We kick things off with a visual showcase of the best experiential campaigns of the year—b-to-c, b-to-b and b-to-both. Grab a cup of coffee and meet fellow event peeps who share your passion for experiential.

In a world flying at warp speed into artificial everything, live experiences are the only thing people can trust. In this state of the union speed briefing, we’ll set the stage for why events are poised for growth in 2026—and what you’ll need to know to thrive for years.  

Be the first in the industry to get data points from Event Marketer’s research team, including spend projections, attendance trends and overall experiential strategies—then put that data into action in a workgroup activity that will have you meeting new people and transforming your perspectives on your 2026 events.

Leaders from the world’s most experiential brands are your mentors in this freeform conversation where you can ask the burning questions you’ve been eager to unpack. B-to-B and B-to-C advice will be served.

In this “working” lunch exercise, you’ll grab a bite and pair up to create an event campaign strategy based on another always-popular Event Marketer interactive creative brief prompt. After lunch, we’ll review the ideas and our Trendwatch mentors/panelists will offer advice and feedback. One team wins the challenge—and bragging rights.

If experiential is the way, these trends are the way forward. Sharpen your pencils for an in-depth look at the 25 marketing, culture, engagement, tech and event trends that will impact the way people experience live events in the coming year. Jam-packed with examples, case studies and visuals, this “Trendwatch” will arm you and your team with the intel you need for 2026.  

The experiential tech stack has never been more… stacked. In this expert-led discussion, we’ll break down the cutting-edge tech and A.I. tools that are making the greatest impact on events, and where the biggest potential for tech investments will lie in the year ahead.

In our second and last stretch break with a purpose, rotate through emerging products and services from Trendwatch partners who will each share must-know tips on their respective areas of expertise. If the industry is buzzing about it, we’ll be talking about it.

We’ll review the themes and learnings from the day, award our Creative Brief Challenge winners and open up the floor for a shared forecasting activity that will empower you to go back to your event teams with solid solutions to top industry pain points.

Grab a new friend for mocktails, cocktails and a couple more hours with your experiential community peers.