As an event professional, you already know that it is imperative to regularly make an effort to improve upon your skills and expand your network. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find opportunities to do so. While there are plenty of events planning conferences taking place, finding the ideal event for event planners to attend isn’t always easy to do.
The purpose of this article is to show you some of the best event planning conferences of 2016, designed to help you to develop your skills, expand your professional network, and help you to advance your event planning career.
This list of events for event planners features a variety of conferences, workshops, and networking events that can help you do all three of these things, plus all of the listed events are run by trusted industry professionals.
February Events
Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) - February 23-24, 2016 - Melbourne, Australia
AIME is an expo that allows top flight meeting planners throughout the world to engage and network with their peers and with suppliers. The event is designed for anyone involved in the process of organising meetings, business travel, incentives, or events.
March Events
International Confex - March 2-3, 2016 - Olympia London, United Kingdom
International Confex is a conference designed to bring together event organizers while providing them with a bevy of venues, destinations, and event support services. The event features thousands of participants and is the largest event professional conference in the UK.
Confex features a number of different event technology exhibitors, one of them is Bizzabo. If you’re going, drop us a line so we can meet!
Pricing for Profit Workshop – March 6, 2016 - Atlanta, Georgia
This event is specifically designed for event professionals in the wedding planning industry. The event will feature speakers Kristin Kaplan, Julie Anne Neill, and Akeem Clayton, and is intended to be an interactive workshop that provides plenty of actionable takeaways. It’s a good event for planners who are new to the wedding planning industry and want to learn industry best practices.
Catersource Event Solutions Conference – March 13-16, 2016 - Las Vegas, NV
This event planning conference is tailored towards professional caterers, although many event professionals with broader titles attend as well. The event generally has about a thousand attendees and features unbeatable networking opportunities as well as an array of educational tips and tools. It’s a great event for those interested in finding awesome caterers or for those hoping to find some catering inspiration.
MPI Experiential Event Series at SXSW 2016 - March 17-19, 2016 - Austin, TX
This event, hosted by Meeting Professionals International, is designed to help planners interested in learning what it takes to organize a large scale event, like a music festival. This is a one-of-a-kind event because it provides attendees with a live glimpse into the production process or one of the most prestigious and complex events, SXSW.
Creative at Heart Conference – March 20-22, 2016 - Annapolis, MD
If you are looking to get the creative juices flowing, this is the event planning conference to attend. You will have the opportunity to hear from over two dozen event professionals, all of whom provide a unique perspective on how you can bring more creativity to your events to better inspire attendees.
Independent Planner Education Conference - March 20-23, 2016 - Austin, TX
This event for event planners is designed to serve as an educational opportunity for independent meeting professionals. The conference emphasizes both education and networking, as event professionals and suppliers will have the opportunity to participate in one-on-one meetings with each other. It should be noted that you must pre-apply to attend.
The People Plan Workshop – March 23, 2016 - New York City, NY
While this workshop is presented by wedding planning professionals, it is actually advertised as a great option for any event professional looking to potentially add to their staff and grow their business. Like most workshops, it is designed to provide you with plenty of actionable steps that you can use immediately to plan better events. Plus it offers a good networking opportunity in one of the country’s biggest event planning hubs.
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April Events
APA National Planning Conference – April 2-5, 2016 - Phoenix, AZ
The American Planning Association’s 2016 Conference is perfect for event professionals who are looking for an opportunity to learn about new trends and hot topics in the industry. The educational opportunities available at this conference are unparalleled in the industry.
IBTM Africa - April 8, 2016 - Cape Town, South Africa
IBTM just recently began featuring an event in South Africa to provide a better opportunity for elite meeting planners and buyers to network and gain relevant education in the industry. For our friends in Africa, IBTM Africa represents one of the best event planning conferences around.
Smart Meeting Southern California - April 13, 2016 - Los Angeles, CA
Smart Meetings is best known for their magazine that regularly features helpful tips and tricks for event professionals. In addition to the magazine and website resources that they offer, Smart Meetings also host several small events throughout the United States, perfect for planners interested in great networking opportunities.
