With apologies to WordCamp SF (which was quite good), I think Monktoberfest may be the conference I’m most eagerly anticipating this year. From their FAQ:

Is this another social media conference?

Not at all. Think more along the lines of GitHub’s motto: “social coding”. Our speakers will be exploring how social trends can change the way we build and use technology, and how technology in turn can change the way we socialize.

The folks at RedMonk go to a lot of conferences. They know what makes a good conference and early signs for Monktoberfest indicate they will be living up to their own high expectations.

The speaker lineup and attendee list both look fantastic. I know at least one person who does quite a bit of conference globetrotting who is paying out of pocket to make sure he’s there.

As of this writing, there are still a few tickets available – jump on this if you can.

Since the initial conference will smaller (largely due to limitations at the beer venue), it should be easier to connect with new folks as natural crossover with people I already know. As with any conference, the quality of the people is key. I’m looking forward to learning as much in the hallway sessions and after-events as in the sessions themselves.

I’m very proud that Crowd Favorite was able to get in as an early sponsor of the inaugural event.