The third edition of WordFest Live is coming up on March 4, 2022. The online event will feature more than 60 sessions over the course of 24 hours, as well as workshops, socials, and celebrations.
Sessions will be focused on WordPress, remote working, and mental wellbeing. Topics include leadership, freelancing, website performance, podcasting, WooCommerce, dealing with mental disorders in tech, work/life balance, stress and anxiety, and more.
Although WordFest was created by experienced WordCamp organizers, it is not an event that falls under the official WordCamp Central umbrella. The event remains independent because it was created to raise awareness and funds for Big Orange Heart, a non-profit that supports and promotes positive wellbeing and mental health within remote working communities. Big Orange Heart’s first event was held in January 2021.
“The event has morphed a bit over the course of 2021 to what it will be next week,” WordFest speaker lead Michelle Frechette said. “We’ve perfected the platform, which incorporates live emcees with both live and pre-recorded speaker sessions, live and recorded community interviews, wellness talks as well as tech and business talks, an online photo booth, sponsor rooms, and networking rooms – all of which contribute to the reduction of those feelings of isolation that come from working in a remote community – especially after 2+ years of pandemic.”
More than 1,300 people have already signed up for WordFest. Frechette said the organizing team anticipates 2,500-3,000 registrations, as many online events usually get the bulk of their signups the week before.
The schedule for the event is designed to reach WordPress enthusiasts in every timezone across the globe, so everyone has the opportunity to catch some of the events live.
“So many times online events are targeted to Europe and North America, so people working in other regions in the world either have to forego sleep or consume the event only through recorded video after the fact,” Frechette said.
Although Wordfest happens over the span of 24 hours, it’s not the type of event where attendees are encouraged to pound caffeinated beverages and power through to the end.
“Because we are an organization that promotes positive mental well-being, we don’t want anyone to be up for a full 24 hours – so those times that someone is not able to be online for the event will be captured and saved for viewing at later times,” Frechette said.
WordFest registration is free and attendees can add an optional $10 donation. 100% of the funds raised for the event go directly to Big Orange Heart and will be invested in growing the organization’s free mental health support efforts for the remote working community.
