago area who will benefit from this events continued existance, so it is my hope that somebody does pick this up where I left off to continue its success!

In the meantime – did you know that Brian Gardner hosts his own small Chicago WordPress Meetup in the Suburbs?  It’s true!  You can find out all the information you need to know about it on the Chicago Suburbs WordPress Meetup Group web site.

Big thanks to everyone from speakers to sponsors and all of the attendees that have joined us in Chicago over the past 2 years!  You can bet that, while I won’t be organizing, I will be in attendance at future events – - I’ll be keeping my eyes out!

Thanks for everything!

UDPATE – I’m getting LOTS Of email all of the sudden asking if I would help them get started with organizing this event yourself.  The point of me stepping down from this is that I don’t have the time to invest any longer – and will no longer be in the area to do it…therefore, I cannot help you do it either.

The first step for those interested should be to get in touch w/ the folks at WordCamp.Org about organizing this event for 2011 – they will be able to point you in the right direction.  When a clear organizer emerges – I will transfer WordCampChicago related properties at that time. Thanks for understanding!

For anyone who has organized an event like this, you know that it’s NO small task and takes a lot of organization, time and work to pull it off.  I want to take this opportunity to thank the individual folks responsible for helping me get it done:

• Chris Wilson, my husband – - he is not on Twitter or Facebook, nor does he have a blog or website (but he does have his own hashtag) – so I have no URL to share for him … he’s not much of a WordPress user, but he supports my work and my passion and helped a great deal in organizing WordCamp Chicago from the venue planning, sponsors, equipment, printing, t-shirts and overal preparations – as well as volunteering and helping at the registration table, and during the event.  Now that’s love!
• Lindsey Hardegree | @#LindseyATTizzy | Tizzy Consulting – aside from donating $200 towards the event, Lindsey was extremely helpful in helping me pull together information for the web site, Twitter announcements and some last minute organization of speaker information, photos and bios.  Lindsey was also priceless on the day of the event by playing ringmaster at the registration table and keeping 500 WordPress fanatics in line and organized during registration, as well as answering questions and general help throughout the weekend – thank you, Lindsey!
• Melissa Hoppe | @MelHop91 – Melissa is my daughter and she was SUCH a big help before, during and after the event with all the planning and preparations that needed to go in to it.  She is not a WordPress user – - really, she doesn’t know much about WordPress beyond that fact that her mother wrote a book about it   But, she’s a helpful soul and really got into the weekend.  Now that it’s over – she wants to become a WordPress Power User!  Thank you, Melissa!
• AJ Arend – @ConsoleMayhem – AJ was extremely helpful at the registration table all weekend long!  Thank you, AJ for your time and hard work helping us make WordCamp Chicago a successful event!
• Brian Gardner | @BGardner | StudioPress – Brian was instrumental in bringing together the fine list of speakers that the attendees were able to enjoy all weekend long!  Brian also spent all weekend entertaining the folks in the Dev Track, while I entertained in the User track – thank you, Brian!

To all of our speakers who made the event special – thank you very much for sharing your time and experience with all of us at WordCamp Chicago!  I cannot tell you how many emails I’ve received with feedback that the sessions at this year’s WordCamp were AMAZING – and it’s because of all the speakers who gave their time, work and wisdom that helped all of our attendees bring home some great knowledge, tips, tricks and ideas in their journey through WordPress.  THANK YOU ALL!

Find your WordCamp Chicago 2010 Speakers and Organizers on Twitter:

To our sponsors – - a great big thank you from everyone at WordCamp Chicago – - we would NOT have been able to do this without you!

