schedule

July 6-8, 2012Jump to Detailed Schedule

We're taking over Portland, Oregon the first weekend of July, just as the rain is leaving and our four weeks of annual good weather begins. Our plan of action is: have fun and create meaningful adventure.

Main Schedule
Friday, 7-10pm "Can't Wait" Welcoming Party
Saturday, 9am-10pm Main stage, workshops, fun
Sunday, 9am-10pm Main stage, workshops, fun

We'll all arrive in the city for a welcoming party on Friday evening, July 6th. The main event kicks off in the beautiful Newmark Theatre on Saturday morning. Throughout both weekend days, we'll alternate between the main stage for speaker talks, nearby alternate spaces for small-group workshops, and several smaller spaces for impromptu Tweetups and coffee refills.

The evenings will find us set loose on the town, attending your choice of Portland group events ranging from self-guided brewpub tours to blogger meetups to Rock Band contests to DIY craft store visits.

We'll conclude on Sunday evening in time for red-eye flights to the East Coast, or you can head out on another group event or stay for a Farewell party that goes as long as people are around. If you never need to sleep, afterparties and early-morning parties are scheduled for each day.

A complete schedule of speakers, workshops, and community events will be available closer to the event. For now, a small selection of our confirmed guests is listed below.

newmark theatre, portland

Amazing People
with Big Plans

We'll spend about a third of our time together in the main theatre, a third in small groups, and a third out and about around the city.

Featured Guests

  • Jonathan Fields

    Renegade Jonathan Fields will unveil his greatest work ever (even better than last time). Be very prepared!

  • susan cain

    Susan Cain prefers listening to speaking, but for WDS she'll join Jonathan Fields for a main-stage conversation on the power of introverts.

  • pam slim

    Pamela Slim will return to demonstrate martial arts and cubicle escape to adventurous attendees. Last time her workshops were standing-room only... get there early.

  • JD Roth

    J.D. Roth will talk about building Get Rich Slowly and his year of change.

  • Scott Belsky

    Scott Belsky will share how ideas are just the beginning: making them happen is what it's all about.

  • DJ Prashant

    DJ Prashant will return with a Bollywood performance and dance lesson... this time at the Crystal Ballroom, where Adele and Bob Dylan recently played.

  • Selena and Khary Cuffe

    Selena and Khary Cuffe will speak on founding and running a wine importing business... together.

  • Cal Newport

    Cal Newport (MIT Ph.D. and author of several books) will teach attendees how to do everything... except use Twitter.

  • Danielle LaPorte

    Danielle LaPorte will conduct a two-hour open Q&A for all aspiring Firestarters. Emergency response teams will be standing by.

  • travel hacking academy

    The inaugural Travel Hacking Academy comes to WDS, with the goal of helping 500 attendees earn a free plane ticket before the end of the weekend.

  • brene brown

    Brene Brown will speak on happiness through imperfection, complete with a free lesson in Texas line-dancing.

  • Chris Brogan

    Chris Brogan will share lessons from new and old media, talking about how to humanize business and apply for-profit lessons to our personal lives.

  • Scott Harrison

    Scott Harrison will tell his story of nightclub promoter to founder of Charity:Water. Bring your own Land Rover!

  • Karen Walrond

    Karen Walrond will return to discuss life, photography, and her award-winning book, The Beauty of Different.

  • Josh Kaufman

    Josh Kaufman will indoctrinate attendees in their own Personal MBA (no need to pay $40,000).

  • Jen Lemen and Andrea Scher

    Andrea Scher and Jen Lemen, who hand-wrote personal cards for all 500 attendees last year, will return with a group experience like no other.

  • David Fugate

    Literary agent David Fugate will demystify the publishing industry, explaining how to write a strong proposal, and how to balance self-publishing with traditional publishing.

  • Jodi Ettenberg

    Nomad Jodi Ettenberg will share how to leave your "real" day job and hit the road to Burma and beyond.

  • Chris Guillebeau

    And Chris Guillebeau will host the group, after he's returned from his upcoming 7-continent Unconventional Book Tour.

  • mystery guest

    A mystery guest will lead a 200-person group photo walk through Chinatown and the Pearl District. Everyone's invited!

Main Stage

karen wolrond on the main stage

We'll begin each morning in the Newmark Theatre, a 924-seat auditorium where no seat is further than 60 feet from the stage. Speakers will share a short message that combines personal stories with practical ideas.

jonathan fields leads a break out session at WDS 2011

During breaks, you can visit the blogger's area to catch up on your latest blog stats and Tweets—or just hang out with a fellow guest over a cup of coffee.

Most presentations will devote at least 25% of the time to audience Q&A. At the end of the day, we'll gather back in the auditorium for an "Interrogation Session" where you can ask the speakers more questions.

Workshops

After we end in the main theatre each day, we'll head to breakout rooms of small groups for specific topics. You can choose from topics such as these:

  • Travel Hacking Anywhere in the World
  • How to Get a Book Deal
  • $100 Startup Entrepreneurship Group
  • Live and Work Overseas
  • Live Crossfit Class
  • Art and Money: How to Make the Connection

Note: At least six weeks before WDS, you can vote on your preferred workshops, or even suggest one of your own for community voting. About half of the workshops will be decided on by the WDS Action Team, and the other half will be selected by summit attendees.

Portland bicycle tour Photos: Patricia Pentecost, and zenlight, bibendum84, and Ian Sane on Flickr.

Everything Else

  • Blogger Meetups

    Both days, we'll set aside time for bloggers to host informal meetups. You can go from the Get Rich Slowly meetup to the Location Independent meetup—and then over to the Minimalist group, where a fight will likely break out over who owns the fewest things.

    And if you have your own blog, you can host a meetup too. (An e-bulletin board will tell attendees where each meetup is being held.)

  • Mass Book Signing

    On Sunday night—before we all head to the afterparty—we've set aside a space for LifeRemix authors and friends to sign books and meet readers. Print books will be available for sale, and if you're digital-only, you can just stop by to to say hi to your favorite author.

  • City Tours

    Head out to see the town on your choice of self-guided walking + bus tours. Tours will begin on Thursday night (prior to the official opening) and continue through the following Monday.

    • Food Cart Madness Tour
    • Brewery + Brewpub Tour
    • "Best of Hipsterville" Tour
    • Crafty Wonderland Tour