Why reschedule yet again?

For so many of us, 2020 has become synonymous with unthinkable realities and the loss of people, connection, options, and opportunities. It has been and continues to be a tough year.

When we made the decision in early March to postpone our April event until early December, we had high hopes that we would all be able to come together in a safer, post-health crisis environment. Alas, it is not to be. The Austin “Stay Home, Mask, and Otherwise Be Safe” orders are in place through December 15, 2020. In addition to hygiene guidelines, the orders state that social gatherings in groups of 10+ individuals outside of the same household are prohibited.

Of course, that leaves us out.

Many security conferences have shifted their format to online only because of these restrictions. We have attended quite a few of these, and we congratulate the organizers for successfully providing their attendees and sponsors with quality content and experiences.

After spending considerable time evaluating the virtual option for BSides Austin in December versus postponing a second time for an in-person event, we have decided our preference is for a personal experience. We believe that for the kind of vibrant local security community that Austin has, being together is at least as important as sharing fabulous presentations.Therefore, we will forego BSides Austin 2020 in favor of starting to plan BSides Austin 2021.

Our new conference dates are Thursday and Friday, October 7-8, 2021, and we will be back at the Commons Learning Center on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus on Burnet Road. We will hold a new call for papers next spring so that we can offer an updated schedule of fresh talks.

We chose dates late in the year to give us the greatest chance of success. But we are committed to these new dates, come hell or high water. If COVID-19 is still uncontrolled next fall, we will pivot and offer our conference as a virtual event.

We admit that we aren’t happy to be cancelling the 2020 event, but we believe it’s the right approach for this crazy year we’re all enduring. We appreciate your understanding and your support. Know that we miss you all and wish you continued safety. We hope to see you in 2021!

FAQ about the rescheduling of BSides Austin 2020

What are the new dates for BSides Austin?

The next BSides Austin is to be determined. We hoped to meet in October, but discovered our venue had silently closed until further notice. This leaves us in a bit of a pickle. We are evaluating options but may have to postpone yet again.

Where will the conference be held?

The conference will be at a venue to be determined.

Will the ticket I already purchased work for the new dates?

Yes, any ticket already purchased and not refunded will apply to the new conference dates.

Can I buy tickets now for the new dates?

Not yet. We will announce when ticket sales for the new dates reopen on Twitter (@BSidesAustin).

Will the new dates feature the same speakers/schedule as the original dates?

We had a great lineup of talks for this year, and we are sorry to have to let it go. But a lot happens in technology in a year’s time, so we have decided to hold a new call for papers next spring so that we can offer an updated schedule of fresh talks. The schedule will be updated on bsidesaustin.com.

Is there any chance the dates for the conference could change again later?

We chose dates late in the year to give us the greatest chance of success. But we are committed to these new dates, come hell or high water. If COVID-19 is still uncontrolled next fall, we will pivot and offer our conference as a virtual event.

How do I get a refund for my ticket(s)?

If you would like a refund on your ticket(s) for this year’s event, please complete one of the forms linked below BY NOVEMBER 30th. (We’re sorry but we can’t handle these kinds of requests through email as we have several hundred potential refunds to process.)

Although we would love to be able to fulfill your refund through Eventbrite/Paypal, to our dismay we’ve learned that they will only do refunds within 180 days of purchase. So, we will be sending your refund by either Venmo or check—please choose ONE:

I have a question that isn’t answered here. How can I get help with this?

If we haven’t answered one of your concerns about the rescheduling of this event in this FAQ, please email us at bsidesaustin @ gmail.