8 Things I’m Looking Forward to at DrupalCon Vienna 2025

1. The Drupal Association Board Retreat

Before the main conference, the Drupal Association Board of Directors (of which I’m part of) gathers in Vienna for our annual retreat, a full day of discussions about the future of Drupal.

During those retreats, we review finances, sustainability, philanthropy, the European funding landscape, and many more topics, all aimed at ensuring Drupal’s continued health and growth. These sessions are always both practical and inspiring, a mix of strategy and shared purpose that reminds us how much this project depends on collaboration.

Sometimes we also get access to a first look at Dries’ keynote, which always helps set the tone for the conference. As always, it’s a privilege to sit alongside people who care deeply about open source, community, and Drupal’s long-term sustainability.

2. Leaving the Drupal Bubble

A few years ago, as part of the Drupal Association staff, I wrote an article about leaving the Drupal bubble. The idea wasn’t about leaving the community, but about expanding it, taking Drupal’s message and innovation beyond our own circles.

Too often, we talk mainly to ourselves, at Drupal events, in community channels, and on our own platforms. If we want Drupal to grow, we need to show up where the wider digital industry gathers, at events like Web Summit, in conversations about AI, sustainability, and open innovation.

Leaving the bubble means bringing Drupal into those spaces, connecting with product teams, agencies, and builders who may not yet realize how much Drupal can do for them. It’s about making sure our work, our ideas, and our community spirit are visible beyond the Drupal ecosystem.

3. Drupal Canvas (formerly Experience Builder)

One of the most exciting developments for Drupal CMS is Drupal Canvas, previously known as Experience Builder. It represents a huge step forward in how we approach site building and content creation, visual, intuitive, and designed for real collaboration between developers and marketers.

I’m eager to see the latest demos and community feedback around Canvas in Vienna. It’s not about simplifying Drupal to the point of losing its depth, but about empowering more people to contribute meaningfully to site creation.

Canvas brings the best of both worlds, a more approachable entry point for new users and a stronger foundation for enterprise teams that demand flexibility and scalability.

4. Drupal AI in Action

AI has been one of the biggest conversations in our industry, but this year at DrupalCon we’ll see it move from concept to implementation. Pantheon recently joined the Drupal AI Initiative as a Gold member, bringing Gemini and other AI tooling into Drupal through the new Tools API.

On Wednesday, I’ll be on stage with Josh to talk about this collaboration and demo some of the work we’ve done with Magic Search and the API tools. These innovations open new possibilities for how Drupal sites can understand, generate, and act on content.

5. The Evolution of Drupal CMS

Drupal CMS is the cornerstone of Drupal’s next chapter. It’s more than a name change, it’s a reimagined way to introduce Drupal to new users. The goal is clear, make it easier to install, simpler to use, and faster to get from idea to live site without compromising flexibility.

6. Meeting Partners and Agencies Across Europe

One of the things I value most about DrupalCon is the opportunity to connect beyond code. This year, I’m especially looking forward to meeting with partners and agencies across the EMEA region, hearing about their projects, their challenges, and their plans for 2025.

7. The Community Energy

No matter how much technology evolves, DrupalCon is ultimately about people. The hallway track, the coffee-line conversations, the laughter after a long day of sessions, that’s the magic of this community.

8. A Sense of Momentum

This year feels like a turning point for Drupal. Between the rise of Drupal AI, the reimagined Drupal CMS, and a new wave of product thinking, the project is finding balance between innovation and approachability.

Bonus: The Drupal Marketplace

I’m also keen to see what’s next for the Drupal Marketplace. It plays an essential role in helping organizations discover the right partners, agencies, and service providers, while also showcasing the diversity and maturity of the Drupal ecosystem.