We love WordPress, and we aren’t the only ones. 27.4% of websites use WordPress, and it is used all over the world. It won Content Management System of the Year 2016 and continues to dominate the CMS market with 58.5% market share. Being open source and inclusive, WordPress is an excellent platform with a dedicated community developing around it.

WordCamp events are for anyone who uses WordPress, whether you are a blogger, developer, designer, SEO or UX expert, entrepreneur, business or not-for-profit organisation.

The idea for WordCamp Bristol was born out of a local Bristol WordPress meet-up group for beginners and specialists alike, whether they be bloggers, content editors, copywriters, designers, or developers. As an active community of around 300 members who love WordPress, the meet-ups cater for a range of different disciplines covering all levels of expertise. The group meets monthly for interesting talks, expert website help and the opportunity to share knowledge with each other. (We meet on the first Tuesday of every month at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer. Find more info on the meetup page or the website.)

When we realised there was no WordCamp event in a city with such a lively WordPress community, we couldn’t let this injustice go on any longer. We took the plunge and decided to organise the inaugural WordCamp Bristol, which will take place over the weekend of 13-14 May 2017 in the Watershed Media Centre.

Bristol is a diverse and creative city that is full of life, so there were many themes that we could have chosen for the event. We decided on a maritime theme because the identity of the city is built on its culture, so we felt that there was no better option than to reflect Bristol’s seafaring heritage.

The event is taking place on the Bristol Harbourside, which is a stunning area to walk through or enjoy dinner or drinks. The vibrant waterfront area echoes the lively personality of the city, whilst representing Bristol’s maritime history.

It’s thanks to our generous sponsors that we are able put on an affordable and engaging event for the WordPress community in Bristol. In return, our sponsors gain exposure and visibility from tech-savvy WordPress users, designers and developers. If you would like to sponsor the event, you can learn more on our Call for Sponsors page.

There’s just one month until our deadline for speaker applications. If you have a story to tell about your experience with WordPress, we want to hear it. Apply to be a speaker on our Call for Speakers page by 14 April, and good luck!

Finally, it is important to us that WordCamp Bristol reflects the friendly, open atmosphere of the WordPress community and the creativity of Bristol itself. We would love to see you there to help make the inaugural WordCamp Bristol a special one! We welcome not just local WordPress enthusiasts but WordPress enthusiasts from anywhere who would like to combine attending the WordCamp with a visit to this beautiful and welcoming city. Get your tickets on our Tickets page, and if you can afford it please consider purchasing a micro-sponsor ticket – it will make a big difference to our funding and help us make WordCamp Bristol even better!