{"id":3778,"date":"2026-10-26T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T04:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/?p=3778"},"modified":"2026-10-27T13:37:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T08:07:46","slug":"your-first-wordcamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/your-first-wordcamp\/","title":{"rendered":"Your first WordCamp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Your first WordCamp.<\/strong> More than a third of the people at the first WordCamp Bengaluru had never been to a WordCamp before. If that is you this year, this post goes through Sunday 22 November in order: when to arrive, which talks to pick, where people meet, and what happens after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four suggested routes through the sessions, two of them with no code, plus notes for anyone travelling in. General Admission is \u20b9800 for both days, lunch included.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Sunday 22 Nov<\/span>SJBHS, Museum Road<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Sunday<\/em> goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday 22 November a few hundred people walk into St Joseph’s Boys’ High School on Museum Road, half a kilometre from MG Road metro. At the first WordCamp Bengaluru, in 2023, more than a third of them had never been to a WordCamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are one of the new ones this year, this is what the day looks like and where to be when. It takes about seven minutes to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Start at 08:00<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The full schedule<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

\"An<\/p>\n\n\n\n

on_stage.png<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"Two<\/p>\n\n\n\n

hallway_track.png<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"South<\/p>\n\n\n\n

add_filter( ‘coffee’ );<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ sunday_22_nov<\/span>Tap a block to jump there<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

The day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From Saturday night until 17:30<\/em> on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

\n

The night before<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of the prep happens in a browser tab on Saturday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\/\/ saturday_night.todo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Star your talks on the schedule.<\/a> Starred then shows only your picks.<\/span>Scroll the attendees page.<\/a> Some of those faces will be in the coffee queue.<\/span>Your confirmation email on your phone, and a photo ID to match the badge.<\/span>A light jacket. November runs about 15 to 28\u00b0C, and the mornings are cool.<\/span>Leave ten minutes earlier than you think you need to. Sunday traffic is still Bengaluru traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ coming_in_from_another_city<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, further<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than ninety places to sleep sit within two kilometres of the venue, from an \u20b9878 dorm bed on Church Street to the Oberoi. November is a busy month here, so book early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay<\/strong>sorted by price, measured from the venue<\/span><\/a>Getting to Bengaluru<\/strong>the airport, the stations and the bus stand<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"Contributors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ make_it_a_weekend<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your ticket also makes you eligible for Contributor Day on Saturday 21 November, at Bangalore International Centre<\/a> in Domlur: a day of working on WordPress itself, in groups by area. Separate free sign-up, limited seats.<\/mark> The form goes up on the tickets page<\/a> closer to the date. How the weekend works<\/a> covers Saturday in full.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\n

Walking in<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Registration and breakfast take the first hour, and it is the quietest part of the day, so it is a good time to arrive. Pick up your badge at the desk and get a coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The school opened in 1858. The talks are in two halls a minute apart, Xavier Hall and Concert Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people there have known each other for years through the monthly meetups. Plenty know nobody yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span>schedule.php<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/i>add_filter<\/b>( ‘coffee’<\/s> );<\/span>2<\/i>\/\/ hooked to the whole day. no priority argument needed.<\/u><\/span>3<\/i>add_action<\/b>( ‘lunch’<\/s>, ‘shared_tables’<\/s>, 1345<\/s> );<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Line 1 is printed across the top of the real schedule page. Filter coffee and snacks run through the day, and lunch is on the ticket.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"South<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\/\/ 08:01<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"A<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the room fills. WordCamp Bengaluru 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\n

Your first talk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opening remarks at 09:00, the first talk at 09:15, and from 10:00 both halls run side by side until the end of the day. Most sessions this year involve AI in some way. Two of the four routes below need no code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\/\/ pick_a_route<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four ways through the day<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xavier Hall<\/strong>30-minute talks and both panels<\/span>Concert Hall<\/strong>15-minute lightning talks, back to back, and the workshop<\/span>A minute apart, so hopping between them at the quarter hour is easy, and you can mix routes freely.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swipe for all four routes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\/\/ route_01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You build sites, plugins or products<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Agents, plugins and MCP, mostly in code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ route_02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You run an agency, freelance or own a business<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Clients, pricing, churn and GST, with no code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ route_03<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You write, publish or market<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Getting found by AI search, and AI that keeps to the brief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ route_04<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are curious where it is all going<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The wider view: brand, platforms, teams, and AI outside tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every title opens its session page. Found your picks? Star them on the schedule<\/a>, and Starred shows only those, ready to print.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

