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If you walked into a conference knowing that 88% of the people in the room were actively looking for new suppliers, you’d probably prepare differently. That’s what is happening at International Confex based on their numbers.
If you knew that 7 out of 10 buyers control budgets over $1 million, as shared by IMEX America, you wouldn’t treat it like “just another industry event.”
And if you heard that the average planner leaves Connect Spring Marketplace with five new partnerships in hand, you’d realise these aren’t networking sessions; they’re deal rooms with better lighting.
This is what event planning conferences look like right now.
Deals are closing over coffee, partnerships are forming between sessions, and the kind of conversations that used to take six months of emails are happening in six minutes flat.
We’ve rounded up the best ones for 2026, month by month, so you can stop scrolling through endless event listings and start blocking the dates that actually matter.
Date: February 25–26, 2026
Location: ExCeL London, UK
International Confex has been around for 43 years, and there’s a reason it keeps pulling in event professionals from across the UK and beyond. Over two days, more than 5,500 attendees show up to meet suppliers, swap ideas and figure out what’s next for the industry. It’s one of the longest-running event professional conferences in Europe, and the 2026 edition looks just as strong.
It’s bringing together 330+ exhibitors covering everything from event tech startups to global hotel groups this year. You’ll also get access to 100+ free sessions spread across nine content theatres. The programming tackles what event pros are actually dealing with right now: AI, sustainability, creative strategy, client expectations, and agency profitability.
One thing that’s new for 2026 is Braindate, a peer learning feature that lets you book one-on-one or small group conversations with other attendees around specific topics. Think of it as structured networking without the awkward small talk.
If you’re sourcing new suppliers, scouting venues, or just trying to keep up with where the industry is heading, Confex delivers on all three. The exhibitor floor covers the full event supply chain, and according to the organisers, 88% of attendees come specifically to connect with new suppliers and venues.
The content program is designed for every level, whether you’re a junior planner or a senior strategist. Sessions cover real challenges like scaling an agency without losing your original vision, rethinking the broken RFP process, and leading teams when AI keeps changing the rules. You’re hearing from agency founders, brand-side event managers, and creative directors who’ve actually dealt with this stuff.
Networking is baked into the whole experience, too. Beyond the expo floor, you’ve got dedicated lounges, bars, and after-hours socials where conversations happen more naturally. With £1.5 billion in collective spending power walking the floor, the people you meet here can actually move the needle for your business.
Entry is free for corporate event planners, agencies, associations, charities, nonprofits, exhibition organisers, students, and media. Suppliers and venue representatives pay £295 + VAT for a two-day pass, and that amount gets deducted if you decide to exhibit in 2027. Register on the International Confex website.
Date: March 9–11, 2026 Location: New York City, USA
If you’re a meeting or incentive travel planner who books programs internationally, this is the event built specifically for you. Successful Meetings University International brings together North American buyers with international suppliers for two days of pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings, educational sessions, and networking at some of New York City’s most iconic spots.
Northstar Meetings Group, the company behind Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, and Incentive Magazine, hosts the event. It’s a smaller, more focused gathering compared to massive trade shows, which means you’re not competing with thousands of other planners for face time with suppliers.
The 2026 exhibitor list already includes 200+ international suppliers ranging from destination management companies and convention bureaus to hotel groups and cruise lines across Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond.
The biggest draw here is the hosted buyer model. If you qualify, Northstar covers your airfare, hotel, meals, and activities. That’s a significant perk if you’re looking to expand your international supplier network without the usual conference costs eating into your budget.
The format is designed for efficiency. Instead of wandering an expo floor hoping to bump into the right people, you get pre-scheduled appointments with suppliers who actually match what you’re looking for. You’ll also have plenty of unstructured time at the welcome reception and networking events to build relationships in a more relaxed setting.
For planners who regularly source international destinations, the exhibitor list alone makes this worth considering. You’ve got convention bureaus from Dublin to Dubai, hotel clusters from Hilton and Marriott properties across Europe, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Silversea, and destination management companies covering just about every region you’d want to book.
Ticket prices aren’t mentioned on the website yet. However, keep checking the website to stay updated.
Date: April 14–16, 2026
Location: Kentucky, USA
Connect Spring Marketplace is a three-day event where meeting planners, hotels, convention and visitors bureaus, and suppliers come together for structured one-on-one appointments designed to turn conversations into actual contracts.
