All aboard for HiveFest!

The very year that the Steem blockchain went "live," @roelandp realized a vision to invite all those on the blockchain to attend an in-person meetup and conference. He worked tirelessly to make it happen! Not only did it allow attendees to see each other in real-life and establish valuable connections and friendship, there were also presentations, panel discussions, and other events to enrich everyone's time on the blockchain. Video-feeds enabled many of us to gather information from the presentations if we were not able to attend in-person, which was appreciated. The event was such a success that he has continued to do the same every year thereafter. Here are the cities where SteemFest events took place over the years:

• 2016: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2017: Lisbon, Portugal
• 2018: Krakow, Poland
• 2019: Bangkok, Thailand

And then, the Hive blockchain forked from Steem in early 2020, and subsequently the whole COVID pandemic threatened the event this year. 😱 Never being one to give up, @roelandp found a solution: host the event in a Virtual Reality space! So, this year, HiveFest will take place within AltspaceVR

In case you missed the original HiveFest⁵ announcement on 06-Nov-2020, @roelandp's weekly updates thereafter, mentions in recent podcasts, or the posts from many other users who have written about it, here's the scoop:

• HiveFest⁵ will happen on 18–19 December, 2020
• You will need a computer (laptop or desktop) so you can download the AltspaceVR software. System requirements are on their website. Once you have decided to attend, you should download the software, create your avatar, and learn to use the software before the event; doing so will make your experience better!
• You do not have to have a VirtualReality headset, although having one will enhance your experience. (I do not have one, and the software is still fun!)
• It is recommended/urged that you use an audio headset while connected to the software as it will cut-down on background noise. It doesn't have to be an expensive one — the earbuds (with microphone built-in) that came with your cellphone might work, or an in-ear Bluetooth device (the latter is what I use and it seems to work fine).
• Registration was free until 07-Dec. It will cost 50 HBD until 14-Dec, and 100 HBD thereafter. Go to HiveFe.st to register, see a list of speakers, subscribe to the HiveFest newsletter, and learn more!

^{selfie screenshot from AltSpaceVR software}

I created my avatar (shown above). It is a reasonable facsimile of how I look in real life. Kinda-sorta. My hair is not pink in real-life, but I was having trouble changing the color at first, and thought it was cool, anyway, so I kept it. Also, in real-life, I have arms. I am not sure where my avatar's poor arms went. 😂 And in real-life, I have boobs, but hey... 😜

I hope to see some of you at HiveFest⁵ 😃