Program Structure — Mountain Camp 2027¶
Format Overview¶
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Event | March 2-4, 2027 (Tue-Thu) |
| Pre-Conference | Feb 27 - Mar 1, 2027 (Sat-Mon) |
| Venue | Davos Congress Centre |
Room Configuration¶
| Room | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Room A (upstairs) | Main track - sessions |
| Room B (upstairs) | Main track - sessions |
| Large room (downstairs) | Sprint/contribution space + BoFs |
| Small rooms | Calls, informal meetings, workshops |
Track Structure¶
- Maximum 2 tracks per day — maintained for community cohesion
- 1 summit/workshop room — for focused deep-dive sessions
- Session length: 25-minute talks preferred (vs. traditional hour-long)
- Lightning talks: 10-minute sponsor slots before/after keynotes
Last-minute programming: unconference track¶
Because the main program is fixed and published earlier (Nov 2026), we leave room for last-minute programming so the event can respond to what’s topical or what emerges from the room. One track (or a defined block of slots) uses an unconference format: sessions are proposed and scheduled on-site (e.g. sign-up on the day or the evening before), rather than from the CFP. This keeps the bulk of the schedule predictable while allowing space for spontaneity, follow-ups from keynotes, or topics that surface during the camp.
Daily Structure (Draft)¶
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Morning | Keynote / Main session |
| Mid-morning | Track sessions (2 parallel) |
| Lunch | Lunch + networking |
| Afternoon | Workshops / Sprints / BoFs |
| Late afternoon | Track sessions (2 parallel) |
| Evening | Social event |
Session Types¶
- Keynotes — Featured speakers, Dries fireside chat
- Regular talks — 25 minutes, curated selection
- Workshops — Hands-on, beginner-accessible (highest rated format)
- Lightning talks — 10 minutes, sponsor incentive
- Sprints — Contribution sessions in downstairs room
- BoFs — Birds of a Feather, informal discussion
- Unconference sessions — Last-minute track: proposed and scheduled on-site (sign-up day-of or evening before); fills slots we intentionally leave open when the published schedule is fixed
Content Priorities¶
Based on feedback and planning:
- AI and its impact on Drupal
- Data sovereignty and compliance
- Open telemetry and emerging tech
- Newcomer-focused sessions
- External voices (non-Drupal perspectives)
Speaker Selection¶
- Approach: Prefer curated speaker selection over open call
- Featured speakers: Announced before DrupalCon Rotterdam (Sept 2026)
- CFP Deadline: October 11, 2026
- Full schedule: Published November 15, 2026
Social Events (Program-Adjacent)¶
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Pre-conference weekend | Skiing/snowboarding (Jakobshorn/Parsenn) |
| Fondue evening | Separate ticket, key social event |
| Torch-lit walk / Sledding | Weather dependent |
| CXO dinner | Idea — collaboration with Extrablatt (TBD) |
See pre-events/ for pre-conference activities.
Lessons from the 2025 retro¶
Full notes: 2025 organiser retro.
- Fix the session mix before filling it. 2025 proposal: 4 workshops, 10 long sessions, 4 panels, 4 keynotes, 8 short sessions; build a blueprint per day, then fill slots.
- More breaks. Call 5-minute gaps "session switch" so they aren't cut.
- Panels and keynotes get the room to themselves: nothing in parallel.
- Opening first thing on day 1; prepare opening/closing slides in advance.
- Newcomer-friendly sessions were missing despite good intentions: reserve slots for them explicitly (see Drupal in a Day).
- Recording: one volunteer per room to start/stop.
- 2025 had 43 proposals and dropped from 3 rooms to 2; plan for 2 tracks max.
Notes¶
- No separate paid speaker dinner (decision from previous years; the 2025 retro confirmed it split the camp)
- Informal speaker gatherings encouraged but not budget-covered
- Social events designed to enable conversation (loud bar = fail per feedback)
Related: See timeline.md for schedule milestones, program/schedule.md for detailed timing.