TORONTO — The first-ever Canadian Meetings and Events Expo (CMEExpo) took over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14 and welcomed 2,345 attendees to get familiar with more than 350 exhibitors.
Formerly IncentiveWorks, the two days were on par with the educate, innovate, and inspire theme, starting with its keynote speakers and conference sessions that took place in the mornings of both days. In total, four keynote speakers – including household names like Debbie Travis and Johnny Cupcakes – graced the mainstage to tell the industry about what they learned during the course of their careers. 
“I’m thrilled with the 2019 event,” Melissa Arnott, show manager said. “We saw event professionals from across Canada and some from the U.S. Our education program was very well-received and appealed to all planners across the board.”
In the breakout sessions, attendees were inspired by Candice Chan and Alison Slight of Candice and Alison Events Group – recently named one of the Top 50 Event Designers in North America – who discussed the top trends in event design. There were also sessions on how to design and deliver motivational experiences, how to capitalize on the business of cannabis, and how to elevate your LinkedIn game.
As always, attendees of the conference and sessions earned CE credits, while gaining practical knowledge they could take back to the office.
The show floor in the afternoons were buzzing as exhibitors wowed attendees with food and beverage offerings, Instagrammable backdrops and photo opportunities, and 
unique entertainment experiences. Planners from across North America got to mingle with old friends and make new ones while pursuing the tradeshow.
Attendees also got to experience new things on the show floor – like the Rose Riesman Catering Corner where registered attendees got to learn about trendy and healthy options to serve at their next event. The Artists’ Lounge was chock-full of great entertainment ideas as well, while the Learning Lounge was a fan-favourite, with each 30-minute session filled to the brim with curious planners looking to learn on-the-spot about the industry’s hottest topics.
“The show floor was alive this year creating an amazing on-site community of event planners and suppliers,” Arnott added.
Stay tuned to CMEExpo.ca and our digital newsletter for more content from the show.
Leave a Reply