Looking back at 2025

Last year's conference brought together event professionals from across New Zealand for two days of big picture thinking and practical skill-building. Over 1-3 September 2025, we explored the future of festivals, elevating fan engagement, and the art of storytelling in events. We heard from international guest speaker John Rostron, received updates from the Major Events Team and NZICC, and learned how communities like Taupo successfully host events at every scale, from grassroots to the Americas Cup.

Key themes included navigating special licensing, securing grant funding and sponsorship, making events more sustainable, and understanding the evolving gig economy. We also tackled practical challenges like getting content to New Zealand and making events work for cities.

The insights and connections from 2025 are now shaping our 2026 agenda. We're building on what we heard from you—the challenges you face, the skills you need, and the big ideas driving our industry forward. Stay tuned as we announce this year's programme.