For anyone running a business or servicing the events industry, there are certain networking events and marketing conferences to attend every year. These trade shows are incredible resources for meeting new vendors, landing new clients, and boosting brand awareness for your business. But not all event conferences are going to be the same in terms of ROI and results. Prioritize your must-attend events lists to include the following conferences for 2023 and 2024. These are the best of the best and absolute top event and marketing conferences to attend.
1. The Event Planner Expo 2023
If you don’t make it to any other events industry conference this year, make it to this one. The Event Planner Expo 2023 is happening October 10th through 12th in New York City. And it promises to be even bigger this year than its 10th-anniversary celebration in 2022. Thousands descend into NYC for high-energy networking, a red-hot Speaker Series, inspirational panel discussions, VIP experiences, and a trade show floor of exhibitors representing the best of the events industry. It's more than an event - it's an experience! High-energy networking, bottom-line boosting insights, and more strategic partnerships are all driving forces for attendees. And every year, the incredible lineup of Keynote Speakers brings revolutionary mindset, business, and entrepreneurial advice you can't miss. This year, the legendary and world-renowned Gary Vaynerchuk is headlining the Speaker Series, too!
Get your tickets for this incredible conference and experience NOW!
Book your space as a top exhibitor, showcasing your brand to thousands, Here!
2. Inbound
Another event and marketing conference to attend this year is Inbound 2023. This conference is a perfect marriage of events and marketing with Inbound and HubSpot at the helm. It’s happening September 5th through 8th at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Topics include marketing, leadership, and innovation. And keynote speakers include Reese Witherspoon. It's a conference event planners don't want to miss!
Explore your general admission or VIP experiences Here!
3. Imex America
Mark your calendar as “busy” from October 17th through 19th because you’re heading to Las Vegas for the IMEX America Conference! Considered to be the “heartbeat of the global events community,” this conference is the largest trade show of all for the incentive travel, global meetings, and events industries. It’s an award-winning conference with all the high-energy networking, entertainment, and learning opportunities you’d expect from a Las Vegas production. Get involved!
Be an exhibitor at Imex America by clicking Here!
Get your passes and secure your spot Here!
4. Social Media Marketing World
If you’re looking to improve your social media marketing game and learn from world-renowned experts in digital marketing, you simply can’t afford to miss the Social Media Marketing World event. This San Diego-based conference is happening from February 18th through the 20th in 2024. And it’s the best place to get fully immersed in social media marketing trends, training, best practices, and more! Here’s a short list of expert trainers to learn from at this marketing conference:
- Mari Smith, the Queen of Facebook
- Derral Eves, YouTube expert and advisor to Mr. Beast
- Michael Stelzner, founder of Social Media Examiner
- Millie Adrian, Instagram marketing pro
- Sean Cannell, a YouTube master and influencer coach
- Molly Pittman, a leading digital ads strategist
Get registered for the Social Media Marketing World event today by clicking Here!
5. BizBash’s Connect Marketplace
Head to Minneapolis to mingle with thousands of event professionals and meeting planners for BizBash’s Connect Marketplace. From August 22nd through 24th, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, you’ll have the opportunity to network, get inspired, and browse the trade show floor. Expect a speaker lineup of 35 industry experts, more than 200 exhibitors, and roughly 3,000 attendees. It's a great opportunity to network, learn, and boost your business!
Learn more and get Connect Marketplace tickets Here!
6. Wedding MBA
Calling all wedding planners! The Wedding Pro Convention is coming to Las Vegas from November 6th through 8th. The Wedding Merchants Business Academy (MBA) is assembling 100 speakers, preparing 150 seminars, and featuring 200 exhibits for all things wedding. Head to the Las Vegas Convention Center and prepare for networking with a host of wedding-related service providers, including venues, florists, photographers, gown shop owners, caterers, tech professionals, DJs, and more. If you're in the wedding planning space, the Wedding MBA is a must-attend conference.
Get tickets and learn more about the Wedding MBA Here!
7. SXSW 2024
If you missed SXSW this year, don’t fret! You can secure your spot now for SXSW 2024. Take a look at what happened in 2023 in the world of tech, music, film, and more. And then mark your calendars for March 8th through 16th next year. The SXSW Conference & Festivals is happening in Austin, TX. And the applications for next year’s participation open up on June 27th. Here you’ll gather with industry pioneers, innovators, and artists.
