First In-Person Hackathon in Long Beach | Organizer Seeks Local Insights
Edited By
Fatima Al-Badri
A Europe-based organizer gears up for a hackathon focused on AR using Unity, taking place next month in Long Beach, LA. With limited knowledge of the local tech scene, the push for attendance is proving challenging amidst a backdrop of skepticism from tech enthusiasts.
The Challenge Ahead
While planning an event thousands of miles away, the organizer is reaching out for tips on publicity strategies to attract developers.
“I’m much more used to running events virtually,” said the organizer, highlighting the struggle of handling a local event from afar.
Organizing a hackathon in a city known for its vibrant tech community raises questions about effective promotion and attendee engagement.
Seeking Local Partnerships
Experts in the forum suggested various approaches for reaching the intended audience:
Partner with local meetups: Offer to feature their logo on promotional materials in return for promoting the event.
Utilize community platforms: Post on local Slack channels and tech community boards to reach interested developers.
Leverage Sponsorships: Tap into your sponsors to amplify the message through their networks.
“If you’ve found sponsorship for a cash prize, make them share the event too,” a commenter noted, emphasizing the power of networks.
Promotion Tactics
As the hackathon's date approaches, promotion timing is crucial. Suggestions include:
Feature in Local Newsletters: Find tech-focused newsletters to include the event in their calendars.
Engage Coding Clubs: Invite university computer science clubs to foster student participation.
Explore Concurrent Conferences: Leverage interest from attendees of nearby conferences happening around the same time.
“It’s been harder than expected to get the conference to promote anything,” the organizer mentioned in response to another event’s challenges.
Key Points from Comments
🔍 "Partner with local meetups for promotion."
📢 "Leverage sponsor networks for outreach."
❗ "Engage local coding clubs and schools to boost attendance."
As the planning unfolds, the mix of sentiments highlights concerns about getting the word out effectively in unfamiliar territory, but also reveals a willingness within the community to help support this newcomer’s venture. Adaptation to the local culture may, in fact, become a valuable lesson in organizing successful tech events.