For the second year in a row, the NitroPack team was thrilled to return to one of the flagship events of the WordPress community—WordCamp US 2024 in Portland!
This time, we arrived not only as seasoned participants but also as part of the WP Engine family, marking an exciting new chapter for NitroPack.
This year, we were also surprised with one extra day, making this a total of four days of reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones across the WordPress ecosystem.
WordCamp US 2024 Overview
WordCamp events have grown bigger and stronger than ever before, with the US edition surpassing our expectations by a lot:
- Duration: 4 days
- Participants: 1,500+
- Presentations: 40+
- Organizers: 40+
- Sponsors: 46
The energy at the convention center was palpable as we shared insights, stories, and strategies with WordPress enthusiasts, sponsors, and organizers alike.
Contributor Day
At the heart of WordCamp events is Contributor Day—a day dedicated to bringing together both seasoned and new contributors to the WordPress community.
It’s a true all-hands-on-deck effort where over 400 contributors across 25 teams took part in developing key projects, including:
- exploring performance improvements
- advancing the Twenty Twenty-Five theme
- and preparing for the WordPress 6.7 release
This year marked NitroPack’s 5th time participating in Contributor Day, and we were honored to lend our support at the Marketing, Documentation, and Testing tables. For us, contributing is about more than just improving the platform; it’s about giving back to the WordPress community that has given us so much.
Open source and collaboration are values we deeply share with WP Engine, and we are proud to continue this commitment together. We believe in the power of community-driven development and are excited to play our part in ensuring WordPress thrives for years to come.
New on WordCamp: Showcase Day
This year, WCUS introduced a brand new addition—Showcase Day, held on September 18th.
It was a day dedicated to exploring WordPress's incredible range of possibilities in 19 hands-on sessions. From large-scale, high-profile projects to creative, niche implementations, Showcase Day gave attendees a glimpse into just how far WordPress can take them.
The presentations were a testament to what WordPress can do, whether it’s powering a global news outlet or creating unique, innovative business solutions.
For the technologically curious, some sessions went beyond the surface, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the development process and unveiling the “how” behind the impressive projects we admire.
But Showcase Day was more than just a display of projects—it was a reminder of the collaborations, tools, and community efforts that bring these WordPress success stories to life.
Participants like The New York Post, CNN, and Gravatar shared how WordPress helped them grow and scale, proving once again that the possibilities are limitless.
WCUS 2024 Expo Center: At the NitroPack Booth
This year’s WCUS was a milestone for NitroPack.
Now part of the WP Engine family, we’re more committed than ever to delivering the best value and experience to both our current customers and future clients.
It was an amazing chance to showcase our united vision and engage with the WordPress community as one team.
1:1 Time with Our Customers
One of the highlights of WCUS was the chance to meet our US-based customers face-to-face. There's something truly special about connecting in person—hearing firsthand feedback, exchanging stories, and building stronger relationships with the people who help shape our growth.
These interactions deepened our sense of purpose, reaffirming that every feature we develop and every update we roll out has a direct impact on real businesses.
Collaborating with WP Engine On-Site
Positioned right across from each other, we engaged with attendees and introduced our powerful new partnership to the WordPress community.
It was a fantastic opportunity to show how, as part of WP Engine, we’re ready to transform site performance for millions of WordPress websites around the world.
Together, we demonstrated the value of combining NitroPack’s powerful optimization capabilities with WP Engine’s industry-leading hosting solutions. By joining forces, we’re offering WordPress professionals a robust, all-in-one solution that pushes the boundaries of performance and reliability—enabling agencies, developers, and businesses to deliver exceptional user experiences at scale.
To celebrate this partnership, we also hosted our first-ever joint raffle, giving attendees the chance to win a brand-new PS5! The raffle helped us spark conversations, engage with the WordPress community, and share our vision for the future of site performance—together with WP Engine.
The Link and Clink Party
Another first for WP Engine and us was the co-hosted Link and Clink Party at Besaw's.
It brought together over 250 industry partners and customers for a night dedicated to celebrating the proactive nature of the WordPress community. With the theme “do_action:”, we honored the hands-on, collaborative spirit that drives WordPress forward.
The venue offered a perfect balance of indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing guests to network and connect freely. Portland’s local favorite, Voodoo Donuts, delighted attendees with sweet treats from their iconic food truck. The evening was filled with laughter, photo booth fun, and many memorable moments.
DJ Jupiter kept the energy high, and some guests couldn’t resist hitting the dance floor to show off their best moves.
It was a perfect night of community, collaboration, and celebration, setting the tone for the exciting days of WordCamp ahead.
WordCamp US 2024 Talks and Learning Opportunities
This year’s sessions explored a wide range of topics, offering insights for developers, business owners, content creators, agency owners, and digital marketers alike. From technical advancements to practical strategies for growing businesses, attendees left with actionable takeaways to improve their work with WordPress.
Catch the replay of all presentations and talks
The NitroPack team was particularly intrigued by a session from Damon Cook focusing on the new Interactivity API, which promises to revolutionize how dynamic content is delivered on WordPress websites. By reducing reliance on heavy client-side scripts, the API offers an opportunity to enhance user experience and site performance—two key areas NitroPack is passionate about.
Beyond the technical innovations, WordCamp US also showcased real-world applications of WordPress across various industries, from niche content creators to large-scale educational platforms, media outlets, and community-driven projects.
In addition to industry-specific insights, there was a strong focus on the operational side of running WordPress-based businesses.
Agency owners and freelancers benefited from discussions around scaling operations, client management, and navigating challenges. Attendees gained practical advice on growing and sustaining digital agencies, building customer success teams, and optimizing workflows to improve efficiency.
Overall, WordCamp US 2024 offered learning opportunities for everyone, regardless of their role, reinforcing the vibrant, collaborative community of WordPress.
Bringing Great Performance to (Even More) WordPress Websites
At NitroPack, we’ve always been committed to redefining what’s possible in speed optimization, and as part of WP Engine, that commitment has only grown stronger.
By combining WP Engine’s fast and reliable hosting with NitroPack’s cutting-edge optimization technology, we’re pushing the limits of performance even further.
Together, we’re not just making websites faster—we’re making them more efficient, reliable, and ready to meet the evolving demands of users and search engines alike. Our goal is simple: to bring world-class performance to WordPress websites at scale.
The synergy between fast hosting and faster optimization is transforming the way WordPress websites perform, and we’re thrilled to continue leading the charge.
Awaiting WordCamp US 2025
As we look back on our time at WordCamp US 2024, we’re filled with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the community.
The event was a reminder of what makes WordPress so special: the shared commitment.
WordCamp has always been more than just an event—it’s a celebration of diverse voices coming together to shape the future of the platform we all love. This year was no different, and we’re excited to continue building on those relationships as we work toward an even better WordPress.
We can’t wait to reunite with the WordPress community next year at WordCamp Europe in Switzerland and WordCamp US in Portland for the third time in a row!
