How to conference

I love conferences. I enjoy everything about them — the nonstop stream of learning, the chance to see old friends and meet new ones, and just generally to be around a lot of interesting, smart, and fun people. And yes, as a trainer, I also enjoy getting a chance to teach — which is fun and exciting for me to do, and allows me to share what I’ve learned with the general Python community. Plus, it gives people a chance to see what my teaching style is like, and thus (if they want) sign up for my LernerPython site and/or for corporate training.

Indeed, I just returned last week from Euro Python 2025, held in Prague. This was my seventh time attending Euro Python, my seventh time presenting, and my second time volunteering. Which means that I’m now in the “in” crowd — I know many people, I’m familiar with how the conference works, and I (sadly) have too little time to speak with the people I know.

But I remember all too well attending my first conferences, and feeling very different: I didn’t know anyone, wasn’t sure who to talk to (or about what, or where, or how), and generally felt a bit “out.” And even after I did meet people, it took me a while to figure out what I should spend time over the 3-4 days of a conference.

So, in no particular order, here are some thoughts about making the most out of a Python conference.

1. Make sure your badge has your name facing out, so that people can read it. Euro Python has, for several years, had two-sided badges to ensure that your name is visible even if (when) it turns around, which is great. Add stickers to tell people more about yourself. The dress code is very informal at conferences, so if you want to wear your company’s T-shirt or one from a favorite software project (or conference), feel free to do that. Everyone will understand.
2. There will be too much to do. At any given point, there will be several talks, several open spaces (more on that below), sponsor booths to visit, and interesting people to meet and chat with. You can’t do it all. Go into the conference with some plans and priorities, but know that even those will probably be blown up. Look at the schedule before the conference starts, and figure out what events are musts for you. If you get to all of those, consider it a success.
3. Along those lines, I expect to sleep very little when I attend a conference. I get there at the start of the day, I leave at the end of the day, and I try to make plans with others for dinner or socializing after the day is over. People at Python conferences tend to be very friendly and social, and they want to meet you as much as you want to meet them! Give them a chance.
4. A great way to meet others at the conference is to volunteer. Even if you take on a small, short role, it’ll force you to interact with some other people. You won’t know all of them, which means that you’ll get a chance to meet them, chat with them, and maybe even hang out with them while the conference is going on. Volunteering can also (at some cases) get you a free entry ticket, so if you’re debating whether to attend because of the price, this is one way to get around that issue.
5. If there’s a Discord channel for the conference (which is always the case for Euro Python), then you should introduce yourself and see who else is there. Even better, there are often Discord discussions for social activities, from running to dinner plans to dancing to pub crawls to rock climbing. You’ll undoubtedly find some others with interests similar to yours. And here’s a secret: If you propose the activity, then you get to decide the time and topic! I’ve joined others for dinner at vegan restaurants at each of the last few Euro Python events, and it allowed me to meet a bunch of nice, interesting people.
6. Most conference talks are recorded and put onto YouTube within weeks of the conference end. I think that talks are better in person, so I always try to attend some of those. (And if your friend is presenting, then it’s great to support them by attending!) But again, you can’t attend everything, and watching them later isn’t too terrible. So I always make a priority of attending 5-10 talks, and then expect (hope) to watch the rest during the intervening year.
7. Along those lines: It’s never too early to propose a conference talk. Speaking at a conference is a great honor, but it’s also great fun. And you almost certainly have something worthwhile to teach others. If you’re new to speaking, or even to proposing, a number of conferences have recently started a “speaker mentor program” in which experienced presenters help newcomers. I’ve done this for both PyCon US and Euro Python for the last few years, and I’ve been delighted to meet people and help them out.
8. If you’re a speaker, and the conference has a speaker dinner, then be sure to attend it.
9. If you haven’t ever spoken before, then submit a lightning talk. They’re very short (5 minutes at most), and can be on any topic. This is a great way to break into speaking at conferences.
10. It’s totally OK to chat with people in the “hallway track,” meaning in the hallway outside of talks while the talks are going on. I’ve had many interesting conversations, and learned a great deal, in this way. In some cases, they helped me to reduce my confusion.
11. For lunch and at coffee breaks, try to sit at a table where you don’t know people. (Yes, I know, that can be daunting.) Then, when you sit down, introduce yourself and ask others their names, and where they’re from. I often ask, “Where are you from, and what do you do?” That sentence, with two open-ended questions, can lead to all sorts of great meetings and friendships.
12. Pac-Man rule: I learned about this at PyCon US years ago. The idea is that if you’re standing in a circle, talking with others, you don’t seem very inviting. Always try to keep a chunk of the circle open, so that others can join if they want. (Yes, so that it looks like Pac-Man.) And if you’re new to the conference? If you see a circle with such a missing chunk, then you know that you’re invited to join, and to meet the people already there.
13. Is there a social event? Attend it! Yes, it’ll cost a bit more money, but it’s almost certainly worthwhile. At PyCon US, you have the PyLadies auction on Saturday night. Now, I’m a big fan of PyLadies, but I’ve honestly never been excited about bidding on any of the items up for sale. (Sorry!) But I love getting a chance to sit and chat with old friends, and to make some new ones, too, so I always make sure to go. There’s always a lunch for members of the Python Software Foundation; yes, there is a 30-minute presentation of the PSF’s finances and current state, but it’s mostly a chance for people to sit, eat, and chat together. Many conferences have a PyLadies lunch; if you’re female, then you should definitely attend! At PyCon US, people often gather at their hotel lobbies to play cards, chat, or hang out. Euro Python has a social event every year, usually with a variety of card games and other activities. Each of these is a chance to just chat with other people and get to know them. You’ll discover that some of these amazingly famous people from the Python world are … people. And they’re often nice people, who are delighted to meet you and learn from you.
14. If you meet one of your heroes, say “thank you” and ask them questions. I met one of the people behind Jupyter Lite, the browser-based WASM version of Jupyter, and learned a lot about its strengths and weaknesses. I’ve met core developers, who gave me great insights into the current state of the language and also where it’s going. They do an incredibly amount of work, often as volunteers, and the least we can do is thank them for the work that they do.
15. Open spaces are one of the hidden gems of Python conferences. Anyone can reserve a room for an hour on nearly any topic. Whether it’s database design, a prayer meeting, the future of Django, dancing, network security, or swapping chocolate bars, you’ll find open spaces on these topics — and everything else you can imagine. And if you don’t see an open space that addresses one of your needs? Then create one! It costs nothing, and you never know who will join you.
16. There are jerks everywhere, including at Python conferences. There are also weirdos. So if you try to strike up a conversation with some people, and they are either rude or odd, then don’t give up — there are plenty of nice folks at the conference who will be happy to meet and chat with you. (And do familiarize yourself with the code of conduct of your conference, to understand what’s acceptable and what to do if someone behaves with you in an unacceptable way.)
17. It’s totally acceptable (and even expected!) to connect to people on LinkedIn and other social networks when you meet them. Again, people at conferences want to meet others, and likely want to stay in touch after the conference is over. Make it easy for others to find you, and don’t hesitate to reach out to them.