• InfoLinks - Big thanks to Shay and Tomer from InfoLinks as our Platinum sponsor for WordCamp Chicago.  They sponsored the event, as well as hosting a booth at the event where they baked yummy chocolate chip cookies all day long, while providing attendees with some great information on monetizing a WordPress blog with their great new plugin for in text advertsing.  They are a really nice bunch and made the event so much fun with their involvement – thank you, InfoLinks!
• GoDaddy - As a Gold sponsor of WordCamp Chicago – GoDaddy helped us make the event rock!  They sponsored our power stations and Flavio and Dana attended the event and several WordPress users had the opportunity to sit and chat with them about GoDaddy’s services.  They also provided us with some really super swag bags that we filled up with goodies for our attendees. GoDaddy included some of their own swag in the bags – - one of which were orange GoDaddy stress balls which were used to show Cory Miller our appreciation after his presentation was over.
• ForDummies – the For Dummies division of Wiley Publishing sponsored WordCamp Chicago as a Gold level sponsor .. which was great since they were representing my own books, WordPress For Dummies and BuddyPress For Dummies.  Thanks, Wiley and ForDummies for helping us put on such a fabulous event in Chicago!
• Wiley Publishing – not content with simply sponsoring with the ForDummies brand.. we also had several other Wiley authors in the house in Chicago including Brad Williams, Hal Stern and David Dramstra who all wrote Professional WordPress.  As another Gold level sponsor of WordCamp Chicago – we thank you and were proud to have you involved!
• iThemes - aside from having two very informative speakers at our event (Cory Miller and Chris Jean), iThemes also sponsored as a Silver Level sponsor this year and their support was well recieved and very much appreciated!  They also gave away 500 iThemes t-shirts at WordCamp Chicago which were very popular with the slogan “My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog” on the front – - nothing like some blog wars to get the energy pumping at WordCamp!  Thank you Cory and your team at iThemes – they are great friends of WordCamp Chicago!
• Shopp Plugin – BIG thanks to Jon and John over at the Shopp Plugin, an e-commerce solution for WordPress users.  Their generous support as Silver Sponsors really helped make the event a success.  They also attended WordCamp Chicago, which was really super since attendees and users were able to meet the folks behind such a great plugin!
• GetShopped (WP E-Commerce) – another Silver level sponsor and the owner/founder/developer of the WP E-Commerce plugin, Dan Milward (ALLLL the way from NZ!), also gave generously of his time and expertise by speaking at the event on the topic of WP E-Commerce and BuddyPress.  Thank you Dan, and GetShopped.Org, for supporting WordCamp Chicago!
• DigitalPure - a Copper Level sponsor of WordCamp Chicago this year – thank you, DigitalPure!
• ServerBeach - a Copper Level sponsor of WordCamp Chicago this year – thank you, ServerBeach!
• Margaret Roach – a Copper Level sponsor of WordCamp Chicago (again!) this year – thank you, Margaret!

All in all, the event was really fabulous!  I cannot begin to tell you all about the amazing people I met and connected with – - and it was really super to sit back and watch other people connecting and sharing experiences and ideas, which is what WordCamp is ALL about!

We are really looking forward to another great event in 2011!  We are beginning the preliminary planning for it already – and will be making announcements here again later this year.  Let’s all stay in touch and do this again next year!!

H/T: @MichaelTorbert (via: MichaelTorbert.com)

By the way – GoDaddy sponsored a portion of our WordCamp event in Chicago this year – which we greatly appreciated! They sent us 500+ swag bags that we filled up with goodies for our attendees. Part of the goodies in the bag were bright orange stress balls stamped with the GoDaddy logo. Those are the balls that everyone collected and pelted at Cory Miller when he was finished with his presentation. Thank you, GoDaddy!

Cory’s speech, by the way, was tremendous…passionate…inspiring and really made for an awesome closer for WordCamp Chicago. It, unfortunately, not video taped. Next year, though! Everyone loves Cory – - hence the “Ball Rain”!

Brad Williams owns WebDevStudios and presented his topic, Now That’s What I Call WordPress Security – 2010 Edition, on Day One of WordCamp Chicago. Thanks for the vid, Brad!

Drink Specials*:
Wear Nametag or say “WordCamp” at the Door
$3 bud and bud light
$5 sky vodka drinks
$7 call drinks

*specials good till 11pm

Saturday night – June 5th – the official WordCamp Chicago after-party is generously sponsored by: Lakeshore Branding, Think Tank Live!, Virtual Hires and Plugged In Consulting.  Thank you so, so much for organizing and sponsoring such a fun event for Chicago WordCampers!

Official details:

Official WordCamp Chicago After Party Saturday, June 5 at 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Bull and Bear Bar, Grill & Vantage Point
431 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 527-5973

Directions from the Mart Plaza

I want to make this post for you with some helpful information you can use as you head into Chicago this weekend. Please, feel free to leave questions/comments and talk amongst yourselves in the comments section here with your own tips about Chicago and WordCamps. We’re a social bunch

Some Chicago Holiday Inn – Mart Plaza Facts:

