WordCamp Community Booth Planning Checklist

This is a planning guide to help flagship and local WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They’re one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers create a successful WordPress Community booth at their event.

8–12 Weeks Out: Foundations

Logistics and Booth Coordination

• Confirm with the WordCamp organizing team that a Community Booth will be included in the event
• Request booth specifications early: dimensions, furniture available, power access, Wi-Fi, lighting
• Advocate for a central, high-traffic placement in the sponsor hall, not at the end of a row or in a corner
• Request a table-style setup with seating on both sides rather than a counter-style layout — specify this explicitly so it isn’t defaulted to a sponsor booth format
• Confirm whether the booth will be adjacent to a photo wall or backdrop and plan layout accordingly
• Establish a point of contact on the WordCamp CentralWordCamp Central Website for all WordCamp activities globally. https://central.wordcamp.org includes a list of upcoming and past camp with links to each. Events Team for all booth-related logistics

Staffing

• Identify and reach out to tenured community members attending the event
• Reach out to contributor dayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ leads attending the event
• Aim to recruit enough people to ensure no slot is ever unstaffed, with built-in backups for no-shows

6–8 Weeks Out: Schedule and Programming

Schedule Development

• Draft a full booth schedule covering all open hours across both (or all) event days (See example)
• Assign topic focus areas to each slot (e.g., WordPress Credits, Campus Connect, Contributor Dashboard, MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Setup, Mentorship, Training Team, Polyglots, Education Programs)
• Ensure no hour is left unassigned so aim to fill every slot, not just peak times
• Plan for 2 to 3 people staffing simultaneously during breaks and high-footfall periods (post-talk windows, lunch)
• Structure shifts as 2 to 3 hour blocks for baseline coverage, with topic-specific guests layered on top
• Confirm all staffers’ availability and confirm commitments for their assigned slots
• Identify backup staffers for each slot in case of no-shows
• Publish the schedule on the event website as a dedicated community booth page

Staffer Briefing

• Share a briefing document with all staffers covering: booth purpose, their assigned slot, topic focus, key talking points, and relevant links
• Ensure each staffer knows what programs to speak to beyond their assigned topic (Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, contribution pathways, Meetup setup, etc.)
• Prepare a short FAQ or cheat sheet for common attendee questions (pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. issues, Meetup applications, sponsorship inquiries, job inquiries, etc.)
• Remind staffers that the booth often attracts general curiosity and equip them to redirect and reframe conversations productively

Swag

• Determine swag budget in coordination with the event budget (explore drawing from general event swag budget as done at WCEUWCEU WordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. 2025 Basel)
• Order Community Booth-exclusive swag (e.g., Wapuu stickers, pins, limited edition items) — exclusivity is an incentive for attendees to visit
• Consider a Wapuu sticker or pin exchange model as a simple, on-brand conversation starter
• Confirm logistics for remaining swag after the event (e.g., passing to local organizers for future events, as done in Basel)

4–6 Weeks Out: Materials and Swag

Printed Materials

• Design and print framed info sheets with QR codes for each key program area (Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, Contributor Pathways, Meetup Setup, WP Mentorship, Training Team, etc.)
• Design and print a visible booth schedule display showing topic and staffer name for each time slot
• Consider a “What is the Community Booth?” explainer card for attendees unfamiliar with the concept
• Optionally prepare a digital display or screen for showing the contributor dashboard, learn.wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/, or other visual resources, and confirm power availability with organizers

Signage

• Design and print in-booth signage that clearly explains what the Community Booth is for, not just the label “Community Booth”
• Design and print a daily schedule board for display at the booth showing topic, time, and staffer name for each slot
• Arrange for any required printed materials to be shipped or carried to the venue in advance

2–4 Weeks Out: Promotion

Pre-Event Promotion

• Publish the booth schedule page on the event website and share the link widely
• Submit an amplification request to the WordPress Marketing Team (via GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/) to promote the booth across WordPress social channels
• Draft social copy for each platform (X, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Threads) highlighting the schedule, topics, and booth location
• Promote specific topic slots that may interest targeted audiences (e.g., Campus Connect slot for educators, Mentorship slot for newer contributors)
• Share the booth schedule in relevant Make WordPress SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ channels and community spaces
• Remind all staffers of their slots and share the published schedule link

2 Weeks Out: Final Preparation

• Reconfirm all staffer commitments and share a final schedule with everyone
• Chase any unfilled slots and assign backups
• Confirm all materials and swag are packed and accounted for
• Confirm with the event organizer: booth dimensions, furniture, power, Wi-Fi, lighting, and placement
• Share the booth location within the venue with all staffers so no one is searching for it on day one
• Designate a booth coordinator (an on-the-ground point of contact) responsible for managing coverage gaps during the event

During the Event: Execution

Daily

• Booth coordinator checks in with each staffer before their shift
• Ensure the booth is set up and staffed before the hall opens each day
• Booth coordinator monitors coverage and fills gaps if a staffer is late or absent
• Materials and swag are stocked and visible at the start of each day
• Staffers log notable conversations and any follow-ups needed (a shared note or simple form works)

Staffing Standards

• At least one person is present at all times the hall is open, including during breaks and between talks
• During peak periods (breaks, lunch, post-keynote), aim for two to three people at the booth simultaneously
• Staffers who engage attendees in longer conversations should flag when they need support so no one else is left waiting

Post-Event: Debrief and Handoff

• Collect written feedback from all staffers within one week of the event (use a Slack thread or a short form)
• Note key conversation themes, program inquiries, and any gaps in knowledge or resources
• Follow up on any attendee commitments made at the booth (e.g., Meetup applications, mentorship sign-ups, Slack connections)
• Draft and publish a debrief Community Team post summarizing the experience, wins, and improvements for next time
• Pass any remaining swag to local organizers for use at community events
• Update this checklist with any new learnings before the next event

Standing Reminders

These apply to every event, every time:

• The booth should never be unmanned while the hall is open. An empty booth actively discourages people from stopping.
• The booth is not a sponsor booth; setup, signage, and staffing should reflect that it is a community resource, not a product pitch.
• Local WordCamps: If running a Community Booth at a local WordCamp, the same staffing principle applies. Use a volunteer shift system to guarantee coverage and keep the booth lightweight but purposeful.