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In 2026, there are several exciting database and data events, conferences, and seminars scheduled, focusing on data, databases, open source, cloud-native technologies, and data platforms.
To help you with your yearly planning and schedule, we’ve already compiled most of the events for you. For some, both the dates and details are already available, while for others, only the dates are known, and the call for papers is still to come, with further information to follow.
Overview of interesting data(base) events in 2026:
Bitbash 2026, January 23 and 24, Veenendaal
An exciting two-day event covering the latest Microsoft technologies and innovations. Whether you’re interested in .NET, Azure, data platforms, or AI, Bitbash helps you take your skills to the next level.
Inspiring community speakers deliver insightful sessions, hands-on experience, and engaging live demos.
Bitbash is a free, in-person event taking place on January 23–24 at the Info Support HQ in Veenendaal, the Netherlands.
MySQL Belgium Days, January 29 and 30, Brussels
MySQL Belgian Days (formerly known as the “preFOSDEM MySQL Days”) is a two-day event for all MySQL enthusiasts. This free, in-person conference takes place at the ICAB Incubator in Belgium, just ahead of FOSDEM 2026. Expect two days packed with insightful sessions and great networking opportunities with fellow MySQL fans.
You’ll have the chance to meet MySQL experts covering a wide range of topics, including database optimization, performance tuning, and the latest MySQL features.
Following the conference, the traditional MySQL Community Dinner is scheduled for Friday evening, January 30. While not free, it is highly recommended. More information about the dinner community dinner via this link: https://www.eventbrite.be/e/belgian-mysql-mariadb-friends-community-dinner-2026-registration-1977360399183
Don’t miss this great opportunity to expand your knowledge and connect with the MySQL community. Mark the dates in your calendar and secure your spot at MySQL Belgian Days!
PGDay FOSDEM, January 30, Brussels
FOSDEM PGDay 2026 is a one-day conference taking place ahead of the main FOSDEM event in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, January 30, 2026. This event is fully focused on PostgreSQL and features a single-track program of presentations.
This is a paid conference day, with a registration fee of €75, and will be held at the Brussels Marriott Hotel. Registration is required to attend, and as places are limited, we strongly recommend signing up as soon as registration opens.
FOSDEM 2026, January 31 and February 1, Brussels
FOSDEM is a two-day open source software and database event, organised by volunteers to promote the widespread use of free and open source software. Usually held in the beautiful city of Brussels, Belgium, FOSDEM is widely regarded as the leading conference in Europe in this field.
The conference is free to attend and does not require registration.
PostgreSQL Usergroup NL meetup Q1
The plan is to organise the first PostgreSQL Usergroup NL meetup of 2026 in Q1, with the location to be confirmed. We’ll put together an engaging and high-quality program featuring strong speakers. As always, there will also be room in the agenda for anyone who would like to give a lightning talk.
Keep an eye on our website — the meetup will be announced through the usual channels, including our website, LinkedIn, and the Meetup page on meetup.com. If you’re not yet a member of PostgreSQL Usergroup NL, be sure to sign up so you’ll receive notifications about all upcoming meetups.
All meetups are fully catered with a light meal and drinks, sponsored by the host or venue. PostgreSQL Usergroup NL meetups are free to attend, but registration is required for catering purposes.
Webpage PostgreSQL Usergroup NL
Dataminds Saturday 2026, February 21, Mechelen
dataMinds is once again organising dataMinds Saturday on February 21, 2026, with a strong focus on Microsoft Data and AI platform enthusiasts in Belgium, ready to deliver great content. The event is free to attend, but registration is required.
dataMinds was founded in 2006 as SQLUG.BE (the Belgian SQL Server User Group). In 2016, the community was rebranded as dataMinds to better reflect its mission and to embrace the evolution of the Microsoft Data Platform.
Today, dataMinds is a community of over 2,000 members.
PowerBI userdays, March 5 – 7, Utrecht
The largest Power BI event in the world! On March 5 it kicks off with Masterclass Thursday, followed by Deep Dive Friday on March 6, and Community Saturday on March 7. This three-day event offers a wide range of activities, including inspiring talks, in-depth workshops, and valuable networking opportunities for Power BI users of all skill levels. Across these days, attendees can learn from leading experts who share their knowledge and experience through a variety of sessions designed to inspire and provide fresh insights into the world of Power BI.
This is a paid event. Various ticket options are available, including day passes and individual trainings for Masterclass Thursday.
