Conference Registration Desk Open

Half Day Session #3

Experience to Expertise: Intermediate AI Workshop

Experience Kitchener Welcome Reception

Light appetizers courtesy Little Mushroom Catering Company and cash bar.

Welcome Reception After Party

Finger Foods and Cold Beverages at Bobby O'Brien's Irish Pub

Conference Registration Desk Open

Breakfast Buffet

Conference First Timers
Orientation Session

Official Conference Welcome

Keynote Speaker
The Smile CEO
Trust & Community: The Secret Key to Thriving Festivals Across Ontario

Mini Tech Talk
Smart Serve Ontario
Smart Serve Cares

Plenary Session #1

City of Kitchener and Downtown BIA Panel
Building Community Through Festivals and Events

Moderated by FEO CEO Dave MacNeil

 

sponsored by: Smart Serve Ontario

Coffee Break

Enjoy a coffee, tea or cold beverage and network with friends

Plenary Session #2

Hillside Festival
Pioneering Green Events

 

sponsored by: Smart Serve Ontario

Lunch and Marketplace

Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch
Meet & Greet & Shop with a room full of Vendors

 

sponsored by Safeguard Perimeter Solutions and  Element Event Solutions

Breakout Session

Admiral Live
Audience Data Analytics

Breakout Session

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Beyond the Boardroom - Connecting the Business Community with Festivals and Events

Breakout Session

Ontario Cultural Attractions, Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Gaming and Ontario Music Investment Fund.
Providing Information on Two Different Ontario Funding Programs

Breakout Session

Accessibrand
Digital Accessibility & why you need to know about it!

Coffee Break

Enjoy a coffee, tea or cold beverage and network with friends

Breakout Session

Tourism HR Canada
Emerit Event Management Training and Certification: The Competitive Advantage

Breakout Session

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest and Explore Waterloo
LederGOsen Line – GTA to Kitchener Waterloo

Breakout Session

Little Mushroom Catering & Dining Lounge
A Balanced Approach to Event Planning

Breakout Session

Sultans of String
Indigenous programming Ideas for your festival or event. 

Free Time

Unwind after a busy day or catch up with friends before dinner. Take a walk and explore the City.

Cocktail Reception

A great time to socialize and share experiences after a long day of education or visit suppliers you may have missed earlier in the day.

 

sponsored by: PAL Insurance

Oktoberfest Celebration

Enter Kool Haus, an authentic K-W Oktoberfest experience with Polka music, great bavarian food, a keg tapping, mascots and so much more. Plus, we celebrate our Service Excellence Award Winners.

 

sponsored by Bingemans Kool Haus
and Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest

Hospitality Suite #1

On night one we head down to the basement of the Crowne Plaza for a Fun & Games Night. Mini golf, arcade games, bowling and more. Throw in Karaoke and a free bar and you're guaranteed a great night.

 

We're calling the night Bowling for Birdies and you are encouraged to wear either a bowling shirt or a golf shirt when attending.

 

**arcade games on site. Change machine for tokens only accepts Toonies or $5 bills.**

Conference Registration Desk Open

Breakfast Buffet

Conference First Timers
Orientation Session

Keynote Speaker
TIAO
The state of Ontario tourism in 2025.

 

sponsored by: RTO 4

Plenary Session #1
Enterprise Canada
Media Relations Still Matter

 

sponsored by: Smart Serve Ontario

Coffee Break

Enjoy a coffee, tea or cold beverage and network with friends

Plenary Session #2

Ministry of the Solicitor General of Ontario - Private Security and Investigative Services Branch

Is Your Event's Security Provider In Compliance With The Law? Risk, Liability, and the Realities of the Security Guard Industry in Ontario

 

sponsored by: Smart Serve Ontario

Plenary Session #3

SagePath Consulting

Firing on all cylinders -- Unleash your true potential

 

sponsored by: Smart Serve Ontario

Lunch and Marketplace

Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch
Meet & Greet & Shop with a room full of Vendors

 

sponsored by: Safeguard Perimeter Solutions and Element Event Solutions

Breakout Session

Ground Level Insights & Harmony Marketing Present:
Leveraging Mobile Data: Unlocking Event Insights

Breakout Session

Town of LaSalle
Large Events, Small Municipalities - How to Balance Facilitating both Internal and External Events

Breakout Session

Hillside Festival
Best practices of a strong volunteer program

Breakout Session

Vaughan International Film Festival
Creating Lasting and Impactful Sponsorships and Partnerships for Sustainable Success

Coffee Break

Enjoy a coffee, tea or cold beverage and network with friends

Breakout Session

Edwards Creative Law
Legal Considerations: “Musician and Sponsorship Agreements”

Breakout Session

CanaPHEM
Medical emergencies at Events

Breakout Session

Supercrawl Productions
Street Festivals and Urban Events: Working with local business to form community partnerships

Breakout Session

Midfield Agency
Strategic Event Selection: How Agencies Curate for Clients and How Producers can optimize their approach for better outcomes 

Break

Breakout Session

Event Safety Alliance
Synergy in Safety: Enhancing Occupational Health & Safety at Festivals and Events

Breakout Session

Putting Your Best Foot Forward - The Basics of Good Grant Writing

Breakout Session

N.E.A.T
The Roadmap to Success: Developing a Critical Path for Festival and Event Management

Breakout Session

T.B.D
Exciting session coming soon

Free Time

Unwind after a busy day or catch up with friends before dinner. Take a walk and explore the City.

Awards Gala Cocktail Reception

A great time to socialize and share experiences after a long day of education.

 

sponsored by: PAL Insurance

FEO Celebrates The Blues

Welcome to the FEO Awards Gala where we recognize the best of the best and the Top 100 Festivals and Events in the Province. In addition to the awards, there will be an incredible on-line auction you can bid on and there will be a few Blues performances as well. It's gonna be an awesome night.

 

 

Hospitality Suite #2

Join Prevail Activations for a night at the LED Playground, featuring vibrant photo ops, interactive installations, and a headphone disco experience. The headphones will take you back to the best hits of the ‘90s and 2000s, creating the ultimate throwback vibe. Capture the moment, immerse yourself in the experience, enjoy some drinks, and relive the soundtrack of a generation!