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Fedora community event owners: Alex Acosta (primary), Perry Rivera (support)
About
Fedora is returning to the annual Southern California Linux Expo! Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE) is a yearly Linux, free software, and open source conference that takes place in Los Angeles. Find out more about this event on the Wikipedia page.
SCaLE 23x—the 23rd year of the Southern California Linux Expo—takes place on March 5th-8th, 2026, in Pasadena, California, United States.
- Website: socallinuxexpo.org/scale/23x
- Location: Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101, United States
- Time Zone: US Pacific Standard Time (PST), or UTC-8
- Schedule: TBD
- Fedora Talks & Speakers: see below
- Format: In-person participation only, live-streaming available
Duration and Location
Pasadena Convention Center
300 E Green St
Pasadena, CA 91101
United States
Fedora-approved hotel
The approved 2026 Fedora hotel is the Hotel Dena.
The conference offers two lodging options with discount rates for attendees: Hotel Dena (at USD $209 ) and the Hyatt Place (at USD $229 ). Both prices are per night and before taxes. The Hilton is another nearby option, but this year it seems that there is no discount rate for SCaLE attendees.
We encourage Fedora contributors to stay at the same hotel to foster community and simplify informal social gatherings throughout the week.
Visas
This information is provided as a guide and is not legal advice. All travelers are responsible for checking the most current regulations with an official U.S. government source, such as the U.S. Department of State or their local U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
All travelers entering the United States from a foreign country must have a valid passport. All international attendees are strongly advised to verify their specific U.S. entry requirements with their local U.S. Embassy or Consulate well in advance of SCaLE 23x.
For the purpose of attending a conference or business event, travelers will typically require a B-1 Visitor Visa (for business) or, if eligible, authorization under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
Mexico
Mexican citizens are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program and must have a valid visa to enter the United States.
- B-1/B-2 Visa & Border Crossing Card (BCC): Most travelers from Mexico will use a Border Crossing Card (BCC), often called a "laser visa." This card functions as both a B-1/B-2 visitor visa and a BCC.
- Air Travel: If flying into an airport (like LAX or San Diego), the BCC (or a B-1/B-2 visa stamp in a passport) is sufficient. An I-94 Arrival/Departure Record will be issued upon entry, permitting travel anywhere in the U.S.
- Land Travel (crucial): If driving across the border, the BCC alone restricts travel to a limited zone (typically 25 miles from the border in California). Since the Pasadena Convention Center is outside this zone, travelers must stop at the port of entry, declare their intent to travel further, and obtain a Form I-94 to legally travel to other parts of Southern California.
- Application: The application process is the same for a B-1/B-2 visa (Form DS-160, fee payment, and an in-person interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Mexico). Wait times for appointments in Mexico are historically very long; apply early.
Canada
Canadian citizens generally do not need a visa to enter the U.S. for temporary business or tourism.
- Required Documents (By Air): A valid Canadian passport or a valid NEXUS card (when used at a designated NEXUS kiosk).
- Required Documents (By Land/Sea): A valid Canadian passport, NEXUS card, FAST card, or an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL).
- Permanent Residents: Please note that Canadian Permanent Residents who are not citizens of Canada are not visa-exempt. They must obtain a U.S. visa or, if eligible, an ESTA authorization based on their country of citizenship.
All other countries
Travelers from all other countries fall into two categories:
- Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Countries:
- Citizens of approximately 42 participating countries (such as the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and most European Union nations) do not need a visa for stays of 90 days or less.
- Travelers must have a valid e-passport and obtain an approved ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) online before traveling.
- An approved ESTA is typically valid for two years.
- Non-VWP Countries: At this time, we do not recommend citizens of Non-VWP Countries to travel to the United States.
Rationale
This rationale serves as a guide for event organizers and community members. The following questions are designed to make us think critically about why we attend SCaLE and how we measure our success. Continuously evaluating the impact of our outreach is essential. It helps us understand if we are effectively reaching our goals and provides the data we need to decide whether to continue investing budget and travel for SCaLE in the future.
Why Attend?
SCaLE covers a region that spans the west coast, but also includes many guests worldwide. We as Ambassadors see the event as a focal point that draws visitors from all over the state of California and around the world. Since this event is the only one of kind in this geographical area, we provide Fedora outreach and education to the Greater Los Angeles area. Most of the attendees are from locations that have and participate in Linux User Groups locally as well as from neighboring states and countries.
Each year, we bring forth the vision that Fedora is more than just another distribution. We interact with guests to see how they find Fedora useful, versatile, and feature-rich in their daily lives and bring the Fedora community together. Also the venue is in proximity to LAX, drawing locals, neighboring communities, and international guests.
Our Focus & Activities
This section outlines the Fedora Ambassador Team's specific goals and activities for SCaLE. It covers what we demonstrate, the topics we discuss, and how we present the Fedora project and community to attendees.
