Chicago To Host Hackaday Unconference

We’re excited to announce that Chicago will play host to the Hackaday Unconference on March 18th. We are happy to expand our unconference plans to include this event at Pumping Station One from 1-8pm on 3/18.

Astute readers will notice that this is the second location we have announced this week. On Monday we shared the news that San Francisco would host an unconference. Hackaday’s [Sophi Kravitz] and [Jordan Bunker] are organizing things in SF. [Brian Benchoff], [Bob Baddeley], and [Mike Szczys] will be in Chicago for this event that takes shape based on what you find most interesting.

We’re excited that PS:One is opening their doors for us. We’ll make sure there’s food, beverage, some exciting hardware-based door prizes, and other select swag.

Hackaday Unconference is Based on You

The Hackaday Unconference is all about finding interesting talks from anyone who attends. If you go, and you definitely should, be ready to stand up and deliver eight minutes on something that you find interesting right now. The day will start by going around and asking everyone for a talk title or topic. We’ll all make a collective decision on the schedule for the day and roll with it as talks are bound to spawn extemporaneous discussion and follow up presentations that build on the most exciting of concepts. Unconferences are interactive and not bound by the traditional presenter/audience divide of a conference.

You may speak about anything you like, but it sometimes deciding what to talk about is easier if there are some constraints. Consider the theme of the Hackaday Unconference to be Build Something That Matters. You hear this a lot from us because we think it is important. There is immense talent and incredible experience found in the Hackaday community and we like to take some time in life to direct that for the good of all people. If you have an idea to direct creative energy toward high ideal, it’s likely to make a great presentation.

Soak Up the Excitement to Propel Your Next Project

Pressure is low, excitement is high, and the potential for something spontaneous and awesome to happen is palpable. The ‘here and now’ aspect of an unconference sets it apart from events where speakers, talk subjects, and slide decks are decided upon weeks ahead of time. RSVPs will fill up. Don’t miss out on this chance to jumpstart your excitement for a current project, or to discover the direction of your next adventure.

41 thoughts on “Chicago To Host Hackaday Unconference

      1. Portmeirion is really hard to get to. I live in South Wales, and i cant find i decent public transport connection that could get me there in time. I was hoping that bristol, or one of the other cities would be on your radar. That said, if i could find someone driving from somewhere i can get to, i’ll happily help with petrol..

      1. Couldn’t have expressed better sentiments. This site seems to favor venues that cater to ideologically far left denizens. San Francisco is the city that tried to ban the US Navy, is a “sanctuary” for criminal ILLEGALS, has a rampant homeless population out of control, etc, etc. Chicago’s crime rate is so bad, I’d be safer back on patrol in Iraq ! (not to mention the same ideology that allows gang bangers to outgun law abiding citizens that are not allowed to have any sort of self defense firearm). The murder rate speaks for itself.

        1. > This site seems to favor venues that cater to ideologically far left denizens…

          You mean cities? Yeah, why would Hackaday ever have a meetup where a lot of people live? slash fucking ess.

          BTW, we’ve had meetups in villages and hamlets. Last one was in the middle of the Nevada desert. One before that was a town with a population of 1,561. We’re doing Spillville, Iowa before I die.

        2. Part of the homeless problem in SF is because the rent has been priced out of many people’s reach by greedy land lords taking advantage of the greater fool theory and the city officials won’t lift a finger to address the problem.
          In fact they try to profit from the situation as much as possible as over valued real estate means more taxes without them having to make any investments in things like infrastructure and freeways.
          The other factor is it has a mild climate so a lot of homeless go to California during the winter so they can avoid dying from the cold.

        3. Lol, oh man. I can’t believe how many white boys are afraid of our fair city. If you leave your bigoted bullshit at the city limits and don’t wander to the neighborhoods that are rough, you’ll be as safe as houses

          You out-of-towners are so silly

        4. ITT: People that don’t live in cities complaining about cities

          Listen I get it, you’ve never been around someone who doesn’t look like you and you just can’t fathom how that’s possible.

          It’s really quite frightening, being amongst all these people that aren’t like me. I can barely get out of bed here in the morning in Chicago, mostly because the sun is blotted out by just so many bullets raining down, but also because I’m DEATHLY afraid of running into a person who I can’t immediately relate to!

          Seriously dude, get out of here. I live and work here in Chicago. It’s an amazing world-class city, and just because the Cheeto Benito keeps screaming on Fox News about how “everyone is dying all the time because of the crime in Chicago” doesn’t mean you should go repeating such an untruth.

        5. Criminal use of fully automatic fire arms in the USA is unheard. While many dislike how that is achieved, it’s ignorant to suggest gun control is inherently ineffective. Armed or not habitually venturing into dangerous areas could assure good luck may run out. Unlike military personal in a war zone citizens in the US can choose not enter a hazardous location.

      2. Chicago is a fantastic City and the overall Crime is not nearly as bad as what the Media reports. I was transferred to Chicago for work and stayed there for about a year before I was relocated again (I would go back to Chicago in a heartbeat!). At first I was hesitant/concerned given the media reports, etc but when I got there I found it to be the opposite. A very friendly and safe City. Indeed, there are areas where Crime is higher (and these are the areas that are being reported), but that is the case with all cities.

    1. its really astonishing how anyone manages to live and work here, with where what be the constant rain of bullets from the sky turning anyone who dares step outside into a bloody pile of swiss cheese.

  1. Events are made by the people attending the events, Silly of we living in bumF’d Egypt complaining about, events being scheduled in populous locations. Another mentioned “ungoing”, ungoing has probaly saved me a lot of money over the years.

  2. Hack-a-day should seriously consider holding one in Louisville, KY. There is a good concentration of engineers here (Speed School) and it is a very centralized location.

  3. I live reasonably close and am familiar with the city. Google Maps made this a slam-dunk quick decision. Nope… not going to THAT part of Chicago! If it were out in Des Plaines or Schaumburg then sure! Much “nicer” areas. FYI O’Hare Ramada would be ideal.

    1. As a resident of the Schaumburg area: I’ve been to PS1, and the area is fine, imho. Also convenient that it is right off of the Addison blue line stop. Would I go walking around alone after midnight? Maybe not, but that’s true of most urban areas. During the daytime (which applies to most of the HaD Unconference), you’d be totally fine in this area, and I wouldn’t balk at early evening, either.

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