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# What are Open Spaces?
Open spaces are a way for people to come together to talk about topics, ideas or whatever they want. Any subject that two or more attendees want to talk about is a candidate for an Open Space.
# How do I participate in an Open Space?
It's pretty easy: just show up :)
During PyCon, there will be an Open Space board somewhere near the registration desk. The board acts as a time table for all the Open Spaces, so you know where and when to go for the Open Spaces you're interested in. If a topic is not listed yet, find an open time slot and add it! Open space topic cards are included in the goodie bag you get at registration.
# What Open Spaces are there?
There are Open Spaces on many subjects a bunch of PyCon attendees would like to discuss. Since the PyCon attendees are a diverse bunch, so are the open spaces. Last year, we had a mani/pedi party, and this year, we'll have a yoga class. There's also plenty of the usual suspects of technical subjects, from computer security to your favorite Python project to professional occupations like DevOps.
Some Open Spaces are registered in the weeks and months before the conference. Take a look at the [planned open spaces](https://us.pycon.org/2014/schedule/open-spaces/list/). Optionally, have a look at the [preliminary schedule](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApF5R-9_17DRdHZOWHVsUVVjOEFSRFFzSXRxUUlCYlE&usp=sharing). (If you'd like to pre-register an open space, read on!)
# Where and when are the Open Spaces?
The Open Spaces are in a set of of dedicated rooms during all three of the conference days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Specifically, they are in the following rooms:
* 521-A
* 521-BC
* 522-A
* 522-BC
* 523-A
* 523-B
* 525-AB
* 515-BC
If a room ends in "BC", that means the B-section and C-section of the room are merged into one Open Space room.
There is a [floor plan](http://congresmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/plans/p5-6-en.pdf) available so you can see where those rooms are. Floor plans will also be readily available at the conference.
# How do I host an Open Space?
For PyCon 2014, we will be re-using the Open Space cards that were re-introduced last year. These are small postcard sized cards with a short explanation of what Open Spaces are. The back side of that card is for hosting open spaces. Just fill in the name and a short description of your Open space, and then pin your card on the Open Space board in the room and time slot you want.
These cards will be made available in the goodie bag which you will receive at registration. Extra cards will be available at the Open Spaces board.
# Registering an Open Space before the conference
Some Open Spaces (mostly perennial favorites) are planned a long time in advance. If you already know you're going to organize an open space, you can register it before the conference.
Benefits of registering Open Spaces up front are:
* You can advertise your Open Space to other people interested in the conference
* You get first pick of rooms and time slots
* You make the volunteers' lives a little easier
You should be able to submit proposals by logging in, going to your Dashboard, and clicking "Submit proposal".