Announcing BarCamp Chattanooga, July 25

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BarCamp Chattanooga, a user-generated "unconference," is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, at Chattanooga State. Following recent successful BarCamps in Nashville and Birmingham, this will be the first conference of its kind in Chattanooga.

The schedule and topics for presentations will be developed collaboratively on the morning of the event. Five one-hour blocks are allotted for presentations, and slots will be reserved in a first-come, first-served manner. Multiple sessions can run concurrently, depending on the number of participants who want to present. In addition to the presentations, a development networking hour is planned to help participants organize around project ideas and begin the process of collaborating. Participants will be eligible for giveaways from Wordpress.com and O'Reilly, and lunch will be provided courtesy of Medium. An after-party will follow, with details to be announced later.

What is a BarCamp?

BarCamp is described as "an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment." The first BarCamp was organized in Palo Alto in 2005—in less than one week—and the idea has spread around the globe in the years following. One of the most defining characteristics of a BarCamp is the "no spectators, only participants" rule, because every attendee is asked to either present or contribute in some way.

Why BarCamp Chattanooga?

According to organizer Daniel Ryan, the goal is to leverage social connections to learn from one another and continue Chattanooga's growth as a technology city. He writes:

In the last few years I've seen the tech community of the city come together more and more on a social level. While this is great, BarCamp gives us an opportunity not just to spend time with each other but to learn from one another. Having a community who cares about each other and are willing to share knowledge with each other bolsters all of us and the city's tech reputation as a whole.

Mr. Ryan also stated that while the event has a tech-centric history, he hopes the open format will attract a wider variety of participants:

It's my hope that we reach out beyond the tech community and draw in local entrepreneurs, artists, students, etc. so all of us can contribute and learn from each other.

What: BarCamp Chattanooga
When: Saturday, July 25, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (After-party TBA)
Where: Chattanooga State
Admission: Free, pre-registration requested, lunch provided
Sponsors: Medium and Airnet Group Organizers:  Daniel Ryan, Juncture and Chattarati