Macstock X Live Stream: Launch Party & Announcement!

Back in December I promised a “major announcement…sometime around the middle of January”. Well, it seems the middle of January has come and gone without said announcement, and while this newsletter isn’t the announcement as such, it is the announcement of the live stream where we’ll make the announcement. Or something like that. (Anyone else feel dizzy?)

More importantly, thanks to the magic of Woodstock’s annual Groundhog Days festival (Woodstock being the town the movie Groundhog Day was filmed — if you’d not heard me mention that before *ahem*), I’ve enlisted the help of Woodstock’s own furry prognosticator, Woodstock Willie to see if he could lend a paw to help ensure the Macstock Live Stream still takes place within the month of January.

Now, you have to understand that groundhogs aren’t much for calendars, let alone the Gregorian calendar that we all follow around these parts. When it comes to his annual predictions, all Woodstock Willie knows is that he saw his shadow … or not. It’s up to us to interpret it.

However, in recent years, Willie has been looking for ways to expand his repertoire. So, naturally, when I asked for Willie’s help, he promptly chittered: “I got your back Mike!” and immediately declared that due to the absolutely frigid temps we’ve been experiencing (it was around 5°F when I began writing this) that we should all remain nestled deep within our burrows, and THEREFORE, the great prognosticator of prognosticators proclaimed, there shall be 6 More Days of January!

That means I can keep my promise to host the Macstock X Kickoff Live Stream (with the major announcement) in January!

Ain’t Marmot Magic wonderful? 😊

That means the first Macstock X Live Stream will take place on…January 36th, 2026!

(IMPORTANT NOTE for those who are far less inclined to believe in Groundhogian Calendar Magic than I am, that translates to February 5th, 2026)

Here are the details:

Come hang out with Macstock Organizer Mike Potter (that’s me) and his Surprise Special Guests for all the updates on Macstock X (and more) coming your way July 2026 for Macstock’s 10th Year!

Mike and his guests will talk Weekend Pass sales, give an update on the venue and speaker submissions (and let you know how to submit a talk yourself), answer your questions, PLUS we’ve got a major announcement planned for this live stream to share something that’s never been done at Macstock before — and I can’t wait to let you know all about it!

When?
February 5th, 1 PM Central Time (Currently UTC-6)
Check your time zone here: https://time.is/Chicago

Where?
Watch Live on YouTube February 5th!*

Click here to subscribe to the Channel and set a Reminder! 🔔

*Don’t worry if you can’t join us live. The recording will be available on Macstock’s YouTube Channel for your time-shifted viewing pleasure.

Macstock X Call for Presenters: Who Will You Inspire at Macstock?

Macstock has always drawn from its community to bring fun & engaging talks to its stage, and 2026 will be no different! So I’m inviting you to step onto the stage at Macstock X to help bring everything full circle for Macstock’s 10th Anniversary!

I LOVE unique and hands-on topics of all kinds and ALL are encouraged to submit a speaking proposal. Even if you’ve never presented before, please know that Macstock is for everyone, so no matter your background or experience level, I want to hear your ideas!

Taking place July 10, 11, & 12, 2026, Macstock X’s theme is “Inspire!” and we’re looking for talks that can take hold of this year’s theme and run with it by offering Workshops and Standard Sessions designed to Inspire the audience to get the most from their Apple hardware & software no matter their skill level.

And while the Official Call is underway, I’d like to ask folks to please consider a 90 Minute Workshop-length talk. Workshops have gone over really well in recent years and continue to be requested!

Are you ready to send in your talk? Just visit https://macstockconferenceandexpo.com/speak-at-macstock/ and submit your talk idea today!

Macstock X Dates Announced!

The Macstock logo of peace sign, heart, and classic Macintosh. Words beneath the logo read Macstock 10.If you caught my closing comments at Macstock this summer, then you know I was thrilled to do something that I’ve not been able to do for several years now…announce next year’s dates!

That’s right! NEXT year’s Macstock, Macstock X!!, will be held July 10 – 12, 2026.

We’ve been building up to this, but now it’s here. 10 Years of Macstock!

As you can imagine, with 2026 being Macstock’s 10th Anniversary, I’ve got tons of ideas for how to make next year’s Macstock the celebration it deserves, so I’ll be rolling out more — much more — in the weeks ahead including next year’s Call for Presenters and ways for you, the Macstock Community, to help shape Macstock in 2026 and beyond.

Stay tuned!