Closing Ceremonies

This closing ceremony wraps up the tenth CactusCon, a community-run security conference held in Mesa, Arizona in February 2022. The organizer opens by thanking the volunteers and team leads behind the event, covering roles in streaming, art, registration, badges, day-of operations, and the capture-the-flag and career villages. Attendance is given as roughly 500 people in person and about 785 online, with thousands of messages exchanged on Discord.

The middle section covers sponsors, individual community donors and the venue. Donations reached roughly ninety thousand dollars, with about half spent on audiovisual equipment for the hybrid format and the rest going to the venue, merchandise, travel support and operations. A reserve carries over to fund the next year's booking, and the organizers now pay the venue balance gradually rather than relying on sponsor income arriving in time. The capture-the-flag team then presented its results, describing a scavenger hunt with hidden wireless access points, a Rubik's cube challenge tied to a QR code, and separate online and in-person scoreboards. The career village recap followed, covering mock interviews, resume reviews and career path discussions.

The ceremony ends with prize giveaways, including signed copies of a ransomware book and training vouchers, and an open question period about what the event should add. Organizers said dates for the following year were still being negotiated with the convention center, and attendees were invited to continue the evening at the hotel.