Plan Your Trip to WordCamp US 2023: A Detailed Schedule for WordCamp Attendees

Worried about how you plan to visit WordCamp US in 2023? When to reach? How can you get the most out of it by planning things correctly? Rest assured, we have answers to all of your questions.

So, whether you are a WordPress enthusiast, blogger, developer, or business owner, we will provide you with a detailed plan for seizing the best out of WCUS 2023. From navigating the entire schedule to choosing the best suitable sessions for you, and exploring the best attractions in the city, we are there for you.

If you haven’t yet planned your stay for the event, and how to commute, you can check out our detailed guide on Attend WordCamp US 2023. 

After shortlisting & finalizing the stay and transportation, stick around with us to plan all your days!

So, let’s get going!

What is the ideal time & day to reach for the event?

There is no ideal time to reach! Some of the best times to arrive at the destination are either on August 23rd’s morning or, at the latest, on August 23rd’s evening to get some time to prepare for the event. However, you need to ensure that you have decided on your stay, transportation mode, and food availability, along with enough time to reach the location, complete the check-in formalities, and get some time to rest too!

The WCUS starts early in the morning at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on Waterfront Street.  

Now, we will provide you with day-wise planning of WordCamp US 2023 so that you can take complete advantage of it.

Day 1/ Thursday

August 24th – 2023

The first day is specially allocated for contribution to WordPress. This WCUS 2023 kicks off at 8:30 AM. And, the best thing about this day is that you don’t need to do registration. So, keep your notes & pen ready to attend this event on time!

On this day, you get an excellent opportunity to attend various dynamic sessions from WordPress contributors. All of these contributors have expertise in one or the other topics. Plus, you get crucial guidance to learn how to leverage WordPress for your business and industry.  

If you are interested in contributing to WordCamp US 2023, we have prepared a detailed guide on how to contribute to WordCamp US 2023.

What is the Schedule for Contributor Day?

• The WCUS event commences at 8:30 PM for new contributors, and 9:30 AM for returning contributors.
• Group Photo Session at 12:15 PM.
• Lunch at 12:30 PM. 
• Team summaries, and wrap up at 4:30 PM. 
• Round up at 5:00 PM.

Places to Visit Near Maryland, US

Here is the list of the top 5 nearby attractions you can enjoy after attending day 2 of WCUS 2023.

• MGM National Harbor – Luxury Resort & Casino featuring entertainment, spa salon and more. (2 miles away).
• Cruise, Sail, or Paddleboard on the Potomac River (21.6 miles away)
• Fly High on the Capital Wheel (0.7 miles away).
• Catch a Movie on an Outdoor Jumbotron Near the Potomac River (21.6 miles away).
• Attend a concert at National Harbor Marina (0.8 miles away).

Day 2 / Friday

August 25th – 2023

One of the most exciting WordPress events of the year will occur at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on Waterfront Street. However, the events are bifurcated across three halls at this resort, namely Woodrow Wilson, Annapolis, and Cherry Blossom. Parallel sessions will happen in all three conference halls, and you can attend the session as per your interests, preferences, and goals.

Registration starts bright and early at 8:00 AM, so ensure to arrive at the destination at 8:00 AM or before that so that you don’t miss anything. The event will end at 4:30 PM, so you have a plethora of time to improve your knowledge and make more connections.

There will be some of the most prominent speakers from different parts of the planet, energized to talk about WordPress. In addition, you have a best-in-class opportunity to network with people, and make meaningful connections that can help you take your business to a new level. Sounds exhilarating, isn’t it?

What is the Schedule for Day 2?

Here is a brief overview of things that will happen on WCUS Day 2. You need to follow along to get the most out of this day.

• Registration starts at 8:00 AM.
• Opening Remarks at 9:00 AM.
• Session on “For All Userkind: NASA Web Modernization and WordPress” by Abby Bowman and J.J Toothman. The session will happen in Woodrow Wilson from 9:15 AM to 10:00 AM.
• There is also a session from 9:15 AM to 10:00 AM at Cherry Blossom. The speaker and the topic of the session haven’t been decided yet.
• A short break to complete your breakfast from 10:00 AM to 10:15 AM.
• Session on “How to Use WordPress to Make a Difference to the World” by Shambi Broome from 10:15 AM to 11:00 AM at Woodrow Wilson.
• Session on “Hands-on with NASA’s new digital platform” by Abby Bowman and J.J. Toothman from 10:15 AM to 11:00 AM at Annapolis
• Session on “The Enterprise Approach to WordPress Security” by Peter Wilson from 10:15 AM to 11:00 AM at Cherry Blossom.
• Lunch Break from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM.
• Session on “So, You Pleaged to Contribute to WordPress: What Next?” by keynote speakers Hari Shankar, Jonathan Desrosiers, Femy Praseeth, and Emily Clarke. Timings are 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• Session on “Open File To Rule Them All, and With Composer, Install Them” by David Dashifen Kees. Timings are 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM at Annapolis.
• Session on “Recipe for Accessibility: Limiting Ingredients for Faster Design” by keynote speakers Hari Shankar, Jonathan Desrosiers, Femy Praseeth, and Emily Clarke. Timings are 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• A Short Break from 2:15 PM to 2:30 PM.
• Session on “Powering a Global Membership eCommerce Platform with Multisite, or Why Multisite Isn’t Dead” by Ryan Smith. It will happen at Annapolis from 2:30 PM to 3:15 PM. 
• A Short break from 3:15 PM to 3:30 PM. 
• A short session on “Building a thoughtful block editing experience” by Aurooba Ahmed from 3:30 PM to 3:45 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• Session on “The Headless Block Editor” by Sean Blakeley from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM at Annapolis
• Session on “Web Accessibility in an Inside Job” by Sunner Davenport from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM at Cherry Blossom.
• A short Session on “Modeling the Better Version of Yourself – the Work/Life Tightrope of a Women in Tech Leadership” from 3:45 to 4:00 PM by Andrea Silas at Woodrow Wilson.
• A short session on “Using a GitHub Action to ensure your plugins are GPL compatible” from 4:00 PM to 4:15 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• A short session on “Rising from Rejection: How WordPress Helped Me Reenter Society Again” from 4:15 PM to 4:30 PM by Justin Kopepasah.

