Simon Pollard, a long-time WordPress developer in Bristol now at Illustrate Digital, reflects on how local meetups and events have changed since COVID and what it will take to rebuild the social fabric around WordPress.
How Bristol grew
Simon’s local meetup began as casual pub gatherings of developers. Over time those informal evenings became more organised: talks were introduced, volunteers used a Trello board to coordinate, and experienced community members helped the group gain official WordPress sponsorship. That support paid for venues and food, attendance climbed to 30–40 people a month, and a wider organising team took on logistics, speaker recruitment, and social outreach via Twitter and Facebook.
The pandemic pause
In 2020 everything stopped. In-person meetups were cancelled, and many organisers didn’t have the appetite, time, or technical setup to sustain regular online events. Simon’s own life changed—he became a father and found his social energy limited—while others found new outlets, like a local band in his case. Attempts to pass the meetup to new organisers initially stalled and activity dwindled.
Coming back and what stayed the same
When Simon returned to meetups, the groups were smaller but recognisable: the same warm, welcoming atmosphere and the peer-to-peer culture among WordPress people. That in-person warmth—easy conversations after talks, introductions at the door, name badges, visible organisers who actively welcome newcomers—made events special and encouraged people to present, ask questions, and form connections.
Why people didn’t return
Several forces kept attendees away:
– Personal change: family responsibilities, different social priorities, and life stages shifted where people spend their time.
– Habit and comfort: months at home, Zoom fatigue, and the convenience of streaming or other online pastimes rewired routines.
– Fragmented social channels: where Twitter once served as a town square for outreach, people are now split across platforms and harder to reach.
– New tools and AI: instant answers from search and AI reduced the need to reach out to peers, limiting one route for building connections.
The missing “in-between”
Beyond scheduled talks, meetups used to generate a lot of informal, between-event exchanges—quick follow-ups, mentions, and short conversations that kept relationships warm. Without a consolidated place where people naturally communicate, that momentum fades. Organisers struggle to find the right channels and cadence to keep people engaged between events.
Why in-person still matters
Simon and local host Nathan Wrigley argue that face-to-face interactions are valuable to the WordPress project. Meetups and WordCamps seed mentorship, expose newcomers to contribution paths, and create the serendipity that leads to collaborations. If in-person gatherings shrink permanently, the relational glue—mentors, local leaders, and networks—will weaken, which matters for WordPress’s long-term health.
What worked well in Bristol
Bristol’s success wasn’t just about content. It was about hospitality: visible organisers, name badges, introductions, and a culture that encouraged post-talk chats. Programming avoided being narrowly technical; a mix of topics, including non-WordPress talks that resonated, helped draw people who came for the community as much as the presentation.
Suggestions to reinvigorate meetups
Simon and Nathan propose several practical directions:
– Broaden programming: pair technical talks with creative topics, soft skills, and adjacent interests to widen appeal.
– Combine arts and tech: many community members are musicians or creatives—integrating local music, film, or art can make events more socially attractive.
– Keep it social-first: emphasise practical hospitality—introductions, easy mingling, and a welcoming tone.
– Rebuild communication channels: find where people actually hang out now (LinkedIn, local Slack/Telegram groups, community newsletters) and be consistent about it.
– Embrace hybrid thoughtfully: online formats are useful, but the main selling point should be the in-person warmth and spontaneous exchanges that can’t be replicated by video alone.
WordCamps and scale
WordCamps once ran multiple tracks and drew larger crowds. With smaller, local meetups, organisers are rethinking scale: maybe fewer tracks, more social programming, workshops, or entertainment to make multi-day events feel worth people’s time.
AI, quick answers, and the human gap
AI makes it easier to get technical answers without talking to colleagues, and summaries don’t credit contributors, which can reduce visibility and pathways to connection. Still, face-to-face problem-solving, mentorship, and serendipity offer value AI can’t fully replace.
Where Simon is now
Simon has re-engaged and is reconnecting with old contacts while experimenting with where to reach people—he finds LinkedIn reliable lately and is open to other platform ideas. He’s optimistic: the community hasn’t disappeared, it’s just smaller and different. With intentional organising, creative programming, and better ways to keep people connected between events, meetups and WordCamps can still be meaningful.
Closing thought
Rebuilding local WordPress communities will take effort and imagination. It won’t be a simple return to pre-pandemic norms, but by focusing on hospitality, diverse content, and practical ways to reconnect people both online and offline, local meetups can reclaim their role as the social glue that helps WordPress thrive.
