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(aka "A very long post about all things BlogHer Conference '07, and then some!")
I am so excited to be making this here announcement that I almost don't know where to begin. What do you want to know first? Where we're going? What we're doing? Where we're staying? I know, me too!
But please, let me start by putting this in a little bit of context. Because we are taking our theme -- "A World of Difference" -- very seriously.
You all? You are amazing and wonderful and thoughtful and interesting and opinionated and represent tremendous diversity. Which is what makes our community so incredible...but, to borrow a quote from Fast Company's Lynne D. Johnson's blog:
"Getting a room full of bloggers together is kind of like gathering together everyone who uses pencils."
Meaning that while we have blogging in common, we have different ideas about what, exactly, will make for a great BlogHer Conference '07.
But! Rest assured that we have listened to your feedback...
We loved the yoga!
We hated the yoga!
There was yoga?
* * *
The hotel had a great set-up!
The hotel had a horrible set-up!
Wi-fi? Anyone?
* * *
Thanks to the sponsors for defraying the cost of the event!
I wish we didn't need sponsors.
Hey, are these pasties in my bag?
...and are working hard to ensure that this July, our World of Difference will offer something for everyone.
So! Now for the information you've all been waiting for:
BlogHer '07 is in Chicago!
Okay, we know you know that already, but it seemed to make sense to reiterate exactly why we've selected Chicago.
- Chicago is centrally located and easy to get to. It's certainly easier to fly to (for reasonable rates) from the rest of the country than the San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley ever is. In fact, SouthWest has some great deals going on right now for those of you ready to make your reservations:
Check here and here for example. - Plus, we know it's not fair that California and New York always seem to get the cool Internet-related events.
- Ultimately, Chicago is a logical locale for BlogHer's first move east. It's a happening hub, and one of the few places that can offer truly urban delights and still accommodate nearly a thousand of us. There are plenty of amazing dining, sight-seeing, live entertainment, and shopping options within a few blocks of our event. For those of you who are considering making a full-fledged vacation out of this, you really can't go wrong.
Now, it's true -- we're not the only ones who think that being in Chicago in July will be fantastic. It's quite a popular destination, and accordingly, it tends toward pricey. So here is where I tell you that we have searched high and low, exhaustively, to find the absolute best rates possible. (Trust me, we are all about getting the biggest bang for the buck.) And while we haven't been able to replicate the bargain-bottom rates of last year's hotel, we have scored some pretty awesome deals.
For starters...
BlogHer '07 is at The Navy Pier!
Chicago's Navy Pier is kind of amazing.
From a distance, you might think the Pier is just a giant fun-park for kids and adults (with its rides, attractions, theatres, shops, museum, fireworks, and restaurants and bars on site). But beyond the oh-so-fun-for-all surface is a gorgeous meeting facility and Grand Ballroom.
Our conference will take place in and around the Grand Ballroom and Lakeview Terrace, with plenty of space for meetings, mingling and meals. This means that the conference -- from breakfast through our cocktail parties -- will happen in one convenient location. Plus we'll have private, breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline throughout the event. (The tourists will be jealous!)
More information will follow as we finalize the schedules, but in the meantime, check out general information here: www.navypier.com
And if you're really interested in seeing where the BlogHers will be, you can preview the conference space here.
Now to answer the even bigger question: Where will we be staying?
We had some pretty basic criteria in searching for the ideal hotels for BlogHer attendees. We wanted something close to the Navy Pier, large enough to accommodate a considerable room block (it'd be no fun having us spread out among a dozen different properties), clean and well maintained, and reasonably priced.
Here's what we've found:
[Oh, and please