The event uses AI-powered matchmaking to pair buyers with suppliers, so you’re not wasting time in meetings that go nowhere. According to the organisers, attendees walk away with an average of five new partnerships per event.
The keynote speaker is Jesse Itzler, the serial entrepreneur behind Marquis Jet and Zico Coconut Water, who also co-owns the Atlanta Hawks. Beyond the main stage content, there are four-plus hours of educational programming covering topics like citywide event execution, third-party planning perspectives, and what it takes to pull off large-scale events.
Connect also takes sustainability seriously. They provide reusable water bottles, set up onsite recycling, donate leftover food to local charities, and reuse event carpet year over year. If you’re building sustainability into your own events, you’ll pick up some ideas just by paying attention to how they run theirs.
The marketplace format is the main draw here. Instead of wandering a trade show floor hoping to bump into the right people, you get pre-scheduled appointments with qualified buyers or suppliers, depending on which side of the table you’re on. Hosted buyers can book up to 45 appointments over three days, while suppliers get up to 40 guaranteed meetings with decision-makers who actually control event budgets.
The hosted buyer program covers travel and hotel, which removes a big barrier if the budget is tight. If you don’t qualify for hosted buyer status or prefer more flexibility, the Power Pass option gives you full access to networking events and educational content without the appointment commitment.
Hosted buyers attend with travel and hotel covered if they qualify. Suppliers pay to attend and get guaranteed appointments. There’s also a Buyer Power Pass for planners who want access without the one-on-one meeting commitment. Visit the Connect Spring Marketplace website for registration details.
Date: May 27, 2026 Location: Washington DC, USA
ECEF is a single-day event built specifically for executives at associations and independent event organisers. It’s been running for 25 years and has earned a reputation as the gathering spot for senior leaders who run business-to-business exhibitions and conventions.
The room typically holds around 250 executives, so you’re not lost in a crowd of thousands. You’re surrounded by peers at your level who are dealing with the same challenges you are.
The format prioritises peer exchange over passive learning. The day kicks off with a networking reception the evening before, then moves into a full day of presentations, roundtable discussions, and structured networking. There’s a “Meet the Leaders” session where everyone in the room stands up and introduces themselves, which makes it easier to identify who you want to connect with during breaks and lunch.
One standout feature is TechDemo, a hands-on session where event technology companies demonstrate their products specifically for non-technical executives. You get to explore tools for marketing, sales, operations, and back-office functions without wading through jargon. It’s a good way to stay current on what’s available without committing to a full vendor pitch.
ECEF works well if you’re a senior leader looking to build relationships with other executives who actually understand the pressures of running large-scale events. The attendee list reads like a who’s who of the exhibition industry, with vice presidents, chief revenue officers, and executive directors from organisations such as the National Retail Federation, Consumer Technology Association, Emerald, Clarion Events, and dozens of major associations.
Early bird registration is $695 if you sign up before March 1, 2026. After that, the price goes up to $895. Additional colleagues from the same organisation can register for $595 each. Visit the ECEF website to register.
Date: June 24–25, 2026
The Meetings Show has been around since 2013 and has grown into the UK’s largest exhibition for the meetings, events and incentives community. For any meeting planner, this conference is a key date on the calendar. It’s organised by Northstar Meetings Group, the same team behind Successful Meetings and Incentive Magazine, so they know what event professionals actually need to see and hear.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract around 5,900 unique attendees and 560+ exhibitors from over 80 international destinations. You’ll find hotels, destination management companies, convention and visitors bureaus, conference centres, venues and event technology suppliers all in one place.
The education program runs across both days with panels, presentations, workshops and question-and-answer sessions covering everything from AI in events to sustainability, contract negotiation and experiential design.
If you’re a UK or European meeting and event planner, the hosted buyer program is worth your attention. It’s the largest hosted buyer program of any UK industry event, which means travel and accommodation are covered if you qualify.
Even if you don’t qualify as a hosted buyer, entry is free for anyone working in the meetings and events industry. That includes association planners, professional congress organisers, charity and nonprofit event teams, in-house corporate event organisers, agencies, and marketing agencies.
