Fulbright Building, 217 E. Dickson St., Fayetteville, Arkansas

Pre- and After-Parties, then Jam at WordCamp

This year’s WordCamp Fayetteville lists itself as a three-day event, which might worry newcomers with tight schedules. WordCamp really is just Saturday — Aug. 1 this year — three morning and three afternoon sessions with a long lunch in between.

Friday? It’s a party in the evening. Sunday? That’s the “jam,” a few hours where you bring in questions about your website for one-on-one with Saturday’s instructors. And in-between is our traditional after-party early Saturday evening.

All are included in the $35 registration fee. (That is, outside of ponying up for your own adult beverages Friday and Saturday nights.) Here’s some details.

Friday night

mermaidsFor a couple of hours or so starting at 6 p.m. Friday, July 31, will be a reception at Mermaids restaurant, 2217 N. College Ave. (U.S. 71B) in Fayetteville. WordCampers will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres in a private room, with a cash bar. Expect some great seafood offerings, with some greener options for vegetarians, at Mermaids.

Mermaids has lots of free parking.

Saturday night

Hawaiian BriansAfter a full day braiding lanyards and canoeing — oops, novices learn WordPress basics while business managers, communicators and coders and designers learn the latest to optimize their websites — we’ll leave campus for downtown where something of a luau awaits.

Hawaiian Brian’s, a half-block off the Square at 25 E. Center St.,  is offering WordCampers “Hawaiian Style Cooking” plus a few surprises. Besides a genuine Tiki bar, the restaurant’s spacious new location offers “giant Jenga style blocks and other games.” Street parking is free around the Square at this hour. Fun!

Sunday morning

New Design School Fayetteville ArkansasStarting at 11 a.m. Sunday, we WordCampers are invited to grab a local coffee or tea on the drive and join the Jam Session. It will be at the New Design School, 217 E. Dickson St. in the noteworthy Roberta Fulbright Building, renovated by architect Marlon Blackwell. There’s plenty of on-site parking in the rear.

WordCamp 2015 instructors and veterans of previous WordCamps will be on hand to answer questions about website issues one on one.

What’s it like? Clue: Previous names for the gathering include “guru gallery” and “WordPress wizards.” Campers who just want to hang out with their new friends and continue conversations also should feel welcome as well.

What’s a better way of saying this? If you stop over midday Sunday, you just might get the best advice you were needing all weekend and plug it into your site right then and see if it works.