Well, that’s Christmas done and dusted. Mice pies eaten, mulled wine drunk and presents opened. Now it’s time to enter into the no-man’s land that is that week between Christmas and New Year. The time when real life goes on hold and we think about what fabulous human beings we are going to be in 2019. Healthier, more efficient, more fun and much more sociable. Right?
Well, we can’t help you with the first couple, but we can give you a hand with getting your networking on point next year. Because Team Noodle love a great event for #EventProfs. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best networking events for event professionals in 2019.
Get your diaries out #EventProfs!
January
C&IT Corporate Forum (January 10-11)
The Langham, London
9am-11pm
A two-day gathering for 25-30 senior corporate event professionals to discuss the biggest issues and challenges the industry faces. It’s a small and intimate event and if you’re lucky enough to get an invite, it could set you up with some amazing connections.
London Summer Event Show (January 22-23)
Banking Hall, EC3
#LSES19
Add some sunshine to your life at the London Summer Event Show. An upbeat showcase of venues and suppliers that will make the summer shine. There are over 150 exhibitors and you’ll also be treated to free food and drink and some fantastic talks and workshops too. Tickets are completely free.
AEO Forums (January 25)
Business Design Centre, London
An awesome opportunity for #EventProfs to do some business networking at this two day event in Angel. There are specific areas for marketing, operations and sales, so you can take your whole team for some CPD training and inspiration. Expect some incredible sessions from industry leaders and influencers including Chris Johnson, co-founder of Shambala festival.
Events Events (January 29)
5 Locations in London
Five concurrent summits and one closed door forum. There’s something for every #EventProf with more than 70 speakers and some excellent networking opportunities. It’s an industry insiders favourite.
February
MPI Changing the Game (February 9-12)
The Hague, The Netherlands
#EMEC19
The European Meetings & Events Conference lands in the Hague for 4 days of networking, talks and education. There’s plenty of time to get out and enjoy the surroundings with organised runs, yoga classes and museum tours. There are also interactive sessions to explore the four main themes: meeting perspectives, leadership, design thinking and risk management.
BNC Event Show (February 20)
The Brewery, 52 Chiswell Street
One of our favourite networking events. The BNC Event Show features top suppliers and fantastic talks and sessions. It’s always busy and bustling, so head in with high energy and get ready for a really productive few hours.
Event Buyers Live (February 20-21)
Heythrop Park
#EBL19
Returing to Heythrop Park, Event Buyers Live offers great opportunities for one-to-one meetings between #EventProfs and suppliers. Set up some fantastic connections for the year ahead and attend some top educational sessions. There are only 100 tickets available, meaning there’s usually an active waiting list.
Event Production Show (February 26-27)
Olympia London
#EPS2019
Event organisers from across the industry gather at this annual showcase of fantastic suppliers, event design and great event tech. There will be over 200 exhibitors and a dedicated experiential area curated by the awesome Badger and Fox.
International Confex (February 26-27)
Olympia London
#IntlConfex
Set up with the intention of driving the events industry forward, International Confex runs alongside the Event Production Show and welcomes everyone from exhibition organisers to meetings professionals and marketing execs. Confex are particularly proud of their conference programme, with in-depth talks from industry experts held on 8 different stages throughout the event.
March
Marketing Week Live (March 6-7)
Olympia London
#MWLive19
Interested in giving your marketing a boost? Keep up with the latest trends and get inspiration from leading influencers at this annual London event. Best of all, it’s totally free.
British Travel and Tourism Show (March 20-21)
NEC Birmingham
#BTTS19
Dedicated to domestic tourism, the British Travel Show is a fantastic place to get inspiration for your next venue. There will be more than 270 exhibitors.
EVENTIT (March 21)
SEC Glasgow
The Scottish event show! Glasgow hosts an annual showcase of suppliers and venues around Scotland. It’s a brilliant, fun and upbeat day with offerings for business events, festival organisers, meeting profs and hospitality.
April
C&IT Association Forum (April 1-2)
ICC Birmingham
A two-day forum aimed at senior event organisers. Places at the forum are free but you need to be working with a minimum budget of £100k a year. This is a fantastic event for networking and for meeting top industry suppliers.
Ticketing Business Forum (April 9-10)
Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
#TBF19
Interested in finding out more about ticketing for live entertainment? This forum brings together the latest tech and some incredible industry thought-leaders, so you can up your game in no time.
May
IMEX Frankfurt (May 21-23)
Messe Frankfurt
#IMEX19
This international exhibition is aimed at professionals from incentive travel, meetings and events. It’s one of the biggest shows of its kind, with more than 3,500 exhibitors from more than 160 countries. Over the course of the 4-day event there will be more than 250 educational events.
London Christmas Party Show (May 14-15)
Plaisterer’s Hall, London
#LCPS19
Get yourself some festive cheer and get ahead of the game as you start to plan your winter schedule. Sister event to the London Summer Event Show, this upbeat gathering of suppliers, venues and event organisers offers a great insight into the trends and innovations that will be shaping Christmas 2019.
Experiential Marketing Summit (May 14-16)
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Prepare to be razzle-dazzled in the entertainment capital of California. 1,800 marketers travel to the bright lights for this American-sized event featuring thousands of products and services to help you create truly magical experiential events.
Event360 (May 31)
ETC.Venues County Hall
9am-6pm
Learn more about brand experience and the new ideas and concepts being used to run immersive, interactive and high-tech events. All facets of event organisation are covered at this annual forum, so it’s a one stop shop.
June
London Tech Week (June 10-14)
Various Venues, London
#LTW
A week of celebrating London’s growing tech scene with events and sessions running across the capital. Head to ExCel to find out more about Blockchain for business, or find out about the Future of Work at the Workplace by Facebook. If you want to stay up to date with the ways technology is changing our world, this is the event to attend.
The Meetings Show (June 26-27)
Olympia London
#MeetYouAtTheShow
With more than 600 industry suppliers, over 4,500 #MeetingProfs flock to this huge showcase of tech, food, venues and more. It’s a huge exhibition and a fantastic way to network.
July
BNC Event Show (July 10)
Central Hall Westminster
#BNCEventShow
The summer BNC Event Show takes place in Westminster and showcases some awesome catering, venues and other suppliers. You can also sample some gorgeous complimentary food, pick up great gifts and enjoy a jam-packed education schedule.
ICE Day and Awards (July 11)
Design Museum, London
Exclusively recognising talent amongst in-house corporate event planners, the ICE awards and conference brings together senior industry professionals for a day of education and inspiration with networking, talks and awards for exceptional performance. In 2019 you can expect to hear more about human-centric experience design, creating a lasting legacy and developing personal identity. There’s also an afternoon break for jelly and ice cream too. What’s not to love?
August
Event Tech Games (Date TBC)
The annual event tech games is open to all event tech companies. Every August, Noodle Live challenges Glisser and any other event tech company who’s up for the challenge, to meet them in the park and wang some wellies, perfect their wheelbarrows and load up their egg and spoons. Game? Let us know.
September
AEO Conference (Date TBC)
The Grand Hotel, Brighton
#aeoconference
A business networking conference for #EventProfs. There are plenty of leading industry speakers, some awesome content and great opportunities to network with professionals from across the UK.
EventWell19 (Date TBC)
Location TBC
Running around so much you’ve forgotten how to look after yourself? EventWell is an awesome charitable social enterprise that aims to help #EventProfs change their relationship with wellbeing.
IMEX America (September 10-11)
Sands Expo, Las Vegas
Drawing exhibitors from more than 150 countries, this huge expo is worth heading out to the desert for it you want a one-stop shop for the global events, meetings and incentive travel industry. It’s fairly American-centric, but there is a huge amount of information and inspiration here so you’re sure to leave with tonnes of new ideas and a massive contacts book of suppliers.
Venues and Events Live (September 18-19)
Old Billingsgate, London
Also heading to Manchester Central on September 23-24, Venues and Events Live attracts hundreds of venues, restaurants, hotels, bars and blank canvas spaces who are keen to tell you about their space and demonstrate what they can do. There are also some great master classes to help you get creative at your next event.
The Meeting Space Autumn (September 26-28)
Riu Plaza Espana Hotel, Madrid, Spain
Network with influential buyers and build big business relationships at this meetings and incentive business show. The Meeting Space offers several conferences throughout the year to provide inspiration and fantastic networking in beautiful settings.
October
Event Planner Expo New York (October 3)
The Metropolitan Pavilion
They say they do everything bigger in the States and the Event Planner Expo is no exception. With more than 3,000 event professionals under one roof, this is a huge expo and a great place to seek out some much-needed inspiration as well as new business and partnerships.
The Showman’s Show (October 16-17)
Newbury Showground, Berkshire
A huge and much-loved outdoor show featuring everything you need for outdoor events. It’s been running since 1984 and has been at Newbury for the last 20 years. You’ll find event structures, equipment, tech, services and more. An essential stop for festival and outdoor event organisers.
VRWorld (October 22-23)
The Business Design Centre, London
A 2 day conference focusing on augmented, mixed and virtual reality and the latest developments in tech. It goes well beyond gaming to look at the ways the tech can be implemented in our day to day lives, including live events.
November
World Travel Market (November 4-6)
ExCel London
#WTMLDN
A leading global event for the travel industry. A great place to scout out potential venues and suppliers for all oversees events.
Event Tech Live (November 6-7))
The Old Truman Brewery
#ETL19
Interested in learning more about event tech? This annual event attracts suppliers and influencers from across the industry so you can sort your RFID from your AR and make some great contacts along the way.
IBTM World (November 19-21)
Barcelona, Spain
IBTM have one goal – to inspire the meetings industry to deliver great exceptional experiences. There are opportunities to create business connections, listen to great content and soak up some inspiration.
December
The Drum Experience Awards (Date TBC)
Recognising the best talent in the world of experiential events, the Drum Awards offer a fantastic end to the year with a night of glamour and industry-leading ideas.
Throughout The Year
There are several great events for #EventProfs that run throughout the year, on a regular basis. Check out these beauties:
Citizen Event
Last Friday of Every Month
8.30-11am
Open to everyone across the industry, regardless of title or position. This is a laid-back, fun event that allows you to meet other professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. There are no presentations or agendas, just time to chat and get to know each other.
EventPlannersTalk
Online on Twitter
Every Monday 9-10pm BST
#EventProfsTalk
A weekly online conversation about the latest debates and developments in the world of events. Simply log in and follow the hashtag to take part.
EWL Exchange
We love EWL (#EventProfs Who Learn). They host regular, intelligent networking sessions across the UK and are constantly adding to their annual calendar.
Know about a great networking event for #EventProfs that we’ve missed? Let us know @NoodleLive and we can add it in!
