I'm throwing a party!

In August, I'm heading to Las Vegas for what is my now-annual trip to the hacker convention DEF CON. This year is a little bit different, as instead of going as an attendee, I'm hosting a contest!

A contest, in the context of DEF CON, is a security challenge that the attendees of DEF CON can stop by and attempt. My contest, called Call Center Village, mimics real-world physical and digital concerns from the types of small-business answering services that I tend to work with.

Of note, I refer to my security challenge as Call Center Village. However, officially we are classified as a contest at DEF CON 33.

Essentially a "fake it until you make it" naming choice

• Yes: Call Center Village Contest @ DEF CON 33 ✅
• No: Call Center Village @ DEF CON 33 🚫

My hope is that our contest performance helps us get invited back as a full-blown village in future years.

DEF CON® Hacking Conference - Contests

Contests

I'm bringing this up because if you (or friends/family) happen to attend any of the Hacker Summer Camp conferences I'd love to meet up!

I know a fantastic tiki bar off the strip...my treat.

What About That Party?

Right, sorry. I'm also throwing a party! I said that already, I suppose.

• Call Center Village Party @ DEF CON 33
• Saturday, August 9th, 2025
• 10pm-2am (local time)
• Las Vegas Convention Center
• West Hall, Floor 2, Room W210

I'm nicknaming it "Party Line"

You would have to purchase a DEF CON 33 badge to attend the party (which isn't cheap) but if you've got the discretionary income to spend (don't we all) I would love to see you there.

I'm looking for sponsors to send stickers to give out and also donate towards drink-tickets. See the end for more details.

This is my "marketing" page for the party:

Call Center Village’s Party Line @ DEF CON 33 - Call Center Village

Join us at Call Center Village’s Party Line, an after-hours party open to all DEF CON attendees! Help us celebrate the human operators who make call centers and answering services more usable, accessible, and private.

Call Center Village

This is DEF CON's Party, Meetups, and Events page, where you'll find the reference to the Call Center Village party. It's still pretty surreal to see these things that I've created listed on DEF CON's website and in the Hacker Tracker app.

DEF CON® Hacking Conference - Events, Parties, & Meetups

Events, Parties, & Meetups

Sponsor A Hacker

Yes, even you can help improve the life of a hacker-in-need at DEF CON.

There are two ways you can contribute:

1. Stickers are the currency of choice (after actual money.)

Send me stickers, and I'll give them out at the Call Center Village Party. Pretty much anything is fine; it's DEF CON. Email me if you don't have my address and get the stickers to me by July 31st. No cost for this option, but you have to supply and ship the stickers.

1. Buy a random-hacker an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.

Drink tickets, which are used regardless of the type of drink you want, are $15.00 per ticket! Hackers really can't afford that, so I'm looking for sponsorships in $15/increments which will be used to purchase drink tickets we can give out during the party. The more you donate, the more prominent your details will be listed on the party web-page (whether an individual or company.)

Almost all of the official events are located within the LVCC, and they have strict Food & Beverage requirements. Specifically, we can't bring in any outside food or drink, so we have to use their services.

If you've got other ideas for sponsoring Call Center Village and/or our party, I'd love to hear them.

I'm still cool.

I'm just a smidge over 40, so it's safe to say I've still got the party-scene nailed down. However, I'm taking steps to make sure the party is cool; which I'm sure will work.

• DEF CON connected us with a DJ who played for Jack Rhysider's DEF CON party last year, so we should have some smooth tunes.
• I'm working on getting a phone booth, because how cool would that be? (Right, young-in's? RIGHT?)
• I've got a bunch of RGB LED lighting that syncs to music. I saw it in a TikTok that everyone loves the RGB.
• I'm giving out something like 500 stickers (before sponsor donations.)
• I'm trying to get as many free drinks into attendee's hands as I can. Alcoholic or non-alcoholic; all are welcome.
• My party co-lead is a gen-z with high social-acumen. A winning formula.

So yeah, my pitch is pretty simple: fly to Las Vegas for a weekend, get a hotel room, spend $500+ on a DEF CON ticket, and come to the Call Center Village Party!

What more could you be looking for this summer?