We held our first in-person event since 2019 in Salt Lake City last month and it was well-attended, celebratory, and safe. We had 1,753 in-person attendees and 669 online attendees. Of the in-person attendees, 1,153 were attending their first PyCon US ever – we hope they’ll all be back! In-person attendees were masked and we took care to add extra space to the expo hall, the dining areas, the session rooms and the job fair. For many community members, this was their first in-person conference or community event of any type in almost 3 years. There were a LOT of hugs and some very enthusiastic -- elbow bumps.
You can take a look at PyCon 2022 by the numbers here.
Having joined the PSF as Executive Director just a few weeks before the event, this was a great opportunity to meet the community, including long-time volunteers, current and former board members, and hard-working local Python organizers from all over the world. It was also my first opportunity to meet the amazing PSF staff in person. Did you know that the PSF facilitates PyCon US with just 8 staff members? Their dedication to providing a space that is welcoming and fun, while also being safe and respectful, knows no bounds. The community is always first at PyCon US.
We had lots of great talks and convened summits focused on Maintainers, Typing, Education, Packaging and the development of the Python Language. We also hosted Mentored Sprints for Diverse Beginners, the PyLadies Auction, four Lightning Talk Sessions, and two days of Sprints. We hit a few snags with a new AV team this year, but now most of the videos are up on our YouTube channel.
This year’s event was a little more cautious, but it was really nice to see people. We’re actively looking for ways to better engage our online attendees next year and would welcome your ideas. Thanks to our many, many volunteers, especially three-time PyCon US Chair Emily Morehouse! Thank you also to our wonderful sponsors, many of whom not only help us put on PyCon US but also support the Python Programming Language throughout the year!!
Mark your calendar for PyCon US 2023 from April 19th to April 27th, 2023 both in Salt Lake City or online. If you are interested in talking about sponsorship opportunities for 2023, please drop us a line. And we are always looking for more volunteers, so if you’d like to be part of a future event as a volunteer, just let us know.