IMEX Frankfurt - April 19-21, 2016 - Frankfurt, Germany
IMEX Frankfurt is one of the largest events in the world for incentive travel, meeting, and event professionals. The event is projected to host over 13,000 attendees and the 2015 conference had over 65,000 pre-scheduled business appointments. It’s one of the best events for event plannings of 2016.
Elevate By BizBash - April 27, 2016 - New York, NY
This one day conference for event planners is designed to introduce attendees to the intersection of event planning and innovation. Featuring a lineup of speakers like Silicon Valley guru, Ben Parr, and BizBash CEO, David Adler, this one-day event is sure to inspire eventprofs. It also represents a fantastic networking opportunity for planners interested in meeting some of the industry's brightest minds.
PCMA Education Foundation Visionary Awards - April 27, 2016 - Washington, DC
This event is the premier awards show for event professionals. Over 1,000 event industry professionals attend the show annually and it is intended to create an Oscars-like environment for thought leaders within the profession.
ISES Global Event Summit – April 2016 - Edinburgh, Scotland
This international event planning conference features event planners from some of the world’s most prestigious organizations. Organizers from companies like NASDAQ, Edwards Lifesciences, Shaw Communications, SH Worldwide, and TBA Global will all be presenting at the event.
May Events
Smart Meeting Northeast - May 12, 2016 - New York, NY
A great networking event hosted by Smart Meetings,this particular event caters more towards event professionals who are involved in planning high-end events and conferences. It’s projected to be one of the bigger Smart Meetings events happening this year.
June Events
WEC 2016 – June 11-14, 2016 - Atlantic City, NJ
Meeting Professionals International, one of the oldest event industry associations in the world, has scheduled their annual conference for the 11th through 14th of June. There are a wide array of opportunities for networking, education sessions, and the ability to hear from several industry experts.
Engage 16 Luxury Wedding Business Summit – June 12-15, 2016 - Palm Beach, CA
For wedding industry professionals, there are very few events throughout the country as prestigious as the Luxury Wedding Business Summit. The event is designed to serve as an open exchange of ideas and strategies while also being an amazing opportunity to network in a non-client, non-competitive environment. It should be noted, however, that the event is limited to 350 attendees, so registering early is imperative.
IBTM America - June 15-17, 2016 - Nashville, TN
IBTM America is a 3-day event that features thousands of event professionals and suppliers from throughout the world. IBTM does a great job of facilitating networking opportunities both prior to and during the event.
Techsytalk Live - June 24, 2016 - New York City Area
Techsytalk Live is a one-day conference and event technology showcase that is put together ‘for planners, by planners’. It is an exciting event that serves as an interactive experience for attendees to learn about event technology trends and advances in the industry. For event planners hoping to take their events to the next level, this is simply a must attend event because of the cutting edge event tech solutions on display.
Smart Meeting East National - June 26, 2016 - Miami, FL
It’s difficult to beat the setting of this Smart Meeting event. Expect to have plenty of opportunities for networking and gaining insights into top level industry leaders if you plan to attend.
PCMA Education Conference - June 26-29, 2016 - St. Louis, MO
The Professional Convention Management Association has more than 6,500 members and is known as a leading organization for meeting and event professionals. Their annual conference is known for providing attendees with educational material while also offering insight into some of the innovative techniques that are being used by leaders throughout the industry.
July Events
Smart Meeting Mid-Atlantic - July 14, 2016 - Washington, DC
Attending Smart Meeting Mid-Atlantic is a great idea for event professionals looking to network and gain educational insight in a less intimidating environment than other larger conferences in the industry.
August Events
ISES Live Conference for Creative Event Professionals – August 11-13, 2016 - Austin, TX
While there isn’t much information as of yet about this event, the International Special Events Society is known for putting together very strong conferences for their attendees. Expect to receive plenty of great information and networking opportunities if you decide to attend.
2016 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exhibition - August 13-16, 2016 - Salt Lake City, UT
The ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition features over 5,000 event professionals that come together to network, participate in education sessions, and openly share ideas. The event caters to individuals looking to increase their knowledge of trade associations, membership societies, and voluntary organizations.