• The Chicago Mart Plaza is the official venue of the event.  It is located at 350 West Mart Plaza Drive and the phone number is:  +1 312 8365000
• The Merchandise Mart is SO big, it has it’s own zip code (spans 4 city blocks and is as big as the Pentagon!).  It’s a beautiful piece of architectural art – for those of you who love Chicago for it’s architecture — THIS is the place to see!
• In the center of downtown Chicago’s exciting River North area close to the Loop financial district
• Atop the 350 West Mart Center Building connected to the Merchandise Mart and Shops at the Mart via sky bridge
• 13 miles from Chicago Midway Airport
• 18 miles from O’Hare International Airport
• Restaurant at the Mart Plaza: Italiasia – The flavors of Italy and Pan Asia
• Bar at the Mart Plaza: Cityscape Bar with expansive skyline view

Event details:

• WordCamp Chicago is located in the Sauganash Ballroom – - it is on the 14th Floor.  Follow the signs!
• The Mart Plaza is pretty big – - plan your time to include getting from the front door to the registration table!
• We are feeding you breakfast on Saturday and Sunday starting bright and early at 7:30 to 9:00 am  (bagels, danish, muffins, assorted pastries, coffee, tea, etc)
• You are on your own for lunch on both days – you have an hour and a half for lunch – - get out and ENJOY  beautiful downtown Chicago!  (Psst – there is a food court on the 2nd floor of the Merchandise Mart … also, see below for some restaurants/eateries nearby!)
• Registration starts at 7:30 AM – - in exchange for taking a peek at your ID, you get your WordCamp Chicago name badge and swag bag (with lots of goodies inside!) We have 500 people to check in – - please do your part to help us make it as orderly and quick as possible, thanks in advance!
• The event starts officially at 8:30 AM with opening remarks by yours truly
• This is where it gets tricky – - at 9:00 – 9:15 – everyone needs to get up and leave the room so the venue folks can close the electronic door that splits the ballroom into two rooms, one for our User Track the other for our Dev Track.  Kind of inconvenient, yea – - but it gives us all a chance to refresh our breakfast and coffee and chit chat a little.  So don’t get too comfy right away and I apologize in advance….it was the less expensive route!
• WiFi - in your swag bag, you will find the program schedule.  On the program schedule you will find the password for WiFi access.  We have THREE routers, each with three different passwords – - each router is locked down to a specific number of users…..so if the first password doesn’t work for you, move on to the second…or the third, until you find one that lets you in.   Keep in mind that this is hotel WiFi we’re talking about here – - the usual disclaimers apply!

THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU CAN HAVE FOR THIS WEEKEND:
(Location and walking directions from The Chicago Mart Plaza (A) to the nearest Starbucks (B))

Restaurants near Merchandise Mart in Chicago (h/t Centerstage Chicago):

Bars and Nightclubs close to Merchandise Mart in Chicago (h/t Centerstage Chicago):

I hope this little guide helps you this weekend! Coming up a little later today…. information about parties and get togethers that I’ve heard about. If you have a gathering that you’d like people to know about – let me know, I’ll post it here!

Note: This talk will be geared towards users who have, at minimum, a basic understanding of theme development and experience with web development tools, such as Firebug.

In this session we’re going to take a look at some features added in recent and upcoming versions of  WordPress and step through the process of integrating them into an existing WordPress theme.

If you are interested in integrating the new Custom Menu options into your site this will be a great session for you.

I’m in the early Sunday morning slot, so I’ll be using an indoor voice and moving slowly.

Talk summary: How are the URLs typed (or clicked on) by your loyal and fun-loving WordPress reader community used to select content for display?  There’s a tremendous amount of URL parsing that happens before the WordPress Loop is handed content, taking those URLs and turning them into SQL applied to the underlying MySQL databases.  This talk takes apart the URL parsing, SQL generation and page template selection processes, showing how categories, tags and other content slugs are used to actually find the content they describe. I’ll highlight some hooks to modify the default parsing and SQL generation behavior and take a careful walk through the various MySQL tables that are used.  No prior knowledge of SQL is required, although you’ll probably leave being able to use “INNER JOIN” in a sentence.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is both an art and a science. Some believe that SEO is dead and others believe that only a professional can understand the intricacies of this frequently changing industry. SEO is far from dead and the truth is that there are many changes bloggers can make on their own blogs to see positive results – for FREE!

Join me at 9:15am on Sunday, June 6th for WordPress SEO Optimization as I walk you through the key areas of SEO and provide you with simple tips and white hat tactics to help your blog not only be found on the top search engines but also get your content in front of your target audience.

Each attendee to my session will be given access to a FREE SEO Tips and Tricks Guide as well as be entered to win one FREE SEO Audit of their website or blog by my company, SKS Designs.