Ignite is a event full of diverse presentations held in locations all around the world on a variety of topics. Speakers get to build a PowerPoint deck containing 15 slides that automatically advance after 15 seconds. Here’s a great one from Joel Gratz at Ignite Boulder 7 about how to call in sick for powder days (which I haven’t done since I lived in Vail, sadly):

What I love about Ignite is that a wide variety of very passionate people present on a wide variety of topics that they’re passionate about. There are three different Ignites in Colorado within an hour of my house (Ignite Denver, Ignite Boulder, and Ignite Fort Collins). I’m submitting presentation topics to each of the next Colorado Ignites. First up:

The topic submission for Ignite Boulder 8 is open. I felt inspired and was the first to make a suggestion. Having just been to the Vail Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines fetsival this weekend, I decided that I knew a lot about beer festivals and how not to destructify yourself. So that’s what I want to talk about.

The rub: I can’t speak in this unless you vote for me and I make it into the top group. So go to the Ignite Boulder voting website and vote for me (I think you can use up to three votes).

So get out there and VOTE FOR ME AT IGNITE BOULDER 8!

Here’s what I’m wanting to present on at Ignite Boulder 8. Even if I don’t make it, you should still come to it. It’s February 10th from 6 – 9 pm at the Boulder Theater.

Minimize Your Hangover & Maximize Your Awesomeness: How to Thrive at a Beer Festival

A hoppy mecca for American Craft Beer, Colorado also is the location for a great number of beer festivals, including one of the biggest beer festivals in the world: The Great American Beer Festival. These festivals, while fun, are often no walk in the park. If you’re not prepared, you’ll end up with a wicked hangover and your friends will end up with photos that will be used as blackmail should you ever happen to run for public office.

I’ll teach you how to maximize your awesomeness at these bad boys and how avoid some embarrassing moments (some of which you might need to eventually get annulled).

I’ve worked as a Craft Beer marketer and designer for the last three years and have been to about sixty beer festivals in that time. So you could probably consider me an expert.