CNCF Event Venue & Date Selection Process
Planning a large conference like KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe or North America is a complex endeavor that begins years in advance. The venue and date selection process is an exercise in compromise and there are a lot of key factors that are taken into consideration. Here’s an insider’s look at the behind-the-scenes process of how we carefully select each location and date.
Location
Determining when to host a KubeCon + CloudNativeCon in a new region is primarily dependent on the number of contributors and members in that region, as well as the interest of local members and community. Often, we start with a smaller event, like a KubeDay, to test out interest in both attendance and sponsorship before investing in hosting a KubeCon + CloudNativeCon in that location. India is a great example of this; we hosted a Kubernetes Forum in 2019 & 2020 and a KubeDay in 2023 before rolling out KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, once we saw the strong interest from the local community, members and sponsors.
As for locations within a region like North America, we have to take availability, accessibility, and space requirements into consideration, which you can read about below. In addition, we strive to move the event around within a region to make the event more accessible to a wider group of community members. Moving events to new locations plays a key role in advancing our diversity and inclusion efforts by allowing broader participation from attendees who may not otherwise be able to travel. This approach not only strengthens our global community but also celebrates and supports local tech ecosystems, fostering innovation and growth in emerging communities.
Venue Infrastructure and Capacity
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon requires a lot of space to accommodate keynotes, breakout sessions, the Solutions Showcase, networking areas, the project pavilion, food & beverage services, meal function seating, specialized activities and more. As an example, for KubeCon North America in Salt Lake City we utilized 737,000 square feet of space for 9100+ attendees which is the equivalent of 55 Olympic size swimming pools and 3.5 miles of attendees standing in line! The space requirements narrow down the number of venues that would be able to host an event the size of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon. In North America as an example, less than 25 cities have the facilities to host a KubeCon + CloudNativeCon at its current size/scale.
Date Selection & Venue Availability
Once we’ve narrowed down to the venues that can fit KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, we then have to look at availability. Events are happening at an all-time high around the globe and venues are booking out years in advance, especially at this size. As an example, in 2023 when we were evaluating future KubeCon locations, the San Diego convention center was one of the first venues we talked to, and they were already booked out through 2028 for any date that worked for us.
We start the RFP (request for proposal) process 2-4 years in advance (based on size/scope) to ensure there are options available. When selecting event dates, we do our best to balance venue availability & capacity, timing between CNCF events, observances, holidays & other industry events.
City Accessibility + Infrastructure
Accessibility is a key factor in selecting an event location as it directly impacts attendee convenience and turnout. When a venue is easily reachable by train, flights, and public transportation, it opens the event to a broader audience.
Attendees coming from out of town need a place to rest their head after a full day of networking and content. It’s a high priority to select a city with hotels that are within walking distance, or are easy to navigate via city transportation, and have rates that fit within company and individual budgets. In Salt Lake City, we had hotel room blocks at 23 separate hotels, to ensure we met the community’s housing needs; a big bonus in Salt Lake City was just how close most of these hotels were to the convention center and to each other.
We hope this gives a glimpse into the extensive process of planning at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon event and how we bring our global communities together. We look forward to seeing you at a future CNCF event wherever in the world that could be!