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe, March 23-26, Amsterdam
From March 23 to 26, 2026, the global cloud native community will come together in Amsterdam for this event organised by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). This flagship conference brings together users, developers, and technologists from the most influential open source and cloud native communities.
Across four days of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation, CNCF projects from the Graduated, Incubating, and Sandbox stages come together to help shape the future of cloud native computing.
In addition to the main conference, a wide range of CNCF co-located events and sponsor-led co-located events take place both before and after the conference. These include events such as ArgoCon, BackstageCon, Platform Engineering Day, Kubeflow Day, Kubernetes on Edge Day, Open Source SecurityCon, and many more.
A must-attend event for anyone involved in cloud native technology.
Attendees can register for an All-Access In-Person KubeCon + CloudNativeCon pass, which grants access to all CNCF-hosted co-located events as well as KubeCon + CloudNativeCon itself. This is a paid event.
CloudFest26, March 23-26, Europe-Park in Rust (Germany)
CloudFest is the world’s number one internet infrastructure event, connecting the global cloud computing industry. It’s the place to build valuable partnerships that help you achieve your business goals. CloudFest features keynotes and panels with high-profile speakers and industry experts, hands-on masterclasses, and Barcamp sessions, spread across four full days of learning and knowledge sharing.
The event also hosts a spectacular expo floor the size of a small village, featuring vendors from across the entire cloud ecosystem, ranging from hardware, software, and cybersecurity to domain services, e-commerce, open source, and startups. CloudFest is equally well known for its vibrant social program, with networking activities running day and night, themed parties and concerts at Europa-Park, unique experiences such as the World Server Throwing Championship, and an extraordinary venue where the cloud industry takes over an entire theme park, complete with immersive themed hotels and roller coasters running at full speed. Introductory video via this link
SeaQL Saturday, April 18, Ouddorp, Brouwersdam
OptimaData is a sponsor of SeaQL Saturday Brouwersdam 2026: the ultimate weekend by the coast, built for data professionals. This community-driven event offers a full day of hands-on technical sessions, in-depth discussions, and plenty of fresh sea air, with the North Sea and the Grevelingen Lake as its stunning backdrop. Best of all? Attendance to the conference day is completely free, with only a small contribution towards lunch, so you can fully enjoy an inspiring and educational experience.
This event provides a unique opportunity to meet peers and expand your professional network. It attracts SQL and data enthusiasts from a wide range of backgrounds, including database administrators, BI professionals, (database) DevOps engineers, and software architects. Whether you’ve just built your first pipeline or have been working as an architect for years, you’ll find people who speak your language, and chances are they’ll be happy to grab a coffee with you after the last session.
PGConf.DE, April 21 and 22, Essen, Germany
This year marks the 10th Annual PostgreSQL Conference Germany, taking place in Essen, Germany. The conference is organised by PostgreSQL Europe and serves as an important meeting and collaboration point for PostgreSQL users both within Germany and beyond.
PGConf.DE offers a unique opportunity for European PostgreSQL users and developers to catch up, learn, build relationships, get to know each other, and strengthen a truly professional network of people who use and work with PostgreSQL. The conference covers a wide range of topics, with talks ranging from deep dives into PostgreSQL internals led by core and leading developers to practical, real-world case studies from end users, including small businesses, large multinational companies, and government organisations that run their operations on PostgreSQL.
The conference features multiple parallel tracks, covering different technical levels, ensuring there is always something of interest for everyone. This is a paid event.
SQL Bits, April 22-25, ICC Wales in Newport
SQLBits is a must-attend event for data professionals, taking place from April 22 to 25, 2026 at ICC Wales. Join 2,000 industry leaders and peers for four days packed with unparalleled opportunities to ask questions, dive deep into real-world challenges, and share knowledge.
SQLBits was founded in 2007 by a group of people passionate about the SQL Server product stack, with the goal of providing much-needed education for data professionals.
Since then, it has grown into one of the world’s largest data platform conferences, held annually and featuring 200 world-class speakers, more than 300 hours of content, and some of the best networking opportunities in the industry. This is a paid event.
PostgreSQL Usergroup NL Q2 Meetup
We expect to schedule a spring edition of the PostgreSQL Usergroup NL Meetup as well, with the date and location to be announced. As you’ve come to expect from us, the program will feature strong, in-depth, and up-to-date technical sessions. And of course, there will once again be space for lightning talks, the famous “hallway track,” and plenty of food and drinks.