Networking happens throughout the show with on-stand drinks, activations, parties, competitions and entertainment. The format is designed so you can move between formal appointments on the show floor and casual conversations in the lounges and networking zones.
Entry is free for buyers in the meetings and events industry. Register your interest on The Meetings Show website to be notified when registration opens.
Date: June 2026 (specific dates to be announced)
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA
World Education Congress is Meeting Professionals International’s flagship event, and it’s the largest annual gathering dedicated to business event professionals. The 2026 edition takes place in San Antonio, with the local MPI Texas Hill Country Chapter hosting, which means you’re getting that signature Texas hospitality layered into every part of the experience.
The education program breaks into five festival-inspired tracks: People, Passion, Pride, Promise and Party. These aren’t passive learning sessions where you sit in the back row taking notes. WEC is built around interactive and participatory formats, so you’re shaping the energy and outcomes of each session just by being in the room.
Networking is designed to be the heartbeat of WEC, not a side activity. Every interaction is intentional, whether it’s spontaneous or structured. The goal is to spark connections that actually last beyond the event.
For suppliers, this is where you meet planners and organisers who are actively building their event pipelines. You’re putting your brand in front of decision-makers at the exact moment they’re looking for partners.
Registration pricing depends on MPI membership status and when you sign up. Learn more on the website.
Date: August 2–4, 2026
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
The NACE Experience Conference is the annual gathering for catering and event professionals hosted by the National Association for Catering and Events. It brings together caterers, event planners, culinary experts and hospitality professionals for three days of education, networking and industry recognition.
What makes this conference different from larger industry events is the focus on curated, immersive learning. Sessions run 30 to 60 minutes and cover formats like interactive presentations, panel discussions, workshops and live demonstrations. The programming tackles trends shaping catering and events, practical business strategies and techniques you can bring back to your team immediately.
The conference also hosts the NACE One Awards, which recognise outstanding work across event design, culinary execution, event production and chapter programming. If you’re looking to benchmark your work against the best in the industry or get recognition for a project you’re proud of, this is where that happens.
If catering is a core part of your business, this conference speaks directly to what you do. The attendee mix skews toward caterers, venue operators, event designers and culinary professionals, which means the conversations and content stay relevant to the specific challenges of food-forward events.
The networking here is designed to be guided rather than left to chance. You’re not just wandering a trade show floor hoping to connect with the right people. The format creates natural opportunities to meet peers, suppliers and potential partners throughout the three days.
Registration opens in March 2026. Pricing details haven’t been announced yet, so check the NACE website for updates.
Date: August 11–12, 2026
Location: Toronto, Canada
Canadian Meetings + Events Expo is the largest and longest-running trade show for meeting and event professionals in Canada. It’s family-owned and operated, which gives it a different feel than the corporate-backed shows. The focus is tighter and more regional, but that doesn’t mean limited options. You’ll find suppliers from Canadian, U.S. and international destinations, plus venues, event technology companies, audio/visual providers and décor specialists.
The education programming runs alongside the trade show floor and is designed to help you build skills that translate directly into better events. Sessions earn you continuing education credits, and the content focuses on practical takeaways rather than high-level theory. Past topics have covered industry trends, planning strategies and lessons learned from real events that didn’t go as planned.
CMEE works well if you’re based in Canada or planning events there. The supplier mix is designed specifically for the Canadian market, which means you’re not sorting through exhibitors who don’t operate in your region. According to attendee testimonials, people come back year after year because they can meet with multiple partners and discover new vendors in one concentrated setting.
First-time attendees from 2025 mentioned the educational sessions as a standout feature. The speakers share actionable insights you can apply immediately, and the format makes it easy to ask questions and dig into specific challenges. One attendee noted they started implementing what they learned within 48 hours of leaving the show.
Attendee registration opens soon for August 2026. Pricing details will be available once registration launches on the website.
Date: September 22–24, 2026
Location: JW Marriott Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Next in our list of event management conferences is Destination Midwest. It’s a hosted buyer event focused entirely on the Midwest U.S. market. The format centres on pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments. Northstar Meetings Group matches you with suppliers based on what you’re actually looking to book, so the conversations are targeted from the start.
The Midwest gets overlooked in favour of coastal destinations, but if you’re actually planning programs in this region, you need to know who operates here. Destination Midwest concentrates 12 states’ worth of suppliers into three days, which saves you months of individual outreach and site visits.
