In its fourth year, the Combine brings speakers and attendees from across the country (and in this year’s case, the world!) to celebrate community, culture, capital and code in Bloomington. The event draws hundreds of participants from across the Midwest for an extended weekend of workshops, speakers, presentations, networking, parties and tours. Bloomington’s favorite event for startups and technology workers returns to the city April 11th-13th. If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, here are some compelling reasons to get your ticket before they’re gone! (Vergers can use this code for a discount!)

1. The Schedule

The Combine will feature a main speaker stage, a workshop series for starting and growing business, an Ignite Bloomington event, startup pitches, and new this year – LobbyCon – a mini-convention showcasing local startups, demos, games, and tech business support opportunities. The main speaker event will conclude with an after-party featuring the Star Trek themed rock band Five Year Mission. An added bonus: If you arrive a day early, you can join Verge Bloomington for a special edition of our monthly pitch night.

2. The Speakers

This year’s speaker lineup will include a diverse range of speakers including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Markerly CEO Sarah Ware, celebrity cat Lil Bub and her owner Mike Bridavsky, Frank Gruber of Tech Cocktail, Murder By Death frontman and Kickstarter success story Adam Turla, design strategist Roshelle Ritzenthaler and renowned marketing blogger Jay Baer. It’s the most diverse lineup in the Combine’s history, and…

3. The Setting

Nothing beats Bloomington in the springtime! Take a walk downtown with any of the local attendees for local beer, music and everything else that makes us fall in love with the city. Stick around on Sunday for a tour of the downtown Bloomington Certified Technology Park, future home of Bloomington’s tech and startup scene.

4. The Socializing

The Combine provides attendees with opportunities to rub elbows with like-minded entrepreneurs and tech folk from across the Midwest. The connections made at the event and the ideas generated from the community make it worth the trip from out of town. Locally, the Combine brings students and faculty of IU and Ivy Tech together with some of Bloomington’s most impressive startups and businesses, and it’s a great chance to see what’s happening in our part of the Hoosier State.

Check out the website for more information and a schedule. Group rates are available, and sponsorships are still being accepted. Contact mat@thecombine.org for more information, or follow @thecombineorg on Twitter.