We’re reaching the point where we’re counting down the hours until our fave weekend of the year: Summer in the City!
Whether it’s your first time attending SitC or you’re a total veteran, we’ve taken a break from stocking up on caffeine to put together a few things you absolutely need to do over the best weekend of the summer!
1. Meet some online friends in real life!
Since we’re internet beings, chances are we all have at least one friend we’ve spent the last few months talking to over Twitter or in the YouTube comments, and Summer in the City provides the perfect opportunity to meet up IRL! Not only that, but there’s enough to do to help you get over any awkward “first meeting” moments.
2. Plan some things in advance…
Photo by Michael Dean
The schedules for the panels and main stage performances are all on the Summer in the City website, so make a list in advance of the things you definitely don’t want to miss. It can be a little bit overwhelming when you arrive, so it’s always useful to have some idea of what you want to do!
3. …but don’t plan everything down to the second!
You may well discover your new favourite YouTuber by going to watch a panel you hadn’t considered attending, watching the performances on the main stage, or by chilling out by the open mic stage, and there will be plenty to do in the expo hall as well! So be sure to save some time to just walk around and take everything in.
4. Turn on Twitter notifications for your favourite YouTubers
If you haven’t managed to get your fave in the meet-and-greet ballot (or just didn’t fancy queuing for hours), do not fear, because all hope of meeting them is not lost! Plenty of YouTubers will be selling merch at the event and most will often hold extra meet-ups and signings, so they can meet as many of you as possible.
It’s also a great chance to pick up a couple of wristbands or t-shirts, posters and other cool swag from your faves.
5. Chat to the people next to you!
Whether you’re queuing for a meet-and-greet or sitting in one of the panel rooms waiting for things to kick off, chances are you’ve already got something in common with the person sitting next to you. Conquer your nerves and introduce yourself! Chances are you’ll hit it off and who knows – you might become besties and get to hang out at SitC together every year.
6. Spend some time looking at the sponsor stands
Photo by Ollie Ali
Previous years have seen a Yamaha Music Bus, quizzes and games from Disney, and a gaggle (yes, a gaggle) of Pikachus, so your guess is as good as ours as to what treats will be in store this time around. But there’s plenty to get stuck into so don’t be shy!
7. Take advantage of the panels, and ask questions!
In you’re an aspiring video creator yourself, take advantage of all the fantastic panels on offer. Speakers include YouTubers, managers and people who work at YouTube itself, so there’s plenty of people to learn from.
The small YouTubers panel is always a popular one and is great motivation if you’re a small creator, while the Creator Day panels tend to be a little more focussed toward creating your own content and the industry.
8. Watch the TWO awards ceremonies on the main stage!
We’re truly being spoiled this year, as the good folks at Summer in the City have provided us with not one, but two awards ceremonies! Saturday’s is the now-traditional YouTube awards, where silver and gold play buttons are awarded, whilst this year’s inaugural Summer in the City Awards on Sunday are a new addition. The shortlist has been announced for all categories, so all that’s left is for us to wait to see what the judges have picked as the first ever winners.
9. Venture outside the ExCeL Centre
If you want a little break from the SitC madness, there’s plenty to look at outside the ExCeL Centre. For starters, there’s the huge bridge and view over Victoria Docks, the Emirates Air Line cable cars, and plenty more nearby. Perfect for taking selfies with friends old and new, catching some aesthetically-pleasing vlog footage… or just to participate in a bit of Pokémon-hunting.
10. Come and say hi to the TenEighty team in the craft fair!
Photo by Ollie Ali
Oh, you didn’t think we’d let this article go by without adding a cheeky plug, did you? We’ll be set up selling physical copies of TenEighty Magazine all weekend, so make sure you come over to pick up a copy and say hi! And while you’re at it, have a look around at the other craft stalls too – you never know what you’ll find!
Finally… Make sure to have fun!
Summer in the City only happens once a year, so make sure you make the most of it! It’s always the best weekend of the year and it’s always awesome seeing the UK YouTube community come together for such an exciting event! Hopefully, our list will help you find your way around – but if we’ve missed anything, send us a tweet!
Want more? Well, why didn’t you say so:
- PJ Liguori’s Guide to Getting Creative
- 5 Top Vlogging Tips
- Charlie McDonnell’s Guide to Rebranding Your Content
- 6 Reasons Why You Should Start Making Videos
- TenEighty’s Guide to Joining a Network
If you’ve got any suggestions for topics we should be covering in The Creator Hub, drop us a Tweet to @TenEightyUK or send us a message to TenEighty UK on Facebook.
