The 2025 conference schedule is packed with educational sessions that address current and future challenges in the events industry, as well as business fundamentals and exciting up-and-coming trends.
Schedule At-A-Glance
Schedule is subject to change. Session descriptions, speakers and more details can be found below.
Wednesday:
4-6:00pm Conference registration (Conference Center)
5:00pm Hotel check-in
6:00pm Wednesday Night Networking Social (The North Star)
9:00pm After Hour Hospitality Cabin (Boat House)
Thursday:
7:30-9:00am Registration & Breakfast (Marina II)
8:30am Vendor Marketplace Open (Whitebirch)
9:00am Welcome & Sessions Begin (Whitebirch)
9:15am Tech Yourself
10:00am Monetizing Your Event
11:00am Breakout - Choose 1 - Access Control Planning | Movies & Music
11:45am Breakout - Choose 1 - 5K Run/Walk | Cannabis
12:30pm Lunch (provided) - Marina II
1:30pm Risk Ready
2:20pm Working with the Media
3:10pm Booking Entertainment
4:15pm Happy Hour Session: Food Vendor Management
5:00pm Day 1 Sessions Conclude
6:30pm Thursday Game Night (Dockside Lounge)
9:00pm After Hour Hospitality Cabin (Boat House)
Friday:
7:30-9:00am Registration & Breakfast (Marina II)
8:30am Vendor Marketplace Opens (Whitebirch)
9:15am Welcome & Sessions Begin (Whitebirch)
9:30am Makers & Vendor Markets
10:15am Event Safety Planning
11:15am Climate Change & Weather Patterns
12:00pm Annual Meeting with Lunch (provided) (Whitebirch)
1:00pm Breakout - Choose 1 - Creating a Site Plan | Vendor Management
2:00pm Minnesota at Center Ice
3:00pm Day 2 Sessions Conclude
Our 2025 Conference Host:
Miss Shannan Paul is a Multi-dimensional Event Leader who uses her talents to care for her son, and make the lives of other people better. She was named "Best Stand-up Comedian" by City Pages Magazine in their "2020 Best of the Twin Cities." Campus Activities Magazine® included her as one of eight Top Speaker Pick. A self-labeled Geek, Miss Shannan brings roaring laughter to even the most curmudgeonly of crowds. Twin Cities newspaper, the City Pages says, “No matter where you’ve seen (or heard) her, you know just how great Miss Shannan is. With comedy that’s personal and relatable, she has the ability to make you feel like you’ve been friends for years, even if you’re only seeing her for the very first time.” Her storytelling and irresistible smile are sure to crack up even the most stone-faced curmudgeon. She can relate to everyone whether they be business professionals, students, Sci-Fi fans, sports enthusiasts, or suburban moms. Miss Shannan is a Comedian, Corporate Speaker, Radio and Television host, Benefit Auctioneer, Voice Actor and Event Emcee. She has appeared on “Nick Mom’s Night Out,” “Laughs TV,” Hulu and as part of the SXSW Comedy and Music Festival. She has performed with Louie Anderson, Sinbad, and Christopher “Kid” Reid. She regularly brings her wit, whimsy and pop culture expertise to Twin Cities television as part of "The Jason Show." Plus, hear Miss Shannan weekly on MyTalk 107.1, 830 WCCO and her podcast called "Be Our Geek."
THURSDAY
Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Kastina Morrison (she/her), Event Planner | Logistics Lover | Sauce Enthusiast
Discussion of ways your business could be using AI, software updates and other tech resources to streamline your sales, operations and internal workflows.
Monetizing Your Event & Creative Revenue Streams
Moderator: Kimberly Gottschalk, Poppy Red Productions, Panelists: Deb Schaber, Schaber & Co., Kat Christopherson, Canadian Days, Alan Fontanella, MN Event Badges, Kevin Curley, ETix
A discussion focused on sharing ideas, as well as proven strategies, to increase revenue for events of all sizes and scopes. Panelists will cover a broad range of topics including elevated VIP experiences, local travel/tourism partnerships, value add ticket upgrades, sponsorship, charitable gambling, ticket platform support & marketing and more.
Access Control Planning at Festivals and Fairs: Best Practices
Sarah Van Sickle, St. Paul Irish Fair; Sara Collins, WE FEST; Alan Fontanella, MN Event Badges
Learn about identity and access control best practices at events, fairs and festivals. In this moderated discussion, a panel of three Minnesota event managers will discuss consideratons, plans and details to limit risks and improve site management of personnel, entertainment and event security.
Minneapolis Park & Rec Board: Music and Movies Program – A Case Study
Aaron Briner, Tim Dumas, Garren Turner, Brian Gjerde, Minneapolis Park & Rec
In its 130th year, the MPRB Music and Movies in the park has gone from music at a trolly stop to the largest program of its kind in the country with over 200 concerts and 60 outdoor movies every season. Learn about the history of the program, as well as the current event logistics, communication strategies, AV Equipment & licenses, expenses, talent booking, partnership opportunities, missteps, and more. The MPRB Community Events team will give you an inside look at this historic event series.
5k Run / Walk Trends: New Ideas & Strategies
Mary Anderson & Jennifer Williams, Anderson Race Management
Explore the latest trends shaping the world of 5K run/walk events in this engaging and informative session. Whether you're an event organizer, a participant, or just curious about these community-friendly races, you'll gain fresh insights and practical tips. We'll discuss emerging themes, such as themed races, virtual 5Ks, and eco-friendly event practices, while also delving into innovative strategies to boost participation, improve race-day experiences, and increase fundraising potential.
