Are you thinking of speaking at PyCascades?
Great! We're looking forward to reading your proposal!

Never considered speaking at PyCascades? We think you should! We love proposals from:

• People who've never spoken before (we've got mentors for you!)
• People new to Python
• People who use Python in their spare time
• People who want to talk about something that isn't specifically Python

What We Are Looking For:

What adventure are you having with Python? Did you build something you're excited about? Did you learn something neat? What interesting problem have you solved recently? What do you wish someone would have told you years ago? Talks can be about anything that someone in the Python community would be interested in hearing about.

Schedule

• CFP Opens: Monday, September 22nd, 2025
• CFP Closes: Monday, October 27th, 2025 AoE
• Speaker Invitations Sent: Week of November 21st, 2025
• Conference dates: March 21st & 22nd, 2026

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Submission Guidelines

Please read instructions completely. It will make it much easier for us to review all of the proposals and announce our selections as quickly as possible.

As you're writing your proposal, keep in mind:

• There are two options for length: 25 minutes and 40 minutes. Make sure to select the correct option for your talk!
• All presentations are in-person in Vancouver, B.C.
• We will have an MC introduce/interview you before hand.
• Q&A after the talk may be offered for speakers - in the case that it is, it will be offered as an opt-in option.
• By submitting a proposal, you agree to follow the PyCascades Code of Conduct.

In particular, speakers should be conscious of the fact that they are in a professional context with audience members from many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate, and neither are language or imagery that denigrate or demean people based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, or body size.

We'd also ask that you also be mindful of jokes told at the expense of other languages, platforms, or tools. This is a conference for people who love Python, not people who hate Ruby/Windows/iOS/etc.

• Talks do not need to be about Python but your talk is more likely to be selected if relevant to the Python community. You can look at the list of talks from previous years (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) to get a feel for the overall topics.
• You can (and are encouraged to!) submit as many talk proposals as you’d like, but keep in mind that only one talk per speaker will be accepted.

Structure

Your proposal must include the following sections:

• Title: This is what will be shown in the schedule.
• Abstract: A short description of your talk. If your talk is accepted, the abstract will be published on the conference website. This is the place to tell people:
  • What you'll be talking about.
  • What they'll learn from your talk.
  • What background experience they should have to get the most out of your talk.
• Outline: A bulleted list of topics covered in your talk. Please include a short description of each topic covered as well as a time estimate. The outline is just for reviewers so please include spoilers! Your talk should be no longer than 25 minutes total.
• Speaker Profile: The speaker profile section will be hidden from the reviewers when they read through all the talks. After discussing the talks and narrowing down the selection, the profile section will be revealed and then the team will make a final decision. This section will be used to introduce you as the speaker of the talk.

The following sections are optional:

• Notes: This is where you would tell the reviewers anything they need to know about your talk that doesn't fit in another section. Such as any additional equipment you might need, whether or not you’ve given this talk before, etc. This will only be seen by reviewers.
• Tags: You can add a list of comma separated tags to give reviewers a quick overview of the topics you'll be covering. Tags are not required, but the reviewing team loves tags and we encourage using them.

CFP Resources

The PyCascades Youtube channel is the best place to get inspired and view talks from past PyCascades Conferences

New to public speaking or submitting a CFP? Want to be sure you get selected as a PyCascades Conference speaker?

VM Brasseur has compiled a list of public speaking resources to help speakers write talk proposals, prepare, and give their talk: Public Speaking Resources

Allison Kaptur has compiled a list of PyCon talk proposals to help potential speakers see how to write a talk proposal that will get accepted: Example Proposals

Nina Zakharenko has written a comprehensive guide on how to propose, prepare, and give technical talks: Ultimate Guide to Memorable Tech Talks

CFP FAQ

Q. Is there a required competency to be a speaker? Do I need to be a CTO/have a PhD etc.

No, you do not need to be those things! If you have knowledge about particular technical subject matter, please share! We support and encourage first time speakers to apply.

Q. What should I present on?

You can present on core technologies and a solution, a work project & its challenges, a project you created for fun, etc! You can find inspiration from past talks on our YouTube channel

Q. How do I stay connected

If you aren’t already subscribed, sign up for our newsletter to hear the latest news about the conference, including dates, venue, and financial aid!

Submissions close on 2025-10-28 04:59 (America/Vancouver), 2 weeks, 2 days from now.