1. Dreamforce
Up from #2
San Francisco
Salesforce’s annual tech conference is the largest consumer-facing event of its kind. This year’s Dreamforce marked its 20th edition and drew 40,000 attendees, playfully called Trailblazers. Each year, the three-day event is produced by experiential marketing and design company George P. Johnson. This year’s programming spanned more than 1,000 sessions and 60 keynotes, with a lineup of high-profile speakers (think: Bono, Jane Goodall, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Hudson), plus a live performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers during Dreamfest, the event's annual benefit concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. The hybrid event was available for streaming via Salesforce+, which launched at last year’s conference and includes more than 200 on-demand sessions, two channels, and 72 hours of live broadcast. Next: Sept. 12-14, 2023
See more: Dreamforce 2022: Salesforce Went All Out to Celebrate the Event's 20th Anniversary
San Francisco
Salesforce’s annual tech conference is the largest consumer-facing event of its kind. This year’s Dreamforce marked its 20th edition and drew 40,000 attendees, playfully called Trailblazers. Each year, the three-day event is produced by experiential marketing and design company George P. Johnson. This year’s programming spanned more than 1,000 sessions and 60 keynotes, with a lineup of high-profile speakers (think: Bono, Jane Goodall, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Hudson), plus a live performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers during Dreamfest, the event's annual benefit concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. The hybrid event was available for streaming via Salesforce+, which launched at last year’s conference and includes more than 200 on-demand sessions, two channels, and 72 hours of live broadcast. Next: Sept. 12-14, 2023
See more: Dreamforce 2022: Salesforce Went All Out to Celebrate the Event's 20th Anniversary
Photo: Courtesy of Salesforce
2. CES
Las Vegas
After taking a virtual format last year, the Consumer Technology Association's annual tech-forward trade show returned to Las Vegas with more than 1,900 exhibitors, including new exhibition categories such as Food Tech, Space Tech, and NFTs. Still facing the impact of COVID-19, this year’s attendance reached 45,000, down significantly compared to 2020’s 171,000 attendees. The good news? A recent announcement from the association noted that its next trade show, taking place next month, is already on track to be 50% bigger than its 2022 iteration. Next: Jan. 5-8, 2023
After taking a virtual format last year, the Consumer Technology Association's annual tech-forward trade show returned to Las Vegas with more than 1,900 exhibitors, including new exhibition categories such as Food Tech, Space Tech, and NFTs. Still facing the impact of COVID-19, this year’s attendance reached 45,000, down significantly compared to 2020’s 171,000 attendees. The good news? A recent announcement from the association noted that its next trade show, taking place next month, is already on track to be 50% bigger than its 2022 iteration. Next: Jan. 5-8, 2023
Photo: Courtesy of CES
3. Apple Worldwide Developers Conference
Up from #5
San Jose, Calif.
The tech giant’s annual developers conference was held in person at Apple Park after going virtual for two years. Although attendance was limited for health safety precautions, the five-day event featured more than 175 developer sessions and garnered 6.2 million online viewers. Highlights from the conference included a tour of the all-new Apple Developer Center, a first-look at iOs16, a showcase of the new iPad and MacBook Air, and more. For the third year, Apple supported students who love to code with the Swift Student Challenge. Next: June 2023
San Jose, Calif.
The tech giant’s annual developers conference was held in person at Apple Park after going virtual for two years. Although attendance was limited for health safety precautions, the five-day event featured more than 175 developer sessions and garnered 6.2 million online viewers. Highlights from the conference included a tour of the all-new Apple Developer Center, a first-look at iOs16, a showcase of the new iPad and MacBook Air, and more. For the third year, Apple supported students who love to code with the Swift Student Challenge. Next: June 2023
Photo: Courtesy of Apple Worldwide Developers Conference
4. Oracle CloudWorld
Las Vegas
Taking on a new name and a new location (it's traditionally in San Francisco) for its first live event in three years, Oracle CloudWorld (formerly Oracle OpenWorld) welcomed more than 20,000 business and IT leaders to partake in four days of networking, more than 1,200 technical and strategic sessions, hands-on training opportunities, and insights into the new and next in technology. A virtual event was also held in tandem with the in-person experience. Next: Sept. 18-21, 2023
Taking on a new name and a new location (it's traditionally in San Francisco) for its first live event in three years, Oracle CloudWorld (formerly Oracle OpenWorld) welcomed more than 20,000 business and IT leaders to partake in four days of networking, more than 1,200 technical and strategic sessions, hands-on training opportunities, and insights into the new and next in technology. A virtual event was also held in tandem with the in-person experience. Next: Sept. 18-21, 2023
Photo: G9 Event Photography for Oracle CloudWorld
4. Collision Conference
New to the list
Toronto
In order to make our annual Top 100 Events list, events must be running for at least three years consecutively to establish its success and longevity. After hosting its fourth annual event, Toronto’s Collision Conference makes its first appearance on this year’s list. The event is considered one of the fastest-growing tech conferences in North America, having grown its attendee numbers by 40% since the first iteration in 2019. Brands like KPMG, Cisco, CNBC, Lyft, Uber, Airbnb, and Slack, among many startups, attend the four-day conference for its insightful conversations on the future of the global tech industry, celebrity speakers, and top-tier networking. Next: June 26-29, 2023
Toronto
In order to make our annual Top 100 Events list, events must be running for at least three years consecutively to establish its success and longevity. After hosting its fourth annual event, Toronto’s Collision Conference makes its first appearance on this year’s list. The event is considered one of the fastest-growing tech conferences in North America, having grown its attendee numbers by 40% since the first iteration in 2019. Brands like KPMG, Cisco, CNBC, Lyft, Uber, Airbnb, and Slack, among many startups, attend the four-day conference for its insightful conversations on the future of the global tech industry, celebrity speakers, and top-tier networking. Next: June 26-29, 2023
Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Collision via Sportsfile