Keep an eye on our website and make sure to join our meetup group so you’ll receive notifications as soon as new announcements are published. The meetups are fully catered with a light meal and drinks, sponsored by the host or venue. All PostgreSQL Usergroup NL meetups are free to attend, but registration is required for catering purposes.
Webpage PostgreSQL Usergroup NL
Data Science Next, May 7-8, Amsterdam
The 2nd International Data Science Conference 2026 (DSC Next – 2nd Edition) is a global platform for data science and machine learning professionals and researchers. Following the successful inaugural edition in 2025, the 2026 conference returns to bring together leading experts from academia and industry to explore cutting-edge developments, innovative solutions, and transformative ideas shaping the future of technology and analytics.
Taking place on May 7–8, 2026 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the conference offers two inspiring days of keynote sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, all designed to foster collaboration and drive innovation. This is a paid event.
Datagrillen, May 21 and 22, Lingen, Germany
Data, bratwurst, and beer — the perfect combination! DataGrillen is a Microsoft Data Platform event held in Lingen, Germany. What started as a small gathering of just 30 participants has grown into an event welcoming around 220 attendees, while remaining completely free to attend.
DataGrillen is made possible entirely by sponsors and volunteers, keeping the event accessible to everyone. This is a free event.
PGDay Lowlands 2026, September 10, Utrecht
OptimaData is a long-standing sponsor of PGDay Lowlands. In 2026, the event will take place in Utrecht. As the Dutch market leader in PostgreSQL database consultancy and managed services, PGDay Lowlands is one of the most important conferences of the year for OptimaData. Beyond the strong technical content, it’s also a great way to reconnect after the summer holidays and a true community reunion.
Once again, we will be organising a “PGDay Warmup Meetup” on the afternoon and evening before PGDay. The call for papers and further details will be announced soon. PGDay Lowlands is a paid event.
PGDay Lowlands 2025 was a great success. Curious to see what the 2025 edition was like? Look at our blog and on this youtube channel all sessions of 2025 are available.
Many members of the PostgreSQL Usergroup NL are involved in organising this event, and OptimaData will once again contribute wherever possible to help further strengthen the PostgreSQL community in the Netherlands through this conference.
More information and registration details will follow as soon as they become available.
Data Saturday Holland, October 2-3, Utrecht
On October 2, Fabric Friday takes place, followed by Data Saturday on October 3, both hosted at Kinepolis in Utrecht.
What can you expect from Data Saturday? Join more than 400 peers to network and enjoy a full day of sessions delivered by top speakers from around the world. The content is primarily focused on the Microsoft Data Platform. This event is perfect if you want to learn more about topics such as SQL Server, Databricks, Kubernetes, PowerShell, Data Factory, Power BI, and of course, Microsoft Fabric.
Data Saturday is a free event.
The registration link will be shared as soon as more details become available.
PGConfEU, TBD
The dates and location have not yet been announced. Further information, the call for papers, and the full program will be released throughout the year.
What can you expect from PGConf.EU? This year’s conference marks the 16th Annual PostgreSQL Conference Europe. The event is organised by PostgreSQL Europe, with participation from most PostgreSQL user groups across Europe, and is intended to be a key meeting and collaboration point for users both within and beyond Europe. Many members of the PostgreSQL Usergroup NL regularly attend, and OptimaData has proudly been a long-standing sponsor of this open source database conference.
PGConf.EU offers a unique opportunity for European PostgreSQL users and developers to catch up, learn, build relationships, get to know one another, and strengthen a truly professional network of people who use and work with PostgreSQL.
The event moves between major cities across Europe each year, making it as accessible as possible for attendees from different regions.
The conference covers a wide range of topics, with talks expected to range from in-depth PostgreSQL internals sessions led by core and leading developers to real-world case studies from small companies, large multinational enterprises, and government organisations, all running their operations on PostgreSQL.
The conference features multiple parallel tracks, covering different technical levels, ensuring there is always something of interest for everyone.
And let’s not forget the important hallway conversations (the famous “hallway track”) filled with caffeine-fuelled discussions with fellow community members. Social events are also organised after the official program hours, where those hallway conversations often continue well into the night.
PGConf.EU is a paid event.
More information and registration details will be shared once available.
Announcements and Details
We will announce each conference in our event section with further details, the program, and registration information.
Are you organizing an event and would like it to be featured?
Feel free to let us know, and we’ll include your event, conference, or meetup in our overview. We’ll also make a separate announcement in our event section and share it on our social media channels.