We plan to provide booth demonstrations of the distribution and to entertain feedback and discussion. Our goal is to educate attendees about the various spins and environments available. General topics may include: Fedora Linux 43, GNOME 49 improvements, Linux Kernel improvements, DNF5, Systemd hardening, Bootupd, Ptyxis, and more..
Outreach & Onboarding
A key goal of attending is to grow our community. This section explains how our presence at SCaLE helps us attract new users and contributors, and how the event fits into our pipeline for onboarding new people to the Fedora project.
Our enthusiasm to educate inspires guests to contribute their time and expertise to teach and help with Fedora and to give back to the community.
Measuring Our Impact
To ensure our efforts are effective, we must evaluate our success. This section details how the Fedora Ambassador Team measures the impact of our outreach at SCaLE and gathers feedback to determine the value of our attendance for future years.
Our outreach and networking fosters awareness that Fedora provides a positive addition to the Linux realm.
Booth visitors have the opportunity to provide verbal and written input about Fedora.
Registration
SCaLE is a ticketed event. All attendees are required to register and purchase a pass to gain entry to the conference. According to the official event website, registration is a two-part process involving selecting a ticket type and completing payment. As of the last update, the following ticket types are available (note that "Early Bird" pricing is temporary and prices will increase later):
- Expo Pass ($20 USD): Provides access to the exhibit hall and free events. The exhibit halls are open on Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday.
- SCaLE 23x Pass (Early Bird) ($80 USD): Provides access to all SCaLE sessions, the exhibit hall, and free events.
- A SCaLE Pass also includes a Kids Companion Pass for 1 child under the age of 18. You may request a Kids Companion Pass at the registration desk on the day of the event. Please have your child with you.
Attendees must register and pay directly via the official SCaLE website.
Exhibitor Passes for Fedora
Historically, the SCaLE organizers graciously provide the Fedora Project with a non-profit exhibitor booth. This includes a limited number of free exhibitor passes. These passes are strictly reserved for members of the Fedora community who are directly involved in the organization of SCaLE 23x, are committed to volunteering at the Fedora booth, and are included in the official Fedora Mindshare Committee budget request for the event.
If you are not part of the pre-approved Fedora booth staff, you will need to purchase your own ticket to attend the conference.
Fedora presence
Fedora traditionally has a handful of speakers at the event. If you'd like to give a talk, the Call For Papers is open until Dec 1st, 2025.
Are you a Fedora contributor attending SCaLE? Add yourself to the table below. Please use the "Comments" column to specify your role in the Fedora community.
| Name | FAS | Thu, Mar 5 | Fri, Mar 6 | Sat, Mar 7 | Sun, Mar 8 | Travel itinerary | Languages | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Wheeler | jflory7 |  |
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|
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ATL<=>LAX | en (native), es (intermediate) | Fedora Community Architect |
| Alex Acosta | aacosta |  |
|
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CUU<=>DFW<=>LAX | es (native), en (fluent) | Fedora Ambassador |
| Perry Rivera | lajuggler | |
|
|
|
Los Angeles -> Pasadena (car only) | en (native), es (intermediate) | Fedora Ambassador |
| Shaun McCance | shaunm | |
|
|
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CVG-LAX | en (native), de (intermediate) | CentOS Community Architect |
| Carl George | carlwgeorge | |
|
|
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SAT<=>LAX | en (native), es (beginner) | EPEL Steering Committee, Fedora Packaging Committee |
| Scott Williams | vwbusguy | |
|
|
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Driving from Santa Barbara | en (native), basic California Spanglish | Fedora Ambassador |
| Brian Monroe | paradoxguitarist | |
|
|
|
local | en | Fedora Ambassador |
: present
: absent
: undecided
Speakers
The following is a list of presentations, birds of feathers, workshops, talks and discussions organized by Fedora community members. If you are a part of the Fedora community and have a session that is selected for SCaLE, edit the table below to add an entry with the details.
| Name | Date | Time (PST) | Speaker(s) | Track | Description | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example Talk: Fedora Rocks! | Thu, March 5 | 09:00 – 10:00 | Example User | FOSS @ HOME | Come hear why Fedora is the best Linux distro ever with the friendliest and most-welcoming community. | TBD |
| Easy Self-Hosted Applications Using Podman Quadlets | Date TBD | Time TBD | Perry Rivera Alex Acosta | General | Learn how to use Podman and quadlets to self-host applications. | Pending selection |
Booth
The Fedora Project plans to host an official booth in the SCaLE expo hall. Our booth serves as a central hub for SCaLE attendees to connect with the Fedora community, see the latest release of Fedora Linux in action, and get their questions answered. Historically, our booth is staffed by a diverse group of experienced Fedora Ambassadors, developers, and other project contributors who are also attending the event. This mix of community members makes our booth the perfect place for visitors to have in-depth conversations about the Fedora operating system, our governance model, and how to get involved in the community.
