Last year I restarted the Edmonton WordPress Meetup after a long period of inactivity. I had moved to Edmonton about the time the local WordPress and tech community was suffering some setbacks that would soon be followed by the global pandemic. Where there was once a vibrant meetup and startup scene that supported several WordCamps, there was just a gap waiting for people to fill. So we did, just like other local WordPress meetups across Canada.
Find your local WordPress community
If you haven’t connected with the WordPress community in your neck of the woods, please do!
- Matt Graham set up this fine wayfinding site to help you find a meetup near you.
- Marcus Burnette created thewp.world to connect everybody, and he adds some new features just about every month. Currently you can search for other members in the directory within a certain distance of selected town or city. Here’s everyone 500km from Ottawa.
This week, Marcus also kindly emailed all resident Canadians in the directory to remind them to get their tickets for WCEH! 😊 There are no borders in the WordPress community, however. Just being in the Great Lakes region again this year makes WCEH both a regional and international destination. This is true anywhere in Canada, certainly along our border with the United States. As always, we are welcoming attendees and speakers from the US and all over the world.
Connect with a local university
In WordPress, more than most open source communities, we’ve always believed that open exploration is the heart of learning and growth. Whether you’re a student curious about the web, a seasoned developer, a solo creator, or someone running an agency—WordPress gives all of us a common ground to experiment, create, and push boundaries.
Students are special, however! It’s been my privilege to help connect students from NAIT and the University of Alberta with each other and the WordPress ecosystem through the Edmonton Meetup.
WCEH is taking place this Fall on the Carleton University campus with a “Back to campus” theme centred on learning, exploration, innovation, and community. Meanwhile, the WordPress Campus Connect program has been growing. Interested students and faculty should check it out, consider starting a campus club, connecting with a local meetup, or taking advantage of the new WordPress Credits internship program.
Meetups make learning social
Exploration isn’t just about shiny new tools (though we love those too); it’s about asking better questions, trying new approaches, and discovering how technology can meet human needs. From the Site Editor and block themes to open web ethics and inclusive design, there’s always something new to unpack—both technically and socially.
That’s where the meetup comes in.
WordPress meetups bring people of all ages together from all walks of life to share their knowledge, test ideas, and learn from each other. We explore how WordPress empowers individuals and communities, and how it intersects with broader topics like digital literacy, privacy, accessibility, and the open source ethos.
It’s one thing to tinker in isolation. It’s another to explore together. When we connect, ideas move faster. Confidence grows. Projects come to life. That’s the real power of exploration — turning ideas into action through community.
Find your people to explore web tech with together
Exploration is where innovation begins. It’s the moment we stop asking “what if?” and start doing. In the world of WordPress, exploration isn’t just curiosity—it’s a superpower that turns ideas into action.
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started, pushing boundaries is where the magic happens. Trying a new block theme, diving into custom post types, or integrating APIs can take your site from standard to standout. The WordPress ecosystem is vast, and the tools are always evolving — exploring them opens new creative possibilities.
New features like the Site Editor, patterns, and headless WordPress options are transforming what’s possible. By stepping outside the familiar and experimenting with these tools, we unlock better workflows, cleaner designs, and more dynamic experiences for users.
Don’t wait for the “perfect plan” — exploration thrives in action. Sketch the idea, test the plugin, build the block. WordPress is built for creators, tinkerers, and trailblazers. The only limit is how far you’re willing to explore.
Curious? Come to a meetup. Bring your questions, your half-finished ideas, your goals. You’ll find a welcoming space to learn, share, and build — together.