The Event Design Lab is worth the trip on its own. It’s hands-on problem solving, not another presentation about trends you already know about. You’re working through actual challenges with other planners and coming away with solutions you can implement immediately.
Ticket prices aren’t mentioned yet. Keep checking the website for ticket information.
Date: October 13–15, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
IMEX America is one of the biggest event industry expos for the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. The numbers tell part of the story: 17,633 total participants in 2025, 92,000 meetings booked over three days, 3,700 exhibiting companies from 80-plus countries.
IMEX’s current theme is Design Matters, which positions design as more than aesthetics. The World Economic Forum predicts creative thinking and curiosity will be among the most in-demand skills by 2030, and IMEX is framing design as the differentiator that makes events memorable when attention spans are short and expectations are high.
The buyer profile matters here. Seventy per cent of the 6,145 buyers who attended in 2025 control budgets over $1 million. Twenty-five per cent manage budgets exceeding $10 million. Forty-five per cent hold director-level positions or higher. These aren’t junior planners gathering ideas; they’re decision-makers with authority and timelines. This means participating in IMEX brings lots of potential for your business, translating into higher brand awareness and pipeline.
Attendance is free for event professionals. The hosted buyer program covers flights, hotel and VIP access for qualified applicants. Exhibitor space starts at $140 per square foot for bare space or $163 per square foot for shell scheme packages with furniture. Learn more on the website.
Date: November 11–12, 2026 Location: ExCeL London, UK
Event Tech Live is where event planners go to figure out which technology actually solves their problems. It’s the only UK event dedicated entirely to event technology, and it runs for two days at ExCeL London with exhibitors showcasing registration platforms, attendee engagement tools, virtual and hybrid event solutions, event management systems and data analytics software.
The education program runs across multiple stages with sessions led by event planners who’ve actually implemented these tools, not just sales teams pitching features. You’re hearing case studies from real events, learning what worked and what didn’t, and getting practical advice on rolling out new technology without derailing your existing workflows.
Event technology decisions are expensive and risky. Pick the wrong platform, and you’re stuck paying for something your team won’t use, or worse, dealing with a system failure during your event. Event Tech Live lets you see demos, compare features side by side and talk to other planners who’ve used the tools you’re considering.
The attendee list includes event organisers from agencies, in-house corporate teams, associations, venues and marketing departments. These are people dealing with the same challenges you are: tight budgets, demanding stakeholders and the pressure to deliver flawless experiences while adopting tools that promise to make everything easier.
Registration is free for event planners, students and press. Hosted buyer applications are also free for qualified attendees. Event technology suppliers pay £9 to register. Visit the Event Tech Live website to pre-register for early access.
Conferences for event professionals fill up fast, and early bird pricing doesn’t last forever. Look at what’s coming up in the next few months, block the dates and register before prices jump.
Whether you’re chasing hosted buyer programs, hunting for new suppliers or just need a few days surrounded by people who get what you do, there’s something on this list worth your time.
And if you’re thinking about running your own conference? vFairs can help you pull it together. Book a demo to see how.
Event planning conventions are large-scale gatherings where event professionals meet suppliers, attend educational sessions and network with peers. Events like IMEX America and International Confex fall into this category, bringing together thousands of attendees with hundreds of exhibitors under one roof.
Event planning seminars focus primarily on education and skill-building rather than supplier sourcing. They're typically smaller, session-driven formats where you learn from industry experts on specific topics like contract negotiation, event technology or sustainability practices.
Several events for event planners cover travel, hotel and meals for qualified buyers. Connect Spring Marketplace, SMU International, Destination Midwest and IMEX America all offer hosted buyer programs that let you attend without the usual conference costs if you meet their criteria.
An event coordinator conference is worth attending if you're responsible for planning, executing or managing events and want to sharpen your skills, expand your supplier network or stay current on industry trends. Most conferences cater to a range of experience levels, from junior coordinators to senior directors.
Start with what you're trying to accomplish. If you need suppliers, look for events with structured matchmaking or hosted buyer programs. If you want education, prioritise conferences with strong session tracks. If networking is your focus, smaller events like ECEF or NACE Experience make it easier to build meaningful connections.
Fiza Fatima
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