The easiest way to get around during WordCamp Atlanta is Lyft, the quick and efficient car service. It’s perfect for getting to the airport, the WordCamp event, and fun attractions or restaurants while you’re in the area.

(Note that Lyft cannot pick you up at the airport, but you can take any MARTA train to downtown Atlanta; Get off at Peachtree Center Station for the Courtyard Atlanta Downtown hotel.)

What makes the Lyft deal even sweeter is the $5 discount that WordCamp Atlanta attendees will get for each of their first 10 rides – for a total of $50 in savings. If you don’t use all 10 during the WordCamp, you can use the remaining discounts later, in whatever cities Lyft serves.

How to get started:

On your phone’s browser, go to lyft.com/invited/WCATL16. Enter your cell phone number, then click Download & Claim. You’ll then get a download link via text, for installing the Lyft app. Your new account will already reflect your ‘$5 Off’ ride discounts.

When you’re ready for your ride, just open the app and make your request. One of Lyft’s reliable and thoroughly vetted drivers will respond. Then, when you’ve reached your destination, use the app to pay for your ride. Couldn’t be any easier, right?

You can find out more about how Lyft works at lyft.com. Then enjoy the ride; you’re in good hands, and you’re saving money.

The annual WordPress conference is always a rewarding adventure, and we’d hate for you to be left behind.

In fact, mark your calendar right now for March 19-20, 2016 (plus March 18 if you’re attending the Beginners’ Workshops). WordCamp Atlanta will be happening again at The Loudermilk Center in downtown Atlanta. We hope to see your face there for some learning and sharing, plus chances to connect, and reconnect, with other interesting people. How is it that an educational forum feels like the social event of the season?

Of course you’ll want to sign up now to receive email updates (see sidebar). Then stay tuned for announcements about tickets ($40), calls for volunteers, and more. Keep this website bookmarked to stay on top of all the news. Do you have something interesting to teach regarding WordPress? Find out about about becoming a speaker here.

This is your conference, so we’d love for you to add your voice to the conversation. Share and respond on Twitter, at @wordcampatl. And sign up on our Slack channel here.

If your company would like to help sponsor Wordcamp Atlanta, thank’ya kindly, please check out the sponsorship options here. Everyone looks forward to chatting with you in March, and maybe snagging some of your swag.

In the meantime, we’d like everyone to take an (imaginary) walk with us. Ready?

From The Loudermilk Center, let’s stroll one, two, three blocks south. Okay, good. Now, travel back in time to the 1850s. If you have a particularly vivid imagination, you’ll find yourself overlooking big old Union Station and the busy bustle of trains, passengers, wagons, workers, and freight in a constant, noisy shuffle. Can you hear the whistles blowing?

This very spot in Atlanta, at the time, was the railroad hub of the entire South. And that apparently was a pretty big deal. In fact, the city initially grew up around, and because of, the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Out of that core grew an ambitious and resourceful community. That civic and business community, in turn, built a diverse and thriving city that expanded far beyond its humble railroad-town beginnings.

Okay, now blink twice, and let’s return to modern times. You’ll notice we’re tipping our hat to the city’s railroad heritage by making it a visual theme of WordCamp Atlanta 2016.

Similar to the story of Atlanta, this isn’t just about the original WordPress CMS.

It’s also about the ambitious and resourceful community that grew out of it. That user and developer community, in turn, has helped build a diverse and thriving platform that has expanded far beyond WordPress’ humble blogging beginnings.

For Atlanta, it was about transportation. For WordPress, communication. When even competitors get together to contribute, innovate and help each other, everyone becomes empowered. That’s the essence of WordCamps around the world.

Which, in the scheme of things, is a pretty big deal. And we’re about to do it again.