The law of<\/span>two feet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Talk not for you? You can leave.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody minds if you walk out partway. Open Space events call this the law of two feet. Try the other hall, get another coffee, or talk to someone in the corridor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If there is a talk you came for, be in the room.<\/strong> Very few past talks from here ended up on WordPress.tv.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\n

The hallway track<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At 11:00 the corridors fill up. Regulars call this the hallway track, and plenty of them say it is the best part of the day. You do not need an opener: "Which talk were you in?" is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>you<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ the_pac_man_rule<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group standing in a circle leaves a gap for one more person, like Pac-Man’s mouth. See a gap, step into it. Standing in a circle yourself, leave one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\"Two<\/p>\n\n\n\n

between sessions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"Two<\/p>\n\n\n\n

by the booths<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wear your badge where people can read it. It saves a lot of introductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone running the day is a volunteer. This year’s organizing team includes a school principal, a banker and a teacher, all giving up their weekends for it. Nobody bought a speaking slot either: WordCamps do not sell them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos: WordCamp Bengaluru 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\n

The photo, then lunch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At 13:15 everyone heads out, and at 13:30 the whole conference stands together for the group photo. Stand anywhere. It is the only time the whole conference is in one place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\"The<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

1 in<\/span> 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

at the first WordCamp Bengaluru had never been to a WordCamp before. About 120 of the 330 people who came.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The group photo, WordCamp Bengaluru 2023.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Lunch is at shared tables, which makes it the easiest time of the day to meet people. Sit somewhere with an empty chair and ask the others what they do with WordPress. People switch tables halfway through.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\/\/ a_true_story<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A first-timer at a WordCamp got lost in a talk, tried to slip out early for lunch, and tripped in the aisle in front of the whole room. Afterwards a stranger got talking to them and took them to lunch with his group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A year later<\/span>They were on stage, giving a talk of their own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\n

The last hour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The afternoon talks start at 14:30 and run until 16:15, followed by a coffee break, the quiz, the raffle and closing remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No official afterparty this year.<\/strong> People make their own plans, usually somewhere on Church Street, and sort them out in the community WhatsApp group<\/a>. If your lunch table is going, go.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

\/\/ after_sunday<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What people did next<\/em>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Four people who started out as first-timers, and where it led.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A law student<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Helped organise their very first WordCamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two years later, the emcee at WordCamp Asia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ran a painting studio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Volunteered at their first one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On an organizing team within a year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

03<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A botany graduate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nervous about speaking in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gave a first talk in Hindi. It went down well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

04<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three speakers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the first WordCamp Bengaluru, in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three started as first-timers somewhere else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\"A<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\/\/ every_month<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

2,965<\/p>\n\n\n\n

members of the WordPress Bengaluru meetup<\/a>, which is free and runs every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone you meet will be from Bengaluru, and there are WordPress meetups in cities across India. The groups are moving to WordPress.org, where you join with the same WordPress.org account you bought your ticket with.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

\/\/ see_you_sunday<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doors at 08:00<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday 22 November, St Joseph’s Boys’ High School<\/a>, Museum Road. First time buying a ticket? The ticket guide<\/a> shows every screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not need to be a developer. You do not need to know anyone. You only need to walk in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u20b9800<\/strong>General Admission<\/span>Both days, lunch included<\/small><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u20b92,500<\/strong>Friend of #WCBLR<\/span>Adds an invite to the networking dinner with speakers, sponsors and organizers, and keeps the other tickets cheap<\/small><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Get your ticket<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\/\/ image_credits<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos of WordCamp Bengaluru 2023, 2024 and 2025 and of the WordPress Bengaluru meetup: the WordPress Bengaluru community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filter coffee: Vallari.a, Filter kaapi<\/a>, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, cropped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contributor Day table: priyawurm, WordPress Photo Directory<\/a>, CC0.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sunday 22 November, hour by hour, from the badge desk at 08:00 to the walk out at 17:30: picking talks, the hallway track, lunch, and what comes after.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9676419,"featured_media":784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pheRQg-YW","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/files\/2026\/05\/wcblr-2023.jpeg?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9676419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3778"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3907,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3778\/revisions\/3907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bengaluru.wordcamp.org\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}