HTML500: Hundreds invited to learn HTML and CSS for free in Vancouver

It's being billed as "Canada's largest learn-to-code event". If you've always wanted to know how to build your own website using plain-old HTML and CSS, HTML500 is a chance to do so for free with 499 other people.

Lighthouse Labs, a developer boot camp, is organizing the one-day affair, which will take place on February 1 at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell Street) in Vancouver.

Attendees will be seated at one of 50 tables. Each table will be staffed by a different tech company whose developers will help attendees follow instructions for creating a landing page. Khurram Virani of Lighthouse Labs will give lectures on Hypertext Markup Language and Cascading Style Sheets. Lunch and coffee will be provided too.

“The HTML500 is the first step towards advanced tech education for the general public,” Jeremy Shaki, cofounder of Lighthouse Labs, said in a news release. “It is imperative that we show them, especially students, the advantages and ease of learning to code, regardless of the industry they are part of. As software development is instituted in standard curriculums in elementary and secondary schools, this generation of students will need to understand how to code to keep up with the new demands of the workforce.”

HTML500 will run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Registration is available via the HTML500 website. General admission is closed, but there's a waiting list.