LinuxFest Northwest


LinuxFest Northwest is an annual technology conference and expo held in Bellingham, Washington. It is a Saturday and Sunday weekend event held in late April or early May. The event is dedicated to discussion and development of the Linux operating system and other free and open-source software projects.

Event description

LinuxFest Northwest is a free event, focused on generating interest in Linux and other Open source software projects. During the event, conference attendees listen to a number of presentations and make contact with a number of companies and non-profit organizations who share an interest in open source software. The event raises money through a raffle and by charging commercial vendors a donation fee for their booths. This allows the festival to stay free for all who wish to come, while raising enough money to fly in popular speakers.

Location

Linuxfest Northwest is held in Bellingham, Washington, about 80 miles north of Seattle and 50 mi south of Vancouver, B.C.. The location is primarily chosen because the facilities are donated by Bellingham Technical College. There have been discussions in the past to move the festival south to Seattle, however no local groups have taken on the task.

History

LinuxFest Northwest originated as "Linuxfest", held by the . The first 'fest' was held in 2000, but was mainly advertised as a local Bellingham event. In 2003, the fest was expanded to a regional event, advertising as far south as Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, and north to Vancouver, British Columbia. Until 2006, it was a full day on Saturday. In 2007 it was expanded into a 2-day weekend event. The 2020 conference was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous featured speakers

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