Data Saturday Chicago 2026!
The very first SQL Saturday I attended was also the first held in Chicago way back in 2010. I was neither a speaker nor an organizer, and while I recognized a handful of people from their twitter profile pictures, I didn't really know anyone there. My experience that day not only inspired me to become a volunteer and help organize the next year's event, but also helped me to realize that with the data community I had truly found my people. The connections I made as a result set my career on the path to where I am today. Probably the best way to get a sense the data community is to attend an event, but unfortunately it's been a while since we've hosted one.
It’s been a long time. Way too long.
The last time I and my fellow organizers were able to get the #SQLFamily together and hold an event in Chicago was in 2019. We were all ready to go for SQL Saturday Chicago 2020, and literally the week of the event the State of Illinois forbade gatherings of 50 or more people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so that didn’t happen.
Like everyone, we've had plenty of other things going on the past few years, but I am extremely excited to announce that the same crew that’s been running SQL Saturday Chicago since 2010 is back with a new event!
Many aspects of our profession have changed, grown, and changed some more since 2020, to the point where just being a “SQL” Saturday seemed rather limiting. So we’re now calling it Data Saturday Chicago. It’s a much more inclusive name and reflects the fact that a lot of what we do isn’t just SQL anymore. We will still have plenty of awesome SQL-related content, but we hope to feature additional data topics such as Microsoft Fabric, Azure Cosmos DB, and PostgreSQL.
We're all very excited, and hope to see you there!
Data Saturday Chicago 2026 Details
When is it?
Saturday 14 March 2026
Where is it?
Harper College's Wojcik Conference Center, located in Palatine Illinois.
How do I register?
We will open registration very soon. Join our email list to be notified as soon as it opens!
How can I submit abstracts?
Our call for speakers will also be opening shortly. We will be broadcasting our CfS to the email list, as well as other relevant channels such as call for data speakers.
Will there be pre-conference sessions?
Yes! We are working on the details right now.
How can I get more information?
The best way to get information at the moment is to sign up for our email list. We will be sending out updates to this list. We will also be providing updates via Bluesky at @datasatchi.com. You can also of course visit the official event page for the very latest.