AWS re:Invent 2018 – Fantastic parties and where to find them
Get the most knowledge and fun out of the best cloud conference of the year!
It’s officially our 25 days countdown to the 7th annual AWS re:Invent convention held November 26-30 in Vegas. We know, there are tons of events before AWS. Events like Summer ‘vacay’ loaded with meetups, Labor Day, Back to School jams, tons of sporting events and even Thanksgiving all fall before AWS. So why are we already talking about it?
Because for those of us ingrained in the world of technology – re:Invent is Christmas, the Superbowl and the Oscars rolled into one (but with super cool t-shirts and swag instead of Armani tuxedoes and gowns.) Don’t believe it? AWS re:Invent has grown exponentially over the last 7 years gaining momentum and clocking in with over 40,000 attendees and multiple venues in the last year alone.
AWS is 5 days of non-stop action. There are endless tech sessions, workshops, hackathons, certification exam sessions, cocktails, and more parties (read – opportunities for informal networking) than you can count But, with so many choices it can get a little overwhelming. As a 5-year attendee, I’ve put together a little guide to help you filter the best of the best.
Super Fun Parties
Sunday, Nov. 25 – Midnight Madness
It’s the BEST way to kick off the week. Midnight Madness is a sneak peek into re:Invent, complete with swag, drinks, and all the salty beer snacks you could want for. Last year was the inaugural Midnight Madness event. It proved so successful that this year, it’s only open to the first 6,000 registrations. If you’re coming to Vegas earlier (and you should, just for this event), you definitely need to be there.
Tuesday, Nov. 27 – Pub Crawl
The pub crawl is a fabulous opportunity to network and connect with fellow attendees and sponsors after a couple of days of hardcore sessions. It crawls through some super swanky hotels like The Venetian, Mirage, ARIA, and Top Golf, with some of the best cocktails and food in Vegas. Drinks and appetizers are free on a first-come-first-serve basis, so get there early.
AWS re:Invent
✔@AWSreInvent
Can’t beat a Pub Crawl with some comfort food! Head over to Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House sponsored by @BEN_Comcast! #reInvent
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Tuesday, Nov. 27 – Secret Pub Crawl After Party
Does anything scream ’Vegas’ like a secret VIP after-party? We think not. That’s why we are holding our second annual ’Underground-GitOps-Gorilla-Event’. It’s such a secret that we will need your signature in blood to give out the location. Just kidding, sort of. Starting right after the pub crawl, we’ll make sure you stay energized, buzzed and balanced with loads of free appetizers, beer, whiskey, wine and some swanky swag.
Register here. The number of tickets is limited.
We have more beer here . Join our #afterparty https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pub-crawl-after-party-at-reinvent-registration-39473869406?aff=twitter … #awsreinvent @AWSreInvent
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Our #afterparty for the #afterparty is ready @AWSreInvent @ziniman #AWSreinvent #AWSCommunity
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Wednesday, Nov. 28- AWS Certified Appreciation Reception
If you’re AWS certified than it’s time to party. If not, use this opportunity to go and get certified. You can schedule a certification exam on site and get some hands-on time in AWS labs before the exam. Then party with other certified nerds – we are waiting for you.
AWS re:Invent
✔@AWSreInvent
Don't forget to bring your AWS Certification badge to the #AWSCertification appreciation reception at LAVO #reInvent
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Thursday, Nov. 29 – re:Play
Sadly, this is the final party of the year. It’s really fun with everyone blowing off steam and oohing and ahhing over the theme. Last year’s theme was arcade games (Pacman, Tetris and many more). Anyone want to take bets on this year’s theme?
Fun Activities
Expo and Tips
Don’t forget to bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes or snazzy sneakers. AWS is a HUGE convention that starts with the Expo at the Venetian as the HQ and starting point. There are hundreds of vendors displaying their tech and crazy swag!
In fact, don’t bother bringing or wearing old swag here, you need space for the new swag you will collect to play with or wear. Check out last year’s creative swag from re:Invent.https://read.acloud.guru/aws-re-invent-2017-swag-review-4adbdbb86ffb
Most of the Silver and lower-tier sponsors are early-stage startups with innovative products and newly created solutions for you to discover. Check out who they are and what they bring ahead of time and set some time for demos before everyone else discovers them!
AWS re:Invent
✔@AWSreInvent
Trying to locate an @AWS_Partners in the #reInvent expo? We got you covered with the AWS Village Map
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Game Day
A must do! Join AWS Game Day for an interactive, six-part series to get hands-on cloud computing experience in a fun, fictitious startup world of Unicorn. I joined twice and was not disappointed. See for yourself why this event is not to be missed.
Twitch
AWS Twitch is an interactive way to take part in re:Invent announcements, with Amazon employees and product owners. You ask questions directly to the people behind these products, live. The best part is that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your hotel room (but you should) or your comfy sofa if you weren’t able to get to the event.
Bed, Breakfast, and Keynotes
Scheduled a ton of meetings during some key sessions? Maybe you partied a little too hard last night? AWS knows how it goes. This year, they unveiled live streaming so you can watch from the comfort of your room or your mobile. New services announcements, customer speakers (usually enterprise) and some promotional content.
AWS re:Invent
✔@AWSreInvent
Introducing AWS Snowmobile: Exabyte-Scale Data Transport - yes. That is a truck! #AWS #reInvent
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Breakout Sessions
With 40,000+ attendees, hundreds of tech sessions, shows, parties, after parties and meetings, no one can make all the sessions offered. That’s ok. You can breathe and take your time perusing without FOMO. AWS records and uploads pretty much all of the breakout sessions onto their AWS YouTube Channel. You can watch over 300+ sessions from last year’s re:Invent.
Much, much more
It’s a 5-day event, what do you expect? There are different activities and sessions for everybody. AWS always releases more updates as we get closer to the event. Be sure to follow the “Guide of Guides” for the most updated party list
Register to get on our After PubCrawl Crawl, or to set a demo or session with us. Or just drop me a line @arthurschmunk.
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