KubeCon is coming to Amsterdam, bringing together the global cloud native community for a week packed with innovation, learning, and networking.
Although this will be my first time attending KubeCon, one thing keeps coming up in conversations with colleagues and community members: the real magic doesn’t only happen inside the conference halls.
Some of the most valuable insights, connections, and ideas emerge during the side events surrounding KubeCon week.
Looking at the agenda, it quickly becomes clear that KubeCon isn’t just a conference, it’s an ecosystem moment. From community-driven gatherings to deep technical co-located events and evening networking sessions, the week offers far more than what fits into the official schedule.
With so much happening, choosing where to invest your time isn’t trivial. So here’s my personal shortlist of side events I’m most excited about.
KubeQonnect 2026 — The perfect way to close your monday
By Monday evening, you’ve likely already immersed yourself in KubeCon week, whether through co-located events, lightning talks, or early community sessions.
That’s exactly why KubeQonnect exists.
Hosted by ITQ at Strandzuid in Amsterdam, just minutes from the conference venue, this relaxed evening gathering is designed to help you step away from the intensity of the day and connect with fellow cloud native professionals in a more informal setting.
There are no presentations, no slides and no vendor pitches.
Just good conversations, great people (~30 ITQers!) and a welcoming atmosphere.
And yes ! dinner and drinks are provided, so you can simply arrive, unwind, and enjoy the evening.
It’s the perfect moment to:
- reflect on what you discovered during the day
- exchange perspectives with peers and industry leaders
- strengthen relationships beyond hallway conversations
- experience the community side of cloud native
After all, KubeCon is about technology but the community is what makes it thrive.
If you’re in Amsterdam on Monday evening, this is where meaningful conversations begin.
Register yourself today, because we almost need to switch to our waiting list. Secure your spot today!
Co-located events — Deep dive before the main event
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2026 officially ramps up on Tuesday, but Monday’s co-located events offer focused deep dives into specific domains.
And there are a lot of them this year.
The full list is extensive and available here.
With so many exciting talks and focus areas, choosing what to attend can be surprisingly challenging. Two events in particular caught my attention :
Cloud Native AI + Kubeflow Day
AI is one of my personal passions, and I’m lucky to have the opportunity to explore this space in depth, especially at an event like this. Beyond my own curiosity, AI is also a strategic focus for ITQ, so attending this co-located day gives me insights that are directly relevant for our work.
Seeing how others tackle these challenges gives me concrete ideas for connecting infrastructure, platform engineering, and data science in ways that just work, without losing sight of reliability and operational simplicity.
You can find the agenda here.
ArgoCon
GitOps has shaped how I manage Kubernetes environments for years, and Argo CD has been central to that approach. ArgoCon brings together the community around the Argo ecosystem ( CD, Workflows, Rollouts, Events) to explore how teams automate delivery, manage workflows, and handle real-world platform complexity.
What excites me most is seeing practical, production‑tested approaches in action : safe rollouts, consistent environments across teams, and workflow automation that actually works. These real-world insights feed directly into how I think about building and evolving platforms at ITQ, especially as we tackle AI-native workloads while keeping reliability and simplicity front and center.
The agenda of this co-located event is over here.
Cloud Native Rejekts — Community energy and unexpected insights
Held the weekend before KubeCon, Cloud Native Rejekts is a community-driven event where talks that didn’t make it into the main conference get a second life and the event is free !
It has a reputation for being informal, experimental, and highly technical, showcasing ideas and approaches that often don’t appear on the main stage. For anyone interested in seeing different perspectives and hearing about real challenges in the cloud native ecosystem, Rejekts is a chance to pick up insights, inspiration, and practical lessons from the community.
Even if I haven’t attended before, events like this are the type of gathering where you can discover new trends, connect with peers, and explore innovative ideas that may influence how we build and operate platforms at ITQ.
You can find more information about Cloud Native Rejekts here.
Make the Most of KubeCon Week
KubeCon week is intense, inspiring, and full of opportunities but only if you plan it intentionally.
- Explore the co-located events and pick the deep dives that align with your interests.
- Check out the full schedule and start bookmarking the sessions you don’t want to miss.
- Consider community events like Cloud Native Rejekts if you’re arriving early and want a different perspective. Free entrance, secure your spot !
And of course, if you’re in Amsterdam on Monday evening…
👉 Register for KubeQonnect 2026 and make sure you get the last available tickets before we have to place people on the waiting list! Join us for dinner, drinks, and meaningful conversations with fellow cloud native enthusiasts.
The full KubeCon schedule (including co-located events) can be found here.
I have a bonus list of availables parties for you over here.
