Webstock ’13: The Last Hoorah?
You may have heard that in the second half of 2013, Wellington’s century-old Town Hall – home to Webstock – will be out of action, whilst it receives the full earthquake strengthening treatment. It’s a two year project designed to lift the earthquake rating of the building to 140 percent of new building standard, making it safer than a super safe thing.
This means that Webstock ’13 may be the last, possibly forever, in the iconic Wellington Town Hall.
We believe that the Town Hall is an integral part of the Webstock experience. We are fussy customers and the right venue is paramount. The Town Hall allows us to accommodate the almost-1000 people who come to the event over the course of Webstock Week. It enables us to have workshops running simultaneously. It allows us the social table layout we prefer to aisle and row type seating.
With the Town Hall unavailable, we’re presented with a challenge:
Where do we hold Webstock in the future?
And how many people might we be able to accommodate?
And what impact does that have on the format?
These are just some of the big questions we’ll be considering over the next little while. Cos right now, we don’t know what the future holds for Webstock.
All we know is that it will be very different to the Webstocks that have gone before it. Changes are afoot for Webstocks 2014 onwards. It’ll be Webstock – but not as we know it!
All of which means that Webstock ’13 marks the end of an era. This is the last hurrah to the Webstock experience you’ll be familiar with. And we think that’s a cause for celebration and a right royal knees up! We’d love you to be there so we can make it one mighty send off. [This is where you now consider registering this instant so you don’t miss out!]
To remind ourselves of those special times we’ve had, here are the some photos from Webstocks past. They’re in the nature of our love letter to what’s been a wonderful venue and one that has helped define the very essence of Webstock.
PS – We should also say that we’re REALLY EXCITED about the possibilities for Webstock ’14. It’s a great chance for us to…ah hell, we’re not going to tip our hand this early! Let’s just say: Webstock ’14 is going to be something awesome – something different, but definitely awesome. But bottom line: Webstock ’13 is your last chance to experience Webstock “classic”. It’s gonna be big. It’s gonna be gigantic amounts of fun. It’s gonna be mighty memorable. And it’s gonna be very very exciting. It’s gonna RULE!
A lovely venue, which has accommodated many Webstockers over the years
#1
The inaugural Webstock back in 2006 was opened by Sir Tim Berners Lee via video
#2
Webstock aims to have a diverse mix of speakers
#3
And a feeling of audience participation
#4
The venue provides excellent facilities for the Speakers when they need to take some time out to prepare and relax
#5
The Speakers’ presence on stage is often highly anticipated
#6
VERY highly anticipated
#7
The venue provides the room and freedom for a range of different presentation styles
#8
It’s a venue that works well for workshops, streamed sessions and keynotes
#9
And importantly, it works well for the much anticipated afterparty
#10
The venue provides excellent hospitality staff and a wide range of beverages and tasty morsels suitable for the party environment
#11
Said parties are a great opportunity to discuss issues raised over the course of the day eg the Andriod vs iOS debate raged last year:
#12
As did debate over the HTML5 specs
#13
Debates aside, the environment at Webstock is always a highly convivial and joyous one, bringing wonderful like-minded people together to celebrate their craft and the wonders of the web
#14
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#1 Wellington Town Hall interior. Original photographic prints and postcards from file print collection, Box 13. Ref: PAColl-6407-49. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22813146
#2 Visit of General Evangaline Booth, Salvation Army, Town Hall, Wellington. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-032721-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23244296
#3 Reception for Fleet officers at Wellington Town Hall. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-032615-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23019450
#4 Hypnotist, Miss Dormia Robson, with the audience at Wellington Town Hall http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22387489 Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/1443-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
#5 Judges in New Zealand Brass Band Championships at the Town Hall, Wellington. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1959/0553-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23261700
#6 Police restraining fan during Rolling Stones concert, Wellington Town Hall. Dominion post (Newspaper) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers. Ref: EP/1965/0521-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23132666
#7 Teenage fans at the Walker Brothers concert in the Wellington Town Hall. Dominion post (Newspaper) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers. Ref: EP/1967/0398-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23033384
#8 Table tennis at Wellington Town Hall. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-032037-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22750502
#9 Wool sales at Town Hall, Wellington. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1957/2346b-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22313157
#10 Square dancing at the Wellington Town Hall. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 114/296/06-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22857670
#11 Medicine department at Wellington Town Hall during the 1918 influenza epidemic. Ref: 1/2-C-016207-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22328319
#12 Don Beitelman vs. Ivan Kameroff, wrestling match at the Wellington Town Hall. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1956/1088-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22907669
#13 Amamus Theatre Group performing in Wellington Town Hall. Dennis, Jonathan Spencer, 1953-2002 :Photographs. Ref: PAColl-7413-13-1. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/22483099
#14 Guests at Plunket Ball at the Town Hall, Wellington. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1956/1414b-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/records/23128050