A friendly, regional Ruby conference in the mountains of western North Carolina
We spend most of the year heads-down in our own projects and codebases. Once in a while, it’s good to step back and survey the horizon, alongside a few companions.
Join us at Blue Ridge Ruby to learn, get inspired, make new #RubyFriends, build community, and celebrate the language we all love.
What is Blue Ridge Ruby?
Blue Ridge Ruby (a registered 501c3) is a two-day, single-track conference featuring ten speakers, plus ⚡️lightning talks⚡️. The conference will be held in downtown Asheville on Thursday, April 30th and Friday, May 1st. Hosted by Jeremy Smith, Mark Locklear, and Joe Peck.
What to Expect
Small-conference feel
With a cozy venue and single-track schedule, we’re aiming to keep it relaxed and intimate.
Welcoming community
No matter your background or skill level, if you love working with Ruby, you’ll belong.
Walkable downtown
We’ll be right in downtown Asheville, within blocks of great hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, and tap rooms. See our recommendations.
Open lunch
Lunch will be open and un-catered. We’ll provide a long break so you can explore Asheville’s amazing food scene.
Weekend fun
If you stick around for the weekend, please feel free to coordinate with others to plan a group activity on Saturday!
The Speakers
A grand journey through the world of Ruby and more, over the course of two days 🚀
Interested in giving a talk? Find out more about our CFP here.
The Venue
YMI Cultural Center
39 S Market St, Asheville, NC 28801
The historic YMI Cultural Center is located in downtown Asheville, within a block or two of many nearby restaurants, hotels, cafes, and more!
YMI Cultural Center
YMI Auditorium
The Area
Asheville is a favorite mountain getaway, known for food, craft beer, and outdoor activities. If you’ve never been, you’ll want to check out Biltmore, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the River Arts District, in addition to downtown.
Biltmore House
Walled gardens at Biltmore
Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Frequently Asked Questions
Where’s the schedule?
We’ll finalize our conference schedule when we get closer to the event.
How many attendees do you expect?
This year, we’re aiming for around 200.
Are you looking for sponsors?
Yes! Check out our sponsorship packages.
Do you offer scholarships?
We are hoping to offer scholarships this year, please check back for details soon.
Who’s organizing this conference?
Howdy! 👋 We’re Jeremy Smith, Mark Locklear, and Joe Peck.
What’s the conference lore?
Hearken close as I tell you from whence this conference came from...
In 2022, Jeremy Smith went to four amazing Ruby and Rails conferences and came home energized and inspired every time. On the flight home from one of those conferences, he tweeted his interest in hosting a regional conference in Asheville. Mark graciously offered to co-organize, and from there, the snowball just kept rolling and growing.
After a successful inaugural 2023 conference that saw over 110 people from around the world come together in the Masonic Temple in downtown Asheville (followed up by a bodacious hike and tubing adventure), Jeremy began to power up for the next conference, but found himself with other obligations. Mark and Joe (and others!) stepped in to put together the 2024 Blue Ridge Ruby conference... once that ball got rolling, there was no stopping it!
What’s the Code of Conduct?
Short version: No harrassment nor sexual language/imagery. Violators may be sanctioned or expelled. Full version.
What are the plans for the optional weekend activities?
Details coming soon!
Where is the nearest airport?
The Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is the closest airport, and is probably your best bet at a ~20 minute drive from the venue. There are multiple ground transport options, including the bus, hotel shuttle, taxi, and ride-share app.
The next closest airports are Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) at ~1 hour, 45 minute drive, and Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) at ~2 hour drive.
What happens after I have registered?
As we get closer to the conference, we’ll send out email announcements to attendees with all the important details. A few weeks prior to the conference, we’ll invite attendees to a conference Slack group for information-sharing and discussion before, during, and after the conference.
Will conference talks be recorded?
We hope to, and we’ll be announcing this when we know for sure.
Will there be a job fair?
No, but we will have a #jobs channel on our conference Slack group for companies and attendees to share opportunities.
Sponsors and Partners
Blue Ridge Ruby would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners 🙇♂️
We are actively seeking sponsors for 2026!
Interested in supporting Blue Ridge Ruby? Find out more about sponsorships here.
Register
Purchase conference tickets for you or your team.
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