Why should you have to go to the East Coast or West Coast just to attend a tech conference? Last year, a group of Midwestern developers came together to form Codemash - a conference that is all about improving your skills by interacting with people who regularly work with technologies outside of your comfort zone.
But, the group also had to decide when and where to hold the conference. Winter seemed to be the best time, because it's outside of the regular "conference season". And where? How about a brand-new conference facility with an adjoining indoor waterpark, all decorated with an African theme. It was quirky, sure, but the conference was all about Freeing Your Mind - so it made perfect sense to select a venue that was anything different than the sterile hallways of the big conference centers.
That was last year. Nobody really knew what to expect, but somehow, we managed to get some really big names to speak at the event, and thanks to a lot of blogging (that overtook the #1 spot on Technorati), a few heads got shaved too!
Tomorrow evening kicks off the pre-conference event for the second annual Codemash Conference held at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. Much of last year's format had been preserved (why mess with a winning formula?), but we've thrown in a few surprises too! Take in some of the 40+ breakout sessions that are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Look for a great collection of vendor-led half-sessions that are more than just marketing slides pitching their products. Hold casual conversations with our keynoters - Neal Ford, Scott Hanselman, and Brian Goetz - when you bump into them in the hallway. Listen to other attendees play music at the Jam Session (or, bring your own instrument and join in). Participate in an Open Spaces session. Or, just slip into that bathing suit and float down the lazy river after the day's activities come to an end.
It's up to you. It's Codemash. Free Your Mind!