PyBeach 2026

PyBeach 2026: Call For Proposals

PyBeach is a one-track conference to be held in Santa Monica, CA on Saturday, October 24, 2026. We are looking for talks that broaden the perspective of Python users (at any level), inspire others to contribute to the Python ecosystem, and challenge us to color outside the lines (of code).

Key Information

Submit A Proposal

Are you so excited that you can't wait to propose your idea?

Good news, you can start right away!

Submit A Proposal on Pretalx

Submit A GOOD Proposal

If you're reading this, chances are you want to increase the odds of getting your talk selected. Here's what we'll be looking for!

One-Track Conference

At one-track conferences, there's only one talk on stage at a time. This means your talk could be heard by anyone—from students just starting out with Python, through seasoned professionals who actually develop the language and frameworks Python developers use every day.

Craft your proposal to appeal to a wide range of developers and skill levels. This can be specific or broad. But most importantly, it should be something that demonstrates your enthusiasm, inspiration, anger, puzzlement, or ethical quagmire.

Stay away from topics that would require immense, in-depth knowledge to appreciate, or something that may only appeal to beginners.

Keep Focus

Keep in mind that 25 minutes is a very long time if your topic lacks real depth or clarity. But also, 25 minutes is way too short of a time to delve into various, loosely-connected topics.

When writing your proposal, keep these things in mind:

Why: Why are you, specifically, writing about your topic?
What: What are you seeking out of the attendees? In other words, what is the takeaway you expect listeners to have from your talk?
How: How will you present the topic to the kind of audience alluded to above? What presentation technique will get your point across most effectively?

In summary, your enthusiasm/passion will be more noticeable the more focused you are in answering those questions.

Topics/Subjects

You may assume that since this is a Python conference, your talk needs to be specifically about the language or the ecosystem. That is a safe bet.

However, your subject can also be about anything that interests people who like Python without actually being about Python. In fact, this kind of proposal could stand out. Just be extremely clear why your talk would be interesting to people attending this conference.

Selection

Your talk abstract should be concise (200-400 words), echo your own voice/personality, and explain what makes your talk worth hearing. Also, the abstract is the only part of your proposal (other than the title) which will be publicly shown on the schedule.

Think about your audience. Too little information and they may be uninterested. A description that is too dense or difficult to parse may make it hard for reviewers (or conference attendees) to decipher why your talk is important.

The description, though optional, allows you to give your reviewers a little more context. Feel free to "spoil" the point of your talk, or provide additional insight that may be useful for reviewers. However, don't overdo it. Too much text and verbosity may actually work against your abstract.

Provide a proposed outline for your talk. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it should demonstrate that you can fit your topic within the 25 minute time block, as well as demonstrate what you will be emphasizing.

Write in such a way that reviewers can almost see the grin on your face from the satisfaction you'll get from presenting your topic! Remember that they will see a large amount of proposals over a short period of time. What is it that differentiates your submission?

And remember, there is a limit of three proposal submissions per person. (There is a limit of one talk per presenter, so only one will be selected from your submissions.)

Anonymous

The initial phases of review are judged anonymously: our reviewers will not know who you are, and we will need to redact any mention of your own name, the names of your employer, or any non-essential information that could identify you to a reviewer.

Also, please refrain from posting on socials with the title of your submission until decisions have been made, as our reviewers may accidentally catch a glimpse of it!

Assistance (And A Note On LLM Usage)

Your talk proposal is a contract between you and an audience of other humans. Within that contract, you must be able to demonstrate that you understand your topic within the space and time allotted.

However, a variety of reasons may make it hard for you to craft a stellar proposal. Whether English is your second (or third/fourth/fifth) language, or you find trouble translating ideas into a bonafide CFP, we can help. Please reach out to us if that is the case.

In our community, we value craft, intention, honesty, and individuality. This goes for how you prepare your proposal, as well as to how you deliver your inspiring talk.

If you choose to use LLMs in developing your proposal, please take a moment to consider if your usage and application align or diverge from our community values.

In short, while our reviewers love a well-placed em dash—they are not too fond of slop.

Additional Resources

VM Brasseur maintains a repository of public speaking resources, which can help you make better proposals.

Nina Zakharenko has written The Ultimate Guide To Memorable Tech Talks

Hynek Schlawack has also written a guide On Conference Speaking