LAS VEGAS–BizBash at Connect Las Vegas, an event designed to educate and inspire meeting and event professionals, arrives in Nevada—and online!–for a three-day hybrid event, running May 24-26 at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, produced in partnership with parent company Connect. For live attendees, BizBash and Connect's team is working to ensure all guests feel comfortable returning to meeting in person, which means social-distancing policies and upgraded sanitation measures in place, in addition to on-site COVID-19 testing or vaccination verification. We're taking this time to help industry peers safely get back to doing what they do best: gathering, growing and inspiring.
In addition to guaranteed inspiration and resources to take back to your own events and meetings, BizBash at Connect Las Vegas will feature plenty of education sessions that shine a spotlight on how the industry can get back to hosting live events safely following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how hybrid events will play a role in making it happen. A few sessions virtual and in-person guests can expect to see on the agenda include "The New Culinary Experience," "Mastering Working From Home," "Budgeting in the New Era of Events," "TikTok & Fresh Paradigms for Event Engagement" and "40 Out-of-the-Box Event Ideas in 40 Minutes: Inspiration for Your Live, Virtual or Hybrid Gatherings." Bonus: Suppliers will have the opportunity to sit down and have meaningful one-on-one appointments with industry-leading event professionals.
Virtual attendees can look forward to interactive breaks throughout the program, including a virtual happy hour with Orlando Carreira of Happy Hour Academy followed by a virtual DJ battle presented by QuietEvents; light morning and afternoon workouts led by Meghan Wenstrup of FitGive Movement; 30-minute trivia game; and more—all emceed by Kate Patay, chief strategy officer of Patay Consulting and chairwoman of SEARCH Foundation.
Take a sneak peek at the schedule for BizBash at Connect Las Vegas below or online, and if you aren't already signed up to attend virtually for free, registration is still open here. (Registration is closed for in-person attendees.) A portion of all proceeds from BizBash at Connect Las Vegas will benefit SEARCH Foundation and EnventU.
A special thank-you to our partners:
akire productions
Atomic
ECLIPSE
EnventU
GiftSuite
Innovative Entertainment
InSync Production Services, Inc.
Patay Consulting
Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa
Red Tail
SEARCH Foundation
42Chat
Monday, May 24
12-3 p.m. Registration Open
1:30 p.m. Opening Remarks
Led by Kate Patay
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 1 (In-Person Only)
Panel Discussion: Vegas Recovers
Moderator: Patrick Higgins, Connect
Panelists: Lenny Talarico, Blueprint Studios; Stephanie Selesnick, International Trade Information, Inc.
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 2 (In-Person Only)
How to Rebuild Your Following Post-COVID
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 3 (Hybrid)
The New Culinary Experience
Moderator: David Adler, BizBash
Panelists: Joseph Cozza, JVC Catering & Event Consulting; Ezekiel Bronfman, XED Beverage Company; Kasha Mackelprang, Red Rock Resort Casino & Spa; Thomas Whelan, Levy Restaurants
2-3 p.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
2:45 p.m. Perseverance & Finding Your Path (Virtual Only)
Led by Kate Patay
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 4 (In-Person Only)
Mindfulness in Uncertain Times: How Buyers & Sellers Can Work Together
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 5 (In-Person Only)
Status of the Industry: How We Are Moving Forward
Led by Stephanie Selesnick, International Trade Information, Inc.; Howard Weiss, AREA15; Damon Ross, CORT
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 6 (Hybrid)
What Have We Learned? Actionable Pandemic Lessons From The ILEA Community
Led by Dana Macaulay, ILEA; Lisa Marks, Brand Alive; Dustin Westling, OneWest Event Design & Logistics
3:30-4:30 p.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
4:15-5 p.m. Virtual Happy Hour + DJ Battle (Virtual Only)
Led by Orlando Carreira, Happy Hour Academy; Quiet Events
6:30-8 p.m. Welcome Reception (In-Person Only)
Tuesday, May 25
7:30-8 a.m. Morning Workout (Hybrid)
Led by Meghan Wenstrup, FitGive Movement
8:30 a.m. Morning Welcome (Hybrid)
Led by Kate Patay
9-10:30 a.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
9:15-9:30 a.m. Performance by ECLIPSE (Hybrid)
ECLIPSE is an acrobatic and dance-based performance group that blends stunning motion graphics, impeccable music and intricate movements of the human body together in one unique entertainment experience.
9:30-10:15 a.m. Featured Education Session 7 (In-Person Only)
Navigating Uncertainty and Disruption in the Time of Crisis
Led by Carolina Caro
9:30-10:15 a.m. Featured Education Session 8 (In-Person Only)
Diversity & Inclusion Workshop: Unconscious Bias
9:30-10:15 a.m. Featured Education Session 9 (Hybrid)
The Power of Being Second in Command: How Number Twos