- Fedora Booth Location: TBD
- CentOS Booth Location: TBD
- Red Hat Booth Location: TBD
The success of our presence at SCaLE depends entirely on the dedication of our volunteers. To ensure the booth in the expo hall is always staffed and welcoming to guests from opens to close, it is crucial that all members of the Fedora Ambassador Team sign up for shifts. The following schedule details the day-by-day plan for booth operations. Please review it carefully and add your name to the time slots you are available to help us make our outreach a success.
Thu, Mar 5: Arrival & Setup
| Time | Ambassadors on duty | Task | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Alex + FeelFreeToAddYourself | Assemble and Set Up Tablecloth, Banner |
Fri, Mar 6: Expo Hall, Day 1
| Time | Ambassadors on duty | Task | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM (Setup Shift) | TBD | Morning setup. Prepare booth for expo hall visitors. | |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Shift 1) | TBD | TBD | |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Shift 2) | TBD | TBD | Typically expo opens past 2pm on Friday (only on first day of expo), so previous spots may not be needed. To be confirmed |
| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Shift 3) | TBD | TBD | |
| 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Shift 4) | TBD | TBD | |
| 6:00 PM (Breakdown Shift) | TBD | Pack up the booth in the expo hall. Secure laptops and displays for overnight storage. |
Sat, Mar 7: Expo Hall, Day 2
| Time | Ambassadors on duty | Task | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM (Setup Shift) | Alex + others | Morning setup. Prepare booth for expo hall visitors. | |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Shift 1) | TBD | TBD | |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Shift 2) | Alex + other | TBD | |
| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Shift 3) | TBD | TBD | |
| 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Shift 4) | Alex + other | TBD | |
| 6:00 PM (Breakdown Shift) | TBD | Pack up the booth in the expo hall. Secure laptops and displays for overnight storage. |
Sun, March 8: Expo Hall, Day 3
| Time | Ambassadors on duty | Task | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM (Setup Shift) | TBD | Morning setup. Prepare booth for expo hall visitors. | |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Shift 1) | Alex + other | TBD | |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Shift 2) | TBD | TBD | |
| 2:00 PM (Breakdown Shift) | TBD | Close down the event. Pack up the booth in the expo hall. Repack the event box and prepare for shipping back to HQ. Assign a shipper to take responsibility for shipping event box back to HQ. | All Remaining Ambassadors Please Help Out...Thanks! |
To be considered for funding, this budget proposal must be finalized and submitted to the Mindshare Committee for review by Wednesday, December 17th, 2025. All budget-related discussions must be concluded to meet this deadline. Deadline extensions are not possible.
This section contains the official Fedora Mindshare Committee budget proposal for SCaLE 23x. It is used for the administrative planning and tracking of our event presence, including the proposed budget, actual funds spent, and the final event reports from funded attendees. This information is submitted as part of the formal "Large Event" review process. The wider community is encouraged to review this section, but please contact the Fedora SCaLE 23x event owners before making any direct edits to the budget tables.
Lodging plans
| Name | FAS | Location | Dates (Arriving - Departing) | Number of nights | Booked (Yes/no) | Rate at booking | Cost per night | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alejandro Acosta | aacosta | Dena | 03/04/26 to 03/09/26 | 5 | Yes | 1,224.69 | $244.94 | Likely to share room with Ivan or Perry |
Budget proposal
This table represents the proposed budget to the Fedora Mindshare Committee. Note that once the the amount proposed below is submitted to the Mindshare Committee, the value is final. That is, all travelers will NOT be reimbursed for more than what is proposed below. Remember, it is always better to overestimate and underspend, and not underestimate and overspend.
The Fedora SCaLE event owners are responsible for maintaining accurate totals in the tables below, but anyone who modifies this table can help the Fedora SCaLE event owners by double-checking the totals column adds correctly after entering their data.
Please estimate all prices in USD. Use latest market rates for approximate conversions from MXN to USD on xe.com.
| Name | FAS | Airfare ($USD) | Fuel ($USD) | Hotel ($USD) | Parking ($USD) | Total ($USD) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alejandro Acosta | aacosta | $830 | $0 | $1,400 | $0 | $2,230 | Likely to share room with Ivan or Perry |
| Perry Rivera | lajuggler | $0 | $80 | $1400 | $210 | $1,690 | |
| Scott Williams | vwbusguy | $0 | 132mi round trip | $1400 | $210 | $1,610 | |
| Nick Bebout | nb | $500 | $0 | $1400 | $0 | $1,900 | |
| Brian Monroe | paradoxguitarist | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Totals | -- | $1330 | $80 | $5,600 | $420 | $7,430 | -- |
Budget actuals
This section will compare the proposed spend with the actual spend for post-event accounting. Check here after SCaLE for these details.
Event Reports
See the Late Event Report Policy for more context on deadlines and requirements for reimbursement by Fedora.
| Name | Date published | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Alejandro Acosta | YYYY-MM-DD | TBD |
| Perry Rivera | YYYY-MM-DD | TBD |
