Summertime is the time for camping - but in this case camping involves geeking out and stretching your brain indoors on sunny summer weekends for the good of code. With many of our Cascadian neighbours holding camps in the recent past, I figured a compendium would be appropriate.

My personal Drupal quest took an ill-fated turn with a laborious wait at the border aboard public conveyance. Fortunately for on bus wi-fi and a Nokia N78 I'm testing (thanks to mobile guru Roland Tanglao), I could grouse about the delay via Twitter and check in on other #dcs08 chatter via Twemes.

I finally arrived downtown Seattle in time for the event wrapping up in West Seattle. The good news was I wouldn't miss the after-session beer camp at Pike Street - so I replenished with some Thai curry and luscious iced coffee and trundled with my backpack over to the brewpub.

Over a couple of pitchers, i caught up with the CivicActions and North Studios crew (who were both a big part of DCV's great vibe) and checked in with the other Vancouverites - my co-worker Audrey and Ryan from the ImageX clan - who had wisely rolled down the day before.

After enjoying grog with Drupal pirates, I ended up on more hi-jinks and urban exploration with photographer and developer Matt Freedman and Avi from Victoria but will save documentation of our exploits for another channel (videos: Dead band at Fremont Solstice Parade party, Critical Mass Ride in Seattle, Checking in from Seattle).

Anyhow, this post is to tell you about the camps, the sessions, and all that ... and offer congrats to the intrepid organizers of Drupal Camps in Portland, Alberta, and Seattle and pass along some useful recap resources (and help pre-announce Drupal Camp Victoria) ~ so let's get at it:

Drupal Camp Seattle

I am hardly qualified to dicuss Drupal Camp Seattle since I showed up late and left early (for the kid's baseball game ok!) but enjoyed sessions on contributing to Drupal for non-developers where my Seattle (quasi counter-part) Gregory Heller, and colleague Robena led a conversation about helping out with testing, documentation, event planning, and I chimed in about the value of micro-events, real world feedback, case studies and saying "thanks, this is how I'm using your module."

Caught GH's rocking preso on the importance of planning before building and obliging your client to articulate their objectives along with practical methods for plotting information architecture. I rocked some serious tweetage on this so check it:

Then got my head around install profiles (of course a core part of Raincity Studios' Bryght hosting products) with a casual session with Angus Pratt. He name-checked Bryght/Raincity Studios and I smiled along to his too-technical-for-me questions but enjoyed learning the practical processes he shared in the busy Saturday community center.

Wrap-ups: CivicAction's wrapup
Photos: DCS08 flickr pool (watch out for the DCS time machines!)
Videos: Session Videos (thanks to Jared, Kirk and Gary)
Tweets: DCS08's Tweme
Speakers/Presentations: All the sessions from DCS08

Drupal Camp Alberta

Undeterred by flash floods and sudden changes in venues (as indicated by organizer mwarf's twiter update on the eve of the event ...

mwarf: not even flash flooding and a state of emergency can stop #dca08 - everything is a total go!
06:22 AM July 2, 2008

... the inugural Drupal Camp Alberta was a great success with participants travelling from far-flung provinces to University of Lethbridge for an event that included an Olympic bobsledder and backroom tours of European and Canadian Post-Impressionalist masters at the University's noted art musuem along with launching a developer community vibe in Wild Rose country.

DCA08 was Alberta’s first Drupal Camp, and was a phenomenal success! We received 50+ attendees and speakers from Montana, Vancouver, Cranbrook, Fernie, Edmonton & Calgary who took the time to travel and prepare for an unproven conference. The speakers were top notch, the crowd was A+ - a tribute to the community as a whole, but specifically it connected Drupal developers who were lacking an official voice in the province.

{snip}

With the wealth of praised received for the execution and quality of DCA08, we can only wait for next year - when we anticipate holding an annual event with double the size, and a few more sponsors

Wrap-up: Drupal Camp Alberta 2008 is a Wrap!
Photos: DCA08 Flickr pool is laden with snaps
Tweets: DCA08 via Twemes (Vancouver-built!)
Speakers/Presentations: Roster of DCA08 speakers

Drupal Camp Portland

The same week we convened Drupal Camp in Vancouver, Drupal enthusiasts in Portland were rallying up for a Camp of their own.

I know my pal Jay from Zhonka! Broadband was down there and seemed to enjoy himself, but aside from that, i know nothing aside from the recap from Drupal Camp Portland site. Were you there. Consider offering a comment.

DrupalCampPDX 2008 is over. Approximately 90-95 people in attendance. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and who presented panels. Community involvement made this an outstanding event--in fact, better than anyone could possibly have hoped for. Programming was of an extremely high standard. Social spaces remained largely unused during panels, such was the interest. Participation was high, both from panelists and audience members. An overwhelming amount of knowledge was shared. Many made new friends and connections. We are excited to see how successful this event has been and the overwhelming appreciation from all of you who attended.

Wrap-ups: PDX Wrapup, more on Drupal PDX blog, Swimming through the thickness of life's waters - DrupalCampPDX 2008 retrospective
Photos: Flickr pool for drupalcamppdx08
Tweets: follow DrupalPDX
Presentations: Session List DCPDX08 - many notes at: Drupal PDX blog

Drupal Camp Victoria

Date: Sept. 5-6, 2008
Location: North Studios HQ
Details: Drupal Camp Victoria is sorta announced ... no URL yet ... and strategically scheduled for the same weekend as The Great Canadian Beer Festival. The crew at North Studio are driving the bus and holding the event at their training centre.

Stay tuned for details including a possible Vancouver Drupal geek party van heading over on the ferry to present and represent. Anyone know thrifty hotels or billeting situations?
Incidentals: Same weekend as Beer Fest - 'nuff said.

DCV Bootstrap Fund

With some of the Drupal Camp Vancouver budget surplus, the volunteer organizers chose to "paid it forward" on behalf of the sponsors and attendees to help Drupal Camp Seattle and Drupal Camp Alberta in Lethbridge have some wiggle room for the requisite pizza and beer, plus the critical ingredient ... coffee.

We'll offer the same nugget of cash to Drupal Camp Victoria if needed - just holler with your budget and we'll dig the nickels out of the cigar box and deliver via carrier porpoise across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Ditto for other NW Drupal Camp/Events. Ping me/us soon before the fund is depleted.