MAIN STAGE SESSIONS
Explore powerful Main Stage sessions led by industry voices.
Monday, February 2 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
AI That Plans With You
Speaker: Anca Platon Trifan
Artificial intelligence has evolved from simple prompts to systems that think, learn, and collaborate. In this keynote, I’ll share how planners can tap into this new generation of intelligent agents to streamline workflows, personalize experiences, and scale their impact. We’ll take a look at how AI is already transforming event design, strategy, and execution, and what the next wave of innovation means for the way we work.
Top 12 Ways to Make an Impact
Speaker: Kristin Banta
Every event has the potential to leave a mark and Kristin Banta is an expert at doing just that. In this session, she’ll share her top 10 ways to create unforgettable experiences, from thoughtful details to bold statements. You’ll walk away with ideas you can use right away to inspire, delight, and make every moment count.
Storytelling Beyond the Event: How to Extend Impact
Speaker: Dori Adams
Your event doesn’t end when the doors close. In this session, Dori Adams challenges event organizers to rethink how they define success by looking beyond the physical experience. She explores how intentional content capture and storytelling can extend an event’s reach, preserve its energy, and create lasting impact long after the final moment. Attendees will learn how to move from simply documenting an event to designing it with post-event momentum and future promo in mind. Through this session you will learn how to use content to drive connection, visibility, and ROI. This talk offers a practical framework for building presence before, during, and after the event.
Welcome to the New World of Event Sponsorship
Speaker: Brent Barootes
Get ready to see where the money is. Get ready to understand what is different and why it is necessary to shift your way of thinking if you want to generate maximum sponsorship dollars at your event or experience. From augmented reality to AI generate proposals, relationships to data collection and gamification… this is a new world and success begins here! Be prepared for a paradigm shift in thinking about sponsorship revenue and then get ready for the cash to flow!
NeuroMarketing in Action: Capture Attention, Evoke Emotion, Drive Results
Speaker: Lisa Schulteis
In a world where attendees, clients, and stakeholders are overwhelmed with competing messages, it’s no longer enough to simply promote an event or service — you must design communication that the brain can’t ignore. In this fast-paced session, neuroscience and marketing strategy collide to reveal what truly captures attention, sparks emotional connection, and drives decision-making.
In just 15 minutes, you’ll learn three powerful brain-based triggers you can apply immediately to elevate your event marketing, strengthen sponsorship and sales communication, and increase conversion. Whether you’re filling seats, pitching partners, or positioning your destination or service, you’ll walk away with simple and practical techniques to make your message unforgettable.
Key Takeaways
Discover the 3 neuroscience triggers that dramatically improve attention, engagement, and decision-making
Learn how to craft messages that create emotional resonance and stick in long-term memory
Apply a simple framework to increase response, conversion, and marketing ROI
Elevating Your Next Event
Speaker: Evan Babins
As the event landscape evolves faster than ever, standing out takes more than great logistics, it takes great intention. In this dynamic keynote presentation, Evan Babins explores five key shifts redefining how we plan, produce, and experience events in 2026. From storytelling and sustainability to collaboration and tech-driven engagement, discover practical ways to elevate your next event from good to unforgettable.
The Hunt for More: Turning Events into Unforgettable Experiences
Speaker: Hailey Dawood
Event professionals are natural explorers — always searching for the next big idea, the next experience that makes people stop and say “wow.”
Join Hailey Dawood, Owner and Chief Huntress of The Idea Hunter, as she takes you on an inspiring deep dive into what’s next for Canadian events. From creative formats and cultural shifts to tech innovations and audience psychology, this session will reveal the trends redefining how we connect, celebrate, and create impact.
You’ll walk away with:
Fresh, actionable ideas ready to pitch to clients and teams
Insight into the forces shaping event design and entertainment in 2026 and beyond
A renewed sense of creativity, purpose, and excitement for what’s possible
This is your chance to refuel your creative edge and join The Hunt for More.
Meaningful Connections: Beyond the Buzzword
Speaker: Christine Renaud
Session Description Coming
Ethics, Transparency & Trust - Redefining Standards in the Events Industry | Panel Session
Speaker: Jody Paulson
Four event professionals walk into an event.
No punchline, just the kind of conversation the industry can’t afford to ignore.
In an industry powered by relationships, reputation, and results, ethical clarity, transparency, and safety are no longer optional, they are foundational. This engaging main-stage panel lifts the curtain on how ethics, safety standards, and honest communication are reshaping professional expectations and redefining how events are planned, sourced, and delivered.
Join a lineup of industry leaders as they unpack:
Why transparency is essential to building trust with clients and business partners, including conversations around compensation, commissions, and fees
How evolving safety standards, crowd management practices, and OHS guidelines are raising accountability across all event environments
The ethical considerations behind vendor sourcing, preferred partnerships, and supplier relationships
How clear contracts, risk management, and defined safety responsibilities protect people, brands, and businesses
What fair, sustainable business models look like when openness, safety, and shared standards lead the way
How true professionalism shows up in a global, interconnected events industry, on-site, behind the scenes, and beyond
Because when four event professionals walk into an event, success isn’t just measured by what looks good, it’s measured by what’s ethical, transparent, and safe. This session challenges attendees to align values with business practices, strengthen trust, elevate collaboration, and set a higher bar for integrity and responsibility across every corner of the events community.
Tuesday, February 3 | 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Hot Topics: Battle of the Event Profs | Interactive Live Game Show
Speaker: Arthur Kerekes
Industry leaders. Hot seats. Real opinions. Hosted by Arthur Kerekes, this interactive live game show brings event professionals together to debate hot industry topics and the audience calling the shots on the winning opinion!
Events: Demystified – Conversations Worth Having | Live Podcast Recording
Speaker: Anca Platon Trifan
Session Description Coming
The Magic of Us: Why Human Connection Will Shape the Next Era of Events
Speaker: Trish Knox
Belonging is the new competitive advantage.
In a world increasingly shaped by AI, global uncertainty, and intense competition for attention, the need for human connection has never been greater. People don’t just attend events anymore—they seek belonging, meaning, and moments they can’t get anywhere else. The future of events belongs to those who create that emotional spark.
Winning mindshare today requires more than great content. It demands experiences that stand out, foster genuine connection, and transform audiences into communities.
In this closing keynote, Trish Knox explores the next era of events—where experiential design, emotional resonance, and a true sense of belonging determine which gatherings thrive. Join us to discover how your event can rise above the noise, win mindshare, and become the one experience your audience refuses to miss.