How To Run A Stupid Hackathon

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Here's a checklist

DO

  • Make a meetup.com event
  • Make a facebook event
  • Make sure it's out on Noisebridge social media
  • See if someone is available to help record the demos (For Stupid Hackathon 4 we had the amazing Jeremy Rollinson do a live stream for Noisebridge YouTube)
  • Tell people what Noisebridge is about at the beginning
  • Provide an opportunity for people to share their ideas so that they can form teams
  • Make a Google form or similar for participants to submit their projects (and ask if they're OK to have their demo recorded)

NICE TO HAVE BUT NOT REQUIRED

  • Outreach to local groups that might be interested. This is the list I (Ruth) use:
    • companies that the organizers work at
    • noisebridge
    • double union
    • ladies storm hackathons
    • gray area (ask them to share on their mailing list)
    • recurse center community
    • dorkbot SF
  • Volunteer photographer for the demos

DON'T

  • Get catered food that people need to pay for, or that much food at all (except coffee, people like coffee). Participants tend to prefer to get their own food.
  • Schedule the hackathon at the same time as Godwaffle Noise Pancakes
  • Stress about running the hackathon. It's a stupid hackathon

PAST SPONSORS

  • Contentful, sponsor of coffee and Saturday dinner for SF SSNONATI Hackathon 6, where Amelia Winger-Bearskin (OG founder of stupid hackathon) is a dev evangelist
  • No Starch Press Hacker Grant