Hacktoberfest is an event where individuals can contribute to open-source projects, with non-technical contributions such as translating documentation and removing condescending language being valuable additions. Vonage is participating in Hacktoberfest 2020, offering a limited edition T-shirt and the chance to plant a tree for participants who complete their contributions. Many open-source projects lack non-English documentation, making translations an important contribution. To find contributing opportunities, users can search for "first-timers" or "up-for-grabs" tags on platforms such as GitHub, and participate in initiatives like First Contributions and Up For Grabs to get started with open source development.