- SXSW PanelPicker® session proposals
- Music Festival Showcasing Artists
- Two tech-centered competitions
- SXSW Pitch and Innovation Awards
Learn more about next year’s event, Here!
8. Expo! Expo! by IAEE
Another event and marketing conference to add to your must-attend list includes the EXPO! EXPO! IAEE’S Annual Meeting & Exhibition is happening December 5th through 7th in Dallas, TX. It’s often called “the show for shows” and invites thousands of industry professionals who are looking for revolutionary new and cutting-edge solutions. Show managers, meeting planners, marketing professionals, sales leaders, and events industry service providers are all encouraged to attend.
Get your tickets Here!
Reserve your exhibitor space by clicking Here!
9. Ad World Conference 2024
Get to the world’s absolute largest advertising event by attending the Ad World Conference 2024! Exclusive interviews, masterclasses, and panel discussions with experts attract hundreds of thousands to this mecca of ad conferences. Discover fresh TikTok marketing ideas, find new ways to reduce your CPAs on Facebook Ads, and drive conversion rates for your business. Explore 20+ different ad topics and grow your business. You missed this year’s conference, which took place in March 2023. But explore your options for participating next year!
Learn more by clicking Here!
10. Catersource & The Special Event Show (2024 Coming Soon)
Another hotspot event for professional learning and development opportunities is Catersource & The Special Event Show, coming soon in 2024. Sessions here fill up FAST, and seating is first come, first served. And education sessions here are all approved by The Events Industry Council, meaning they count toward your CMP certification! Don’t miss next year’s conference!
Learn more about announcements and speakers Here!
11. Traffic and Conversion Summit 2024
Head over to the Traffic and Conversion Summit 2024, happening January 9th through 11th in Las Vegas, Nevada! This conference is chock-full of keynote speaker sessions, breakout sessions, exhibitor sessions, and incredible networking opportunities. There’s an all-access party, VIP availability, and red-carpet rollouts, too! Get the latest about digital marketing, events, and more, along with the thousands who attend.
Learn more about the Traffic and Conversion Summit and register Here!
12. The Meeting Show London
If you’re up for an overseas opportunity, get your tickets to The Meeting Show in London! It’s the UK’s leading conference for global representatives of the events, hospitality, meetings, and incentives communities. Take your events to the next level when you network and learn from worldwide professionals and experts! There will be more than 600 events suppliers and countless new partnership opportunities! And hey - it’s going to be a blast because it’s in London!
Get your tickets for The Meeting Show in London, Here!
Explore exhibitor opportunities Here!
Other Marketing & Events Conferences to Explore in 2023
There is no shortage of high-value and high-energy conferences happening this year for marketing and event professionals. Here’s a short list of other conferences to explore this year!
- PubCon - Digital Marketing & Social Media Conference
- MozCon - SEO Networking Expo
- Content Marketing World - Content Marketing Conference
- PCMA Convening Leaders - Events Industry Leaders Expo
- Event Service Professionals Association Annual Conference - Events Industry Conference
- Event Tech Live - Event Technology Expo
- Cvent CONNECT - Event & Marketing Professionals Conference
- TEAMS ‘23 Conference & Expo - Event Services Conference
- Techsytalk Global 2023 - Event-Related Technology Conference
- Experiential Marketing Summit 2023 - Brand Experience Conference
Benefits of Attending Industry Conferences
As an event planner or professional serving the events industry, your niche is creating and participating in monumental experiences. And to grow your business, you need high-value networking opportunities. You need to meet new providers. You need to learn from industry experts to stay relevant and competitive in today's market. And let's be honest; these event-related conferences are incredibly fun! Get in the room and meet new partners. Generate leads and revise your operational strategies based on innovative knowledge and expertise you won't find anywhere else. Get out there and start attending!
These events and marketing conferences are just a few of the most results-driven experiences. Start planning your travels and make sure you get to one or more of these incredible events. And we'll see you at The Event Planner Expo 2023 this October! Get your tickets NOW!
