Despite all criticism and jokes about it, I am a big fan of the Web Summit. It was born as a gathering of diverse, yet like minded nerds. It has grown immensely over time, hosting in 2022 more than 71 thousand participants. When I first visited it in Dublin in 2013, maybe there were a couple of thousand people there. It had a more cozy feeling about it. I remember seeing Paddy running around to one of the cars, getting stuff probably to the stage. Nowadays, he probably can’t do it, and has a big team who worry about a huge number of things for him. Anyway, I still feel like I belong to a community, even in such a big event nowadays. Props to all the team.
The one thing I really miss is the Food Summit. Not the dozens of food trucks that line the spaces between pavilions at the venue these days. Back in Dublin, the Food Summit was a true getting together of Irish producers and cooks, showcasing the best the national food had to offer. I realize it probably is impossible to pull off at the present scale, but I miss it anyway.
This year, I managed to be there for day 1, on Wednesday. For the first time, I skipped Center Stage. Of course the line-up there was excellent as always, but a great force pulled my to a new stage this year, called Book Summit. As you may know, if I have any addiction, it’s books. My small apartment is getting more and more crowded, and I must soon do something about it. Anyway, I couldn’t miss the Book Summit, so I spent the day there. Writers, publishers, editors, entrepreneurs, and many more stepped on stage to discuss the publishing industry, physical vs digital books (maybe physical AND digital books), the books they’d take to a desert Island, and much more. I ended up with a list of at least 15 books I will have trouble resisting.
I don’t think work will permit me to attend days 2 and 3, and I’m sad about it. But it was well worth it still. I intend to be back next year, and bring you reports and interviews. I made a few contacts, so you can expect fresh content soon.
Leave A Comment