All about PASS Summit 2018

Here are the things you must/should probably know about PASS Summit 2018, as told by me.

summit18

First Timers

 

Schedule at a glance, prioritized

Here’s the PASS Schedule at a Glance.  Mine is prioritized, though!

Monday:

  • Precons happen Monday and Tuesday!  There are a lot of good ones…in fact, I can’t recommend any particular precon for either day, because they’re nearly all all quite good.  Itzik Ben-Gan is always a favorite, of course, but you’ll have to choose based on subject matter.
  • Donuts! If you’re in town Monday evening, hit up the MidnightDBA Donut Meetup at Top Pot on 5th Ave, 5-7pm.  Sponsored by MinionWare.

Tuesday:

  • More precons.
  • 4:00pm – 6:00pm PASS Women in Tech Happy Hour
  • First-Timers’ Orientation Meeting is 4:45pm in ballroom 6E.
  • The “Welcome event” is in Keynote Room, 4A from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM.
  • SQL Karaoke happens tonight, 9:30pm-1:30am. Big fun, but get your tickets early!

Wednesday:

  • There’s always a 6am #SQLRun before the conference day starts.  The run is about 3 miles, fast or slow, from the conference center down to the waterfront and back. (See my PASS Summit #SQLRun 2017 blog for details.)
  • Keynote comes first, 8:15am. This will probably be streaming either at PASSSummit.com and/or on PASStv.
  • The PASS Community Zone (Skybridge, 4D) is open all week, check it out.
  • So is the Exhibit Hall; that’s where we’ll be, right across from Microsoft, and it’s where to get all the conference swag!
  • The Birds of a Feather lunch is today, 11:30-1:30. Go talk to experts in your area of interest.
  • The PASS Summit Photo Walk starts at 4:45pm.
  • Speaker Idol Round One goes from 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM. It’s a bit of a hike, and VERY popular, so start out early if you’re going.
  • The Exhibitor Reception happens 6-8pm; go and get some food and prizes.
  • There will be a number of community events afterward (click on “Community Hosted Events”).
  • PASS Summit 2018 Games Night!! 7-10:30pm in the convention center, board games and nerds. I love this event.

Thursday:

Friday:

  • Very likely #SQLRun again.
  • The Birds of a Feather lunch is apparently every day. Today it goes from noon-2pm.
  • Speaker Idol Round Three goes from 11:15am – 12:30pm.
  • Speaker Idol Final Round goes from 3:30 PM  – 4:30 PM.

 

Sessions we recommend

This list of sessions will grow as the conference gets closer. Submit your recommendations in the comments, or ask my opinion on a session!

The most popular speakers’ sessions may fill up; I’ll mark these with an asterisk (*). Note: I won’t post days and times, as these can change. Check out the Guidebook mobile app to help keep track of schedules and changes.

General sessions:

Session in specific sections: