Emceeing & Everything Epic: Epic Web Conf 2025 Recap

Conference season is officially here—and we’re blasting off with a strong start. Epic Web Conf 2025 wasn’t just my first conference of the year—it was one I’d been counting down to for months. And it delivered.

From emceeing for the very first time (I'm still not over how special that was!) to attending every single talk in this one-track experience, Epic Web Conf was both energizing and deeply grounding.

In this recap, I’m sharing what makes this conference so unique, the behind-the-scenes emceeing, a few standout talks, and why I think Epic Web Conf deserves a spot on your calendar next year.

🚀 Liftoff: Kicking Off Epic Web Conf 2025

Epic Web Conf is a two-day, full-stack web development conference tucked into the stunning mountain backdrop of Salt Lake City, Utah. Put on by the team behind the Epic Stack and led by Kent C. Dodds, the conference brings together web devs of all levels to learn, connect, and build. It’s a mix of hands-on workshops, inspiring keynotes, and tech talks that cover everything from the latest updates to the Epic Stack, to harnessing AI as a developer, to leveling up your networking game.

As a React developer, I left every session with either a new piece of technical insight or a burst of motivation I couldn’t wait to bring back to my work. There's something electric about being surrounded by people genuinely excited about building for the web—and Epic Web Conf captured that energy perfectly.

One of my favorite parts of any conference is the people! Epic Web Conf was a cozy, one-track event, and that’s what made it special. Instead of rushing between tracks or choosing what to miss, everyone shared the same moments. It made bumping into new friends and reconnecting with old ones effortless. A big reason those connections felt so natural? The single-track format.

🛸 One Track, One Mission

One of the best things about Epic Web Conf? It was a single-track event, which means every talk happened on the same stage, in the same room, for everyone. If you’ve ever been to a multi-track conference, you know how tough it can be to choose between overlapping sessions. The single-track setup removes that stress entirely—you don’t have to worry about what you're missing. You can just be fully present.

And that presence paid off! Being in the same space for every talk created this shared rhythm, where little moments turned into inside jokes and big moments became collective inspiration. One of my favorites? Aaron Francis dropped the now-iconic line, “You can just do things,” and it echoed through nearly every talk after his (as it should have—it was that good).

That shared experience builds a different kind of energy. You could feel the support ripple through the room, especially when two first-time speakers—Leah Thompson and Dev Neill—gave their talks. The cheers, the claps, the heartfelt encouragement… it was community in action, and it was beautiful.

👩🏾‍🚀 Emcee Mode Activated

📸 Photo by Mark Techson

One of the biggest reasons I was so excited about Epic Web Conf was because I had the honor of being one of two emcees! It was such a hallmark moment in my career—and honestly, I still can’t believe it happened. I started my public speaking journey just last July, and in less than a year, I’ve given eight talks… and now I’ve emceed a conference. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity and glad I got to share it with the Epic Web Conf community.

What made it even more special was my co-emcee, Taylor Desseyn! He’s hilarious and full of vibrant energy, and together, we helped set a fun, welcoming vibe for the entire event. There were multiple moments when I had to catch my breath from laughing so hard on stage. One of those moments? My spontaneous karaoke debut. We wanted to announce the evening karaoke party in a fun way, which led to me singing the first verse of Defying Gravity from Wicked—live, on stage, in front of everyone. To this day, I’m still not sure how I found the courage to do it, but it’s a moment I’ll never forget.

As someone who’s only ever done 30–45 minute tech talks before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from emceeing, but I ended up loving it. It pushed me to be more spontaneous and creative in the moment. The biggest shift was in how I prepared. As a speaker, I come in with a full talk, slides, and a fixed plan. As an emcee, I prepared by getting to know the speakers, but most of the magic happened live, responding to the moment and helping transition between talks in a way that kept the energy high.

Case in point? The singing. If that had been planned ahead of time, I definitely would’ve chickened out. Emceeing challenged me in the best way—and I hope I get the chance to do it again. But beyond what happened on stage, it was the people and the learning that really made this conference unforgettable. So, after all that, you might be wondering—should you go?

💫 What Made Epic Web Conf…Well, Epic

The thing that makes in-person tech events truly special? Always the people. Whether it’s making new friends over breakfast or singing your heart out at karaoke with old ones, it’s that real-world sense of community that keeps me coming back. It’s why I push myself to step out of my comfort zone and show up in person—because the connections are always worth it.

But the vibes weren’t the only thing that made this conference epic—I also left with a ton of new technical knowledge. Conferences are all about sharing what we know and growing together, and Epic Web Conf absolutely delivered. Every single talk left me with something new to think about. Here are just a few highlights:

1. Annie Sexton gave a fantastic talk on The Origin of JavaScript. I learned so much about the early days of the language and the infamous browser wars, but what really stuck with me was her storytelling. The way she brought history to life with humor and energy had me thinking, how can I make people feel like this when I present? I walked away feeling completely inspired.

2. Dev Neill helped us with “vibe coding” —and honestly, it’s here to stay. He built and deployed an entire web app in just 20 minutes using Cursor, helping users find dinner spots based on their location. It was a perfect example of how thoughtful prompting and planning can make AI a powerful tool in your workflow, not just a novelty.

3. I’m a sucker for a good design systems talk, and Eva Ferreira did not disappoint. After working on a design system, I love seeing how she approaches the process. Her talk explored how to know if your project needs a design system, how to build it incrementally, and how to create a feedback loop to stay useful and developer-friendly.

Whether learning from the stage or cheering from the sidelines, every moment at Epic Web Conf made me feel more connected to the tech and the people building it.

👩🏾‍💻 Should You Go? (Spoiler: Yes!)

If you're a web developer who loves to learn, connect, and grow (so… all of us?), you should absolutely add Epic Web Conf to your calendar next year! Whether you're deep into your frontend journey or just starting to explore the full stack, there's something here for you.

The cozy, single-track format is perfect for first-time conference goers, introverts, or anyone who wants to focus more on the talks and connections—and less on making tough scheduling decisions. It’s the environment where you can actually talk to people, follow up on a speaker’s point in the hallway, and leave feeling like you’ve made real connections instead of just collecting stickers and swag.

If you’re looking for a conference that blends high-quality technical content with genuine community vibes (plus karaoke, obviously), Epic Web Conf is it.

✨ Until the Next Launch

Epic Web Conf 2025 wasn’t just a professional milestone—it was a reminder of how powerful it is to gather in person, learn from one another, and celebrate the magic of building for the web. From emceeing my first conference to soaking up inspiring talks and late-night karaoke memories, every part of this experience filled my cup.

Huge thank you to the organizers, speakers, and everyone who made this event so special. I’m walking away with new knowledge, new friends, and a full heart. If you missed this year’s event, you can watch the full conference stream on YouTube! If you’re looking for a conference that blends technical excellence with genuine connection, I hope to see you at Epic Web Conf next year—maybe even on stage again. 😉