Best Things to Do in Maryland, US

Here is the list of things you can do in Maryland, US, apart from attending WordCamp 2023.

• Stroll near the National Harbor Waterfront District and Shop.
• Shop at Tanger Outlets, which has outlets from 85+ popular brands.
• Dine at one of the 40+ best Restaurants in the city.
• Visit Ocean City. It is around 153 miles from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, and takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach. Explore this beautiful city and its beach.
• Go to The Adventure Park at Sandy Springs to enjoy various activities like Zip lines, rope rigs, and wooden bridges.

Day 3 / Saturday

August 26th – 2023

The third and last day of the WCUS event is also filled with many things. Similar to day 2, parallel sessions would run on different topics related to WordPress. And the best thing about this day is that you get an opportunity to attend a session from none other than the co-founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg! Besides this, there would be power-packed sessions from experts around the world. So, for whom are you waiting?

Let’s make the most out of this last day, and gain as much knowledge and inspiration as you can!

What is the Schedule for Day 3?

Here is the schedule of things happening on the last day of WordCamp US 2023. You need to follow along to get the most out of it.

• Registration starts at 8:00 AM.
• Session on “Future of WordPress” by Josepha Haden Chomphosy from 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM at Woodrow Wilson.
• There is also a session on “Future of WordPress ”from 9:15 AM to 10:00 AM at Cherry Blossom. The speaker hasn’t been decided yet.
• Break from 9:45 AM to 10:00 AM.
• Session on “Anatomy of Accessible Navigation Menu” by Steve Jones from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM at Woodrow Wilson. 
• Session on “Make It Real: Use AI To Successfully Deliver An Authentic Content Creation Process” by Femi Lewis from 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM at Annapolis.
• Session on “The independence theme developer’s field guide to modern WordPress” by Michelle Schulp Hunt from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM at Cherry Blossom.
• A Short break from 10:45 AM to 11:00 AM.
• Session on “Accessibility Without Compromising Creativity” by Danielle Zarcaro from 11:00 AM to 11:45 at Woodrow Willson.
• Session on “From Mess to Success: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Information Architecture in WordPress” by Jo Miney from 11:00 AM to 11:45 at Cherry Blossom.
• The session on “BlackPress: Amplifying Black Professionals in WordPress” will be conducted by popular speakers, such as Ray Mitchell, Maestro Stevens, Destiny Kanno, and George H. Woodard III. The timings of this session are 1:15 PM to 2:00 PM and will happen at Woodrow Wilson.
• A session on “Modern WordPress Development” by Gary McPherson from 1:15 PM to 3:00 PM. 
• Session on “WordPress Playground, present and future applications” by Antonio Sejas from 1:15 PM to 2:00 PM at Cherry Blossom.
• A short break from 2:00 PM to 2:15 PM.
• Session on “Learn WordPress: A Resource for you and your community” by Courtney Patubo Kranke from 2:15 PM to 3:00 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• Session on “Embracing Lean Principles in Front-End Projects” by Dmitry Mayorow from 2:15 PM to 3:00 PM at Cherry Blossom.
• A short break from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM.
• Session on “The WordPress Advantage with Matt Mullenweg” from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM at Woodrow Wilson.
• The event rounds up at 5:00 PM.

What to do after the event is over?

Have you heard about the Social Exploration planned by the WordCamp event organizers?

It is known as WordCamp US social, and it is happening from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM on August 26, 2023, at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. 

Now, this is not just an old venue. The museum is home to a jaw-dropping 146 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, rocks, human remains, human cultural articles, etc., from all over the world! It’s truly the largest collection of natural history on the planet!

But here is an important reminder- you can’t just walk into the museum; you need to bring the badge you obtained at the time of registration, so don’t forget to keep it with you. Trust us, this is an event you’ll not want to miss!

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, preparing well in advance for WordCamp 2023, will enable you to obtain an enriching experience, and make it memorable. Whether you are an expert or a beginner, you can attend sessions and workshops, connect and network with people at WordCamp US 2023, and explore the beautiful city. 

To get the most out of WordCamp US 2023, you should register for the event now, as there are limited seats. Once you have secured your spot for the event, you should start planning your trip by booking your accommodation and travel, too! Next, you should check out the schedule we shared above, and plan your agenda so you don’t miss any sessions.  

Additionally, remain open-minded during the entire event. There will be plenty of opportunities to connect with attendees, and you don’t know who you might meet. You may even learn something that can change the outlook of your business and life.

We hope our guide has been helpful in preparing you for the WordCamp US 2023. We can’t wait to hear about all the great experiences you had there!

Note: Some of the images used in the article are released under a Creative Commons license. The original images are available on the Flickr account of WordCamp Europe.