The Insider's Guide to KubeCon NA 2023 in Chicago

For those headed to KubeCon NA this year, we know planning your itinerary can be stressful. That’s why our team has got you covered with a guide on how to maximize your conference experience, including can’t-miss talks, networking events, and even places to explore in Chicago. 

Best Talks to Attend

For each day of the conference, we’ve picked out the talks featuring the most interesting and unique use cases. 

On Tuesday, we recommend checking out the Keynote “Environmental Sustainability in the Cloud Is Not a Mythical Creature.” Going beyond FinOps to GreenOps, the talk covers evolving initiatives and solutions, and how responsible energy consumption aligns with cloud cost optimization.

On Wednesday, be sure to catch “The Way We Build the Largest Public and Private Cloud Infrastructure in Vietnam.” As a company that’s passionate about Infrastructure-as-Code, we can't wait to see how Viettel, the largest telco in Vietnam, went from zero to scale when  implementing, building, and managing such a large infrastructure.

Finally, on Thursday, don’t miss “The Stars Look Very Different Today”—discussing how the SKA Observatory (SKAO) leverages Kubernetes and Cloud native to help us learn about the infinite mysteries of our expanding universe. 

Check out the full conference schedule here.

Best Networking Events

After visiting our Booth at G10 (featuring some awesome swag, including a chance to win a Steam Deck!), we recommend checking out the Kuberoke (“The first and only Kubernetes Karaoke community”) event on November 7 to sing, dance, and belt your heart out.

If you’re an introvert or prefer something quieter, SIG Boba is an inclusive event at a boba shop for playing card and board games, plus meeting new like-minded folks in the community.  

For the full list of happy hours, cocktail mixers, and other events, head to conferenceparties.com/kubecon23.

Places to Explore in Chicago

Here’s our shortlist for places to eat, drink, and see during your stay in the city:

‍☕️Coffee: Check out Overflow Coffee about a mile from the venue—featuring great coffee, good vibes, and local Chicago musicians. 

‍🍕Pizza: Chicago is known for its deep dish pizza, and we recommend Pequod's Pizza for the best the city has to offer. Pro tip—try the crust well-done. 

‍🌱 Vegan/Vegetarian: Veggie House is a well-loved Chinese spot close to KubeCon that caters to health-conscious folks, and is also located in the heart of Chicago’s Chinatown. 

‍💎 Local Gem:  If you're looking for something to do that isn't your typical tourist attraction, Ping Tom Park is a 17-acre park next to the South Chicago river with biking/jogging trails and arguably the best views of the city. 

We hope you enjoy your trip to KubeCon NA 2023 in Chicago, and we hope to see you at Booth G10! Don’t forget, you can also pre-schedule a personal demo meeting with us for a chance to win a unique env0-branded Apple Watch. See you there!

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