The Pacific Northwest conference CascadiaJS grew into something new and amazing this year: a 3-day web conference now called Cascadia Fest. Following the JS Fest format, talks were grouped into server and browser JavaScript days, and a brand-new CSS day. 400 attendees and their families along with speakers and volunteer staff came to the beach for 34 talks and 6 free workshops at Semiahmoo Resort, across Birch Bay from Canada. The venue was right between Vancouver BC and Seattle, both previous locations, as well as Portland.
Cascadia Fest awarded 10 diversity scholarships this year, making a big impact in the community. As Northwest native, I love the message & perspectives at Cascadia Fest: common themes reflect the community’s values. Speakers talk about compelling side projects and talking through the learning process, while admitting vulnerability. They enlighten us about being polite citizens in open source and beyond, elevating our skills, and investing in our careers an