Ignite Bend 12 is coming up this month, and voting has opened today on submissions, where folks can vote on their top three favorite speaker proposals for what they would like to see on stage. Here are the list of submitted proposals, and you can go vote on them here.

And for all the Ignite details:

• When: Thursday, October 23, at 7pm (doors open at 6:30)
• Where: The Tower Theatre
• Cost: Totally free! And the EventBrite tickets will go on “sale” this Friday, the 10th, at noon!

This Thursday, the 9th, the Battledecks event and Ignite voting party is taking place: Battledecks is a taste of what the Ignite experience is like where you can sign up to do an improv-like “slideshow karaoke” presentation to a bunch of totally random slides that you’ve never seen before. And you’ll get the chance to vote (again) on paper ballots for your top three favorite speakers for Ignite Bend 12.

Battledecks is loads of fun, and there might even be a couple of prizes to give away to the most popular presentations (based on audience applause). If you want to go (and you should):

• When: This Thursday, October 9, starting at 6:30pm
• Where: Silver Moon Brewing
• Cost: Also free! Well, you get to buy your own beer and food, of course, but it doesn’t cost anything to attend or even sign up to do an improv, karaoke-style “Ignite” type presentation to a bunch of totally random slides!

Also, there is still a call out for businesses or individuals willing to sponsor Ignite Bend: the reason Ignite can be a totally free, volunteer-driven event is because of sponsorship dollars, 100% of which go to cover the costs needed to put it on. If you would be interesting in sponsor this Ignite—and perhaps future ones as well—check out the Sponsor page on the website and get in touch.

Disclosure: I’m on the volunteer committee that helps plan and put on Ignite Bend, so I would indeed like to see it be successful!