Cannabis: Business + Creativity
Moderator: Clare Koppel, Meet Minneapolis Panelists: Mariesa Sun-Saenz, Social AF Agency & Yoni Reinharz, Earl Giles Distillery
Hear a brief update on the status of cannabis in relation to events and advertising statewide. Topics will also include how to safely integrate cannabis into your event, how to garner sponsorships in the THC category, ideas on cannabis in the culinary space, aligning with social equity initiatives, integrating wellness aspects of cannabis into your event, the connection between cannabis, music & art and insight into cannabis-centric events.
Risk Ready: Safeguarding Your Event from Start to Finish
Presenter: Virginia Brophy Achman, VPrepared LLC
Effective event preparedness starts with understanding and mitigating risk. This session will highlight the importance of conducting risk assessments and leveraging free tools to evaluate potential threats. Beyond individual events, we’ll explore how risk impacts your overall business and why a proactive approach is essential. Attendees will learn how to build and refine incident response plans, conduct practice exercises, and implement post-event debriefs for continuous improvement. Lastly, we’ll discuss the critical role of agency partnerships—because the best time to build relationships is before a crisis occurs.
Working with Media for Festivals & Events
Presenters: J. Marie Fieger, President and CEO of Nemer Fieger
Meghan Gustafson, Sr. Director of Community Impact, Mpls Downtown Council & Mpls Downtown Improvement District
From community celebrations to large-scale music festivals, media coverage plays a critical role in driving attendance, engaging audiences, and creating lasting buzz. In this dynamic session, media and public relations experts from Nemer Fieger will share their insights on how festivals can effectively collaborate with journalists, broadcasters, and digital influencers to maximize exposure.
Booking Entertainment: A 360° Perspective
Moderator: Meghan Gustafson, Panelists: Craig Grossman, Black Oak Artists & Kimberly Gottschalk
Live music & entertainment at an event can elevate it in so many ways, just a few being amping up the energy, creating a communal experience and generating increased revenue. Hear tips & tricks for identifying the right talent for your event, best practices for submitting offers, negotiating contracts & riders, subsidizing talent expenses, finding your benchmarks for success and more.
All You Need to Know About Food Trucks at Your Event
Jess Jenkins, Forward Events & MN Food Truck Association; Jon Iannazzo; Nick Taulelle, Taulelle Concessions
Meet what almost every event has to deal with. How am I going to deal with my food needs? This session brings together professionals with years of experience planning and securing food vendors, with the two representatives from food event industry. Jess Jenkins, with the Minnesota Food Truck Association and Nick Taulelle from Taulelle Concessions. He represents event food vendors. Very different from food trucks. We will talk about why or why not you want these kind of food options, and what works best for you!
FRIDAY
The Science of Makers & Vendor Markets
Panelists: Hayley Matthews Jones, Mpls Craft Market & Mpls Vintage Market; Andi Otto, Executive Director of TC Pride; Sara Collins, Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Art in Bayfront Park, & Loring Park Art Festival
Get all the expert information you need to know about best practices, logistics and the event experience to attract Makers, Artists, Vendors and Attendees to your event.
Event Safety Planning & Mitigation Strategies
Tim West and Aaron Morningstar, Security Advisors with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will provide an overview of physical security planning tools and mitigation strategies. The primary focus will be on mass gathering security, vehicle ramming mitigation, and various web-based CISA security tools.
The Impacts of Climate Change on Our Weather Patterns for Festivals and Events
Mike Augustyniak, Director of Meteorology, CBM, CCM, WCCO-TV Minneapolis, CBS Sunday Morning
Minnesota’s climate is changing – at times, during the year, at the fastest rate seen anywhere in the continental U.S. – and the impacts we’re feeling today will become more extreme in time. Learn what long-term changes in climate are occurring in our region and in our state, and the impact they have on day-to-day weather. Resources to explore more localized impacts, and impacts on the natural environment, will be provided.
Creating a Site Plan
Steve Madson, SRO Productions & Mark Rausch, Mpls Downtown Council
It's important to have a good blueprint for your festival or event. Learn how to maximize your site for a hassle free attendee experience from experts in the industry. Capitalize on the strengths of your site and solve the challenges with a solid well communicated plan.
Vendor Management: An Eventeny Case Study
Esther Musselman, Event Specialist, Eventeny; Andi Otto, Twin Cities Pride Festival & Michelle Bredeson, MN Grape Stomp Festival, & Lonnie Walsh, Vertical Insure
Managing event vendors is a full-time job. This session will provide you with a solution to simplify vendor management by showcasing a real-world case study with MN Festivals, which leveraged Eventeny’s software to transform their event planning process. Discover how Eventeny’s mapping feature streamlined venue layout planning, enhanced attendee experience, and elevated overall event success. Plus, be the first to hear an exciting announcement about evCover, Eventeny’s groundbreaking new feature designed to revolutionize how event organizers and vendors navigate the liability insurance process. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights, best practices, and game-changing strategies for optimizing event management!
Minnesota at Center Ice
Andrea Graham; Co-Executive Director - 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship
This year Minnesota will host the 50th Anniversary of the World Junior Hockey Championship. There is no better place to host the international hockey community than in the state of hockey! This prestigious event has a storied following around the globe and is one of the most hockey events in the world, yet somehow most US hockey fans don't know about it. Minnesota Sports and Events is on a mission over the next 9 months promote awareness, excitement, and engagement for this tournament around the state. In this session you'll learn about the significance and global impact of World Juniors, ideate ways to inspire and excite our communities through highlighting Minnesota's role as host and our deep hockey culture, as well as identify opportunities to engage our state's different events and local organizations to be a part of the excitement ensure everyone knows that the 2026 World Junior Championship is coming home to Minnesota.
