Ignite Portland 8: How to win at Ignite or Tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Ignite experience

Sometimes this content is so easy, it practically writes itself. Especially when I’m just repeating stuff I’ve written before. Again and again. But it bears repeating.

So you’ve reached that special time in your life. And you’re headed to Ignite Portland 8, tonight. Exciting isn’t it? You may be experiencing some funny feelings about Ignite.

That’s okay. That’s natural. We all go through it.

Rest assured, we want your Ignite experience to be as fun and rewarding as possible. It’s a special time in your life. And you deserve to get the most out of it. So whether this is your 23rd Ignite event or your first, here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of Ignite Portland 8.

First, the venue info:

Bagdad Theater, 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214

7:00 – 9:00-ish PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)

Admission is always FREE.

Something special: Giving back to the community

Whoa whoa whoa there tiger! Where do you think you’re going? Don’t go running out the door just yet. I’ve got something important to tell you.

Now, a number of us are in the midst of working a charity fundraiser called 30 hour day. It’s a livestreaming telethon the likes of which the world has never seen. Well, they’ve actually seen it once. But we’re doing it again. On July 2 and 3, 2010. In Pioneer Courthouse Square. But that’s not what we’re talking about at the moment.

What we’re talking about right now is 30 hour day raising donations for the Oregon Food Bank at Ignite Portland.

That’s right! Last Ignite Portland, the folks at Small Society—an awesome iPhone agency here in Portland—did a phenomenal job of gathering food donations during Ignite—all in support of 30 hour day. They did so well, in fact, that the Legion of Tech wanted to do it all over again.

So head to the cupboard there, Mother Hubbard. Or swing by the store on your way to the event. And give a little something back. You’ll be so filled with warm fuzzies that you might not even need refreshments at Ignite. (Please note: Your level of warm fuzzies may vary.)

Okay. Got your non-perishable food item? Good. Let’s get going!

Tips and tricks

Here are some “Do”s and “Don’t”s that will help you get the most out of your first, second, third, fourth, or fifth… (well, you get the picture) Ignite Portland experience:

• DO bring your camera, your phone, your sketchpad, or any other way of capturing the event.
• DO tag anything and everything #ip8 and/or igniteportland. That way, everyone can find it.
• DO get there early. Really early. I’m serious. Early. Did I say “Early”? Early.
• DO be prepared to give everyone and anyone your Twitter name. (Don’t use Twitter? Get on it.)
• Now that you’re on Twitter, DO try to tweet about the event and hashtag it #ip8. That way, we can see what you’re saying.
• DO be nice to all the Legion of Tech folks and volunteers. (They’re all volunteers, actually. And they’re doing this in their free time.)
• DO take the chance to introduce yourself to anyone and everyone.
• DON’T forget how hard it is for some of these folks to get on stage.
• Still DON’T be the assholes who were heckling presenters and sponsors that one time. The presenters are taking a nervewracking risk and the sponsors are paying for your ass to be in that seat for free.
• DON’T be a wallflower. Talk to people in line while you’re waiting to get into the venue. Talk to people while you’re waiting in the food line. The Bagdad is a great venue for presenting, but talking to folks at breaks will take some doing.
• DON’T claim to be tired and skip the after party. You’d be amazed at the cool discussions you’ll miss. And of course, the after party is always much better for socializing than standing in the aisles at the Bagdad.
• DON’T have so much fun at the after party that you wander home and submit some crazy Ignite Portland 9 proposal. I mean, that’s why half of those people are up there, tonight.
• DON’T think you’re going to make it? Well DON’T despair! I suggest you DO watch Ignite Portland from the comfort of your Web browser. And if you’re from out of town, you’re more than welcome to tune into Ignite Portland, too. Just visit the Ignite Portland site around showtime.

Need more tips? Right this way, my friend. The Legion of Tech has posted a list as well.

Luck, luck, break a leg, and luck

Best of luck to tonight’s IP8 presenters:

• Andy Beach – Drink Your Way to a Better You
• Erik Chevalier – A Fabber In Every Household
• Gene Ehrbar – Dr. Seuss and his Secret, Evil Mind-Control Plan: A Cautionary Tale
• Kristin Webb-Tomson – Ugly is the New Beautiful
• Steven Walling – Why Wikipedians are the Weirdest People on the Internet
• Sarina Rodrigues – This is your brain on people
• Maxwell Radi – How to be Unemployed
• Amber Case – An Introduction to Hyperbolic Geometry
• Lee Williamson – Deadwood, South Dakota’s most notorious madam, Influenza Pandemics, and why I’m probably alive today
• Phillip Kerman – Video Production on the Cheap
• Sheetal Dube – The Bag Lady
• Selena Deckelmann – How to un-rig an election
• David D. Levine – Mission to “Mars”
• DeeAnn Sole – Travels with Our Cats: A Lazy Person’s Guide to Taking the Trip of a Lifetime
• Audrey Rose Goldfarb – The Gatekeeper Phenomenon
• Matthew Douglass – Legends of Rock
• Jean MacDonald – The Beginner’s Guide to Psychiatric Hospitalization
• Liz Argall – How to Hit Writer’s Block in the Face with a Shovel
• Beverly Fields – 5 Behaviors That Will Keep My Hot, Smart Friends From Dating You
• Scott Rogers and Bob Ladewig – How to Write Sketch Comedy

NEW! (sort of) Tips for presenters

No no no. I’m not writing new content, silly. I’m recycling recycled content. It’s all thanks to Jeff Hardison, who presented during Ignite Portland 4.

Last but not least: Party Party Afterparty

What’s a huge event without an afterparty? Well, it’s Ignite Portland 1 and 2, I think. But now, the afterparty is part of the fun.

Everyone loves a good after party. And you’re all invited to Back Stage Bar, right next door to the Bagdad Theater to compare notes with your friends about your favorite IP8 talk, and start rustling up ideas for the killer talk idea you’re going to submit for IP9. Or, just come hang out and have a drink. Back Stage closes at 12AM. I hear there’s going to be a rollicking game of Werewolf at the after party…

Oh and one more thing?

While Ignite Portland doesn’t require tickets for admission anymore, there are some special Willy-Wonka-esque golden tickets that let you go directly to the head of the line and sit down in front in the seats reserved for sponsors.

And oh look? What have I got here? I’ve got seven of them.

No need to wait in a line to get in—just bring your ticket to the door at the Bagdad, show it to our volunteer, and you’re in. In the auditorium, look for [Silicon Florist or 30 hour day] on the end of a row.

Want to go to Ignite but worried you’ll be late? Are you just interested in seeing the show from the best seat in the house? Maybe you just like to win stuff?

Whatever the case, comment below. Right down there. Go ahead. And we’ll select seven random commenters to receive the tickets around 3 PM, today.

Comments are closed. Thanks for playing!

They’re PDF tickets, so we can ship them to you right away. And you don’t even have to print them out. You can present them on your mobile device.

Who knows? It could be you. But you can’t win if you don’t comment.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

That’s about it. Everything you need to know to make your time at Ignite Portland the best it can be.

Looking forward to seeing you there. With your non-perishable food item. And your smiling face.

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