September Events
MEET National 2016 – September 7-8, 2016 - Washington, DC
MEET National is specifically designed as a conference allowing association, corporate, independent, and government meeting planners to connect with suppliers. The event is perfect if you are looking for a way to expand your network and build relationships with industry decision makers. It’s the ideal event planning conference for those working as a planner for a government agency.
IBTM Latin America - September 7-8, 2016 - Mexico City, Mexico
The IBTM is an organization of top level meeting planners and regularly holds satellite events in countries throughout the world. The Latin America event features event professionals and suppliers from throughout South America.
IBTM China - September 7-8, 2016 Beijing, China
IBTM China is one of largest conferences in IBTM’s event portfolio and annually brings together thousands of event professionals and suppliers. The event provides an incredible opportunity for international networking as there are attendees from all over the world.
Smart Meeting West National - September 11, 2016 Biltmore, Arizona
Smart Meeting West National is an opportunity for event professionals to network and learn with other individuals in the meetings, travel, and hospitality industry.
MICE Asia Pacific Exhibition 2016 - September 21-22, 2016 - Singapore
The MICE exhibition is one of the largest events in the industry as it features thousands of meeting, conference, exhibition, and event organizers. The event provides a unique opportunity for individuals within this profession to meet and network with leading decision makers from hotels, venues, and event suppliers throughout the Asia Pacific.
October Events
Event Planner Expo – October 5, 2016 - New York, NY
While this event lasts only five hours (3-8 PM), it annually features well over 2,500 attendees. If attending, you can expect to have the opportunity to meet with hundreds of event and wedding planners, and industry decision makers.
The Signature C.E.O. Conference 2016 – October 31 & November 1, 2016 - College Park, Maryland
The Signature C.E.O. Conference is intended as a business intelligence event for wedding and event professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts including Meryl Snow of Catersource, Marilyn Crouther of Hewlett Packard, Celebrity Chef Dana Eugene Herbert of Desserts by Dana, and many others.
November Events
ABC Business of Brides Annual Conference – November 6-8, 2016 - Dallas, TX
The Association of Bridal Consultants annually put together one of the premier events in the US for wedding planners and event professionals. The event features two full days of educational presentations and also includes a large trade show.
Smart Meeting Southwest - November 9, 2016 - Dallas, TX
This is the last of Smart Meetings’ 2016 events and is generally one of the more jam-packed events as industry professionals look to get ready for the next year.
NorthStar Meetings Leadership Forum - November 15-17, 2016 - Indian Wells, CA
While this leadership forum is invite-only, attendees have an incredible opportunity to exchange ideas with meetings industry leaders and high level planners. The forum also allows attendees to network in a unique atmosphere where they can enjoy golf, spa treatments, and wildlife adventures with their peers.
Global Incentive Summit - November 26-28, 2016 - Monte Carlo, Monaco
Like most events on this list, the Global Incentive Summit is designed to provide an opportunity for planners around the world to learn and network with their peers. There are opportunities for one-to-one appointments and plenty of actionable advice provided by industry experts.
December Events
Coterie Retreat – December 5-8, 2016 - New Orleans, LA
The Coterie Retreat is well-known for the fact that it caters to women of color in the wedding and event planning industry. The event was put together as a way for attendees to fine-tune their event planning businesses while mastering best practices and networking with some of the top event professional minds in the country.
2016 Expo Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition - December 6-8, 2016 - Anaheim, CA
The IAEE puts together this meeting for individuals looking to understand more about the planning, management, and production of exhibitions and buyer-seller events. There are a many of opportunities for networking as thousands of industry experts annually attend this event planning conference.
January 2017 Events
The Special Event Show – January 10-12, 2017 - Long Beach, California
The Special Event Show is known as one of the industry’s premier conferences for event professionals. The event features over 5,000 individuals from the industry, providing over 100 education sessions and an incredible opportunity for networking
Did we miss something?
While we think we’ve capture all of the great event planning conferences happening in 2016, it’s possible we missed one or two. If you know of an event that should be on our list, click the button below to submit it!