It's been a couple of weeks since the PASS Data Community Summit 2022. I was lucky enough to attend the event, and I had the chance to experience things firsthand for the in-person part of the event. I also had many people come up to tell me that they loved the event as well. It truly felt like a homecoming with so many people that I've seen at past Summits in the same place at the same time. I know I'm biased here, but it was a wonderful way to reboot the Summit after not having an in-person event since 2019.

Before the event, I was a bit nervous. While we have a number of people who have been a part of the Summit previously, and a lot of Redgaters coming who had been to events, the effort to execute on an event of this scale is high. There was a lot of stress and worry, and a lot of last-minute tasks. I was watching the various Slack channels in the background while being available to offer help where needed.

To be clear, I really had nothing to do with organizing, planning, or executing this event. I spoke at a few sessions, but it was a lot of other Redgate employees and various contractors that made everything run fairly smoothly. Despite a few hiccups with getting started and some streaming issues, almost everyone I talked to thought that the event was very similar to previous Summits and the highlight of their year.

For me, this was fun for many reasons. First, because of the people. Far too many to name, and far too many that I didn't get a chance to speak with, but it was wonderful to meet new people and see so many friends from the past. The event was 5 days for me, but I never had enough time to stop and talk with others.

Second, it was fun to be a part of the Lego Steve promotion. Every time I saw a picture posted or talked with someone about it, I had to laugh a little. It was a fun part of the event for me, and I have some fun memories of the experience. Starting the week off with a photoshoot was very enjoyable.

Lastly, I loved seeing plenty of people taking advantage of networking and also seeing very quiet hallways during the presentations. People were learning from speakers and taking time between sessions to talk to each other. I had more than a few people tell me they networked and met some great new friends. Something that I have done many times over the years.

I've had a strange relationship with the Summit over the years. Sometimes I've loved the event, other times I've been angry with the organizers. I've skipped a few as well. Over time I've come to realize that this is a magical event for the data community, bringing many of the best and brightest together with a happy, eager, hopeful, and wonderful #sqlfamily. I look forward to next year, and hopefully, finding more time to chat with people during the week.