BarCamp Nashville 2010 Survival Guide

Don't panic, but BarCamp Nashville 2010 is this Saturday, October 16, at Cadillac Ranch. Wondering how things will go down? We've got you covered. Read on for everything you need to know to make the most of your BCN10 experience.

Get Prepared
Get ready by signing up for sessions and planning your day in advance. (Check back if you registered early, as some session titles and descriptions have changed somewhat.) You can also view the sessions as an easy-to-read PDF or as a spreadsheet. Log into BCN Social to share schedules with your Twitter friends or view your schedule on your mobile device.

Get Parked
On-street parking is NO LONGER FREE ON SATURDAYS, but still available in the area.

Paid parking lots and garages are nearby, including a garage on 3rd Avenue North at Commerce Street and a garage under the park behind the Hilton off 4th Avenue South. We hear parking is cheap in the garage at the new Pinnacle Building on 3rd Avenue South. DO NOT try to park in the lot next to Cadillac Ranch without paying. Trust us on this.

For locations and pricing, check the interactive parking map at Park It! Downtown.

Get Going
The doors at Cadillac Ranch will open for late registration, check-in, breakfast, and early networking at 7:30 a.m. Volunteers will have free coffee from sponsor
35 N. Coffee Company for those waiting in line, and light breakfast items will be available.

The first sessions will begin promptly at 8:30 am. Sessions are 30 minutes long with 10-minute breaks in between. Sessions will end at 4:30 p.m., but don't leave! We've got a killer After Party for you (see below for details).

Get Lunch
A lunch buffet will be available from 11a.m. - 1p.m. with chicken fingers, wings, BBQ sandwiches and options for vegetarians, too. We've also got a limited amount of pre-made to-go boxes, for those who want to hit the next session without skipping a beat.

Buy your meal deal ticket the morning of BCN10 from 7:30 - 11 a.m. Tickets MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE. Cash is preferred, though we'll take credit cards if needed. Insider tip: Buy early to avoid the lunchtime rush.

Meal deal options are:
$10 Meal Deal — buffet, soft drinks all day
$15 Meal Deal — buffet, soft drinks all day, and 2 adult beverage tickets
$20 Meal Deal — buffet, soft drinks all day, and 4 adult beverage tickets

One drink ticket = one domestic beer.
Two drink tickets = one well drink, call drink or import beer.

Get Connected
Remember, BarCamp Nashville is an "unconference." Everyone is expected to participate — speak, volunteer, ask questions, network. Get involved! And be sure to bring plenty of business cards! BarCamp Nashville is a great place to network, and you don't want to miss out on a chance to get connected.

Get Heard
Got something to say? Sign up to speak in one of our two Impromptu Rooms, Poker and Dogma, when you arrive (sign-ups will be on the doors outside each room). There also will be tables and chairs downstairs where BarCampers gather for off-the-cuff discussion. These spontaneous, community-led discussions are the heart and soul of BarCamp, so take advantage of the opportunity.

Get Social
Continue the great BCN10 discussion online: Tweet with the #bcn10 hashtag throughout the day to keep the conversation going. Each session also has its own hashtag, which you can find underneath the session leader's photo on the sessions schedule.

And with more than 500 people signed up to attend BCN10, there's some buzz for Foursquare fiends, too. We'll be attempting to create a Super Swarm, earning users a coveted badge for checking in with 250+ people.

Get Your Party On
Be sure to plan on attending the After Party upstairs at Karma Lounge starting at 5 p.m., featuring free local brews from sponsor Yazoo! It's a great chance to get to know new friends, discuss all the good stuff you learned, and, of course, enjoy some fine beverages. We might even turn on Cadillac Ranch's mechanical bull...

Get and Give
Want to give back for all the good stuff you'll be getting at BCN10? Bring some canned food donations for
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Drop your contributions in the container at the front entrance and you'll have done your good deed for the day by 8 a.m.!

Get Involved
It's not too late to volunteer to help make BCN10 a success. If a lot of people volunteer, no one has to do very much, so please help if you'll be available. Contact
Sam Bradley to find out what you can do.

It's going to be a great BarCamp. Don't miss it! And please thank our sponsors whenever you see them!