Special Focus Opportunities

Inspire The Industry General Sessions

Monday, September 30th, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 1st, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Our “Inspire the Industry” general sessions (separate from our Opening and Closing sessions), beginning or ending each day, are built around the goal of providing targeted presentations, led by selected industry professionals/motivators, with the intent of helping us all to ReFocus on the opportunities that lie before us. Professional inspiration that we can all take home and put to use in our own careers, events and communities. From leadership and resilience to leading global trends, our “Inspire the Industry” presentations are sure to do just that.

"Affinity Group" Sessions

IFEA Convention attendees have a unique opportunity to share “common ground” conversations, in person, with your professional peers, discussing current trends, issues, challenges and opportunities, during our popular “Affinity Group” Sessions (spaced throughout the breakout sessions this year, to allow attendees to participate in multiple Affinity Groups, as desired), including those for:

CEO’s
Sponsorship
Cities, CVB’s & Tourism
Arts Events
Volunteer Programs
Operations & Risk Management
Marketing & PR
Parades

Held virtually throughout the year, on-line, we invite you to join

us in person for these increased networking and exchange

opportunities. Bring your questions and professional

experience to these valuable open-topic dialogue sessions.

(*All sessions are subject to change.)

On the Right Track

IFEA educational sessions are selected to ensure that we cover a wide range of important topical areas. For those who are interested in following a specific track/focus of sessions, those will be broken out for you in our official convention program to make scheduling your time easier.

Tracks will include:

Leadership & Management
Sponsorship & Revenues
Operations & Risk Management
Marketing, Branding and Media Relations
Technology, Creativity and Innovation
Host City Partnerships

(*All sessions are subject to change.)

A First-Timer's Roadmap to Maximizing the IFEA and Convention

Saturday, September 28th
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Before you hit the ground running, stop by to meet the IFEA ‘family’ on Saturday evening, September 28th, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., at our “First-Timer’s Road Map” session. Designed to give our first-time convention attendees, as well as our long-time IFEA ‘family’ attendees, an opportunity to meet some valuable new friends, share some insider tips and advice on how to maximize the days ahead, and get your convention experience off to a fun start. Then, join us for Happy Hour in the DFEST® Hospitality Suite (Governor’s Suite 2340), to meet more new friends, find some dinner partners, and let the networking conversations begin!

PNC Park Tour

For any baseball or venue fans, we will be offering an opportunity for an offsite breakout session walk and tour of PNC Park, the home stadium of Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates. PNC Park opened in the spring of 2001, and is an intimate, classic-style ballpark that embraces the progressiveness of Pittsburgh while saluting the spirit of early ballpark originals. Its prime location along the shore of the Allegheny River takes advantage of scenic vistas of the downtown skyline and riverfront, creating an exciting and dramatic urban sports venue.

Pittsburgh Great Race

On the weekend of our IFEA Convention arrivals and opening (September 28th & 29th), the annual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, the largest 10K race in Pennsylvania (with some 16,000 participants), plus a 5K Run/Walk, will be taking place in Point State Park, directly across from our hotel. Some special access routes to the hotel may be necessarily taken by any cabs/Uber drivers arriving or leaving from the property on those days. For those driving in, or attending the convention locally, please call the hotel for any special access or parking information. IFEA Member and Great Race Director Brian Katze, CFEE, invites all those interested to walk over to the site to enjoy the event, as your schedule may allow.

Sponsor of the Annual IFEA Annual Convention & Expo