Mozillla Toronto

The Mozilla Summit 2013 is a few days away and Mozillians from all over the globe will be trickling into Toronto, some new to the city, and some already familiar with the ins and outs of the locale.

Either way, here are are a few tips for Mozillians in the city that can make the Summit experience more awesome in the city of Toronto:

1. Visit the Mozilla Office

Toronto would be a unique Summit event where the Mozilla office location is very close to the Summit location. It would be a great opportunity for staff and volunteers alike to take a peek at the very nice office space. The Mozilla Toronto community holds events in the community space regularly and we’re happy to have a home court to do Mozilla stuff– defintely a must for a first-time Mozillian visitor.

2. Add a face to the Bugzilla email address/IRC nick

Given the distributed nature of Mozilla teams–It’s not uncommon in Mozilla where staff from San Francisco work with volunteers from Tunisia and Indonesia– it would be totally great to finally meet the people who comment, approve, or respond to your emails and Bugzilla requests.

Programs like the Mozilla Reps, which is very a good example of a globally distributed team, the Summit is a perfect way to meet colleagues from different regions.

3. Taste what the city has to offer

There are plenty of great restaurants near the Summit location and here are some recommended neighborhoods within a reasonable walking distance:

• Chinatown near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue
• Baldwin Village near Dundas Street West and Berverly Street
• Entertainment District at King Street West
• Kensington Market (20-30 minute walk)

If you’re a bit more adventurous and , you can try going to the Distillery District and St. Lawrence Market.

4. Visit the notable Toronto places

During breaks and free time in the evening, feel free to roam the city and even visit the notable landmarks, such as the CN Tower, the Waterfront, The TIFF Lightbox, the aforementioned Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market, Kensington Market, Dundas Square.
Don’t be afraid to pull-off a Tourist move like a selfie with those locations.

5. Spread the word!

Finally, once you’re out and about the city, feel free to spread the word about Mozilla and its mission. Many people will be curious about the Mozilla shirt-wearing horde all around the city and this would be the perfect opportunity to tell them about Mozilla and the Summit.
For a bit of a reference, point Toronto locals to the Toronto site (to.mozillacanada.org), if they are interested in knowing more about what’s happening in the city.

So that’s the list, but the Summit is best experience when it is made and owned by the Mozillian, and shared with the community. Feel free to hack and submit suggestions to this list!

Toronto will be buzzing with Mozillians from all over the globe on October 4-6 for the much anticipated Mozilla Summit 2013.

This is the first time the Summit will be held in Toronto (the previous Summit events were held in Whistler, B.C.), and there will also be simultaneous Summit events in Santa Clara, California and in Brussels, Belgium.

Apart from being one massive Mozilla lovebomb, the Summit is serious business for those attending. From the wiki:

The Mozilla Summit is designed to help us connect with each other, align around our mission and create a shared vision of the future. By the end, we’ll have a concrete strategy to make this vision real. Combining a small handful of keynotes with interactive fairs and sessions designed by you, the Summit is a full 72 hours/4,320 minutes/259,200 seconds of magic, created by and dedicated to the Mozilla community.

The event would also be a perfect opportunity for staff and volunteers to know about the nice Mozilla activities in the city, from the Webmaker events, community outreach, and activities Mozila Reps are doing.

I have no doubt that Toronto will be an awesome host to the hundreds of Mozillians coming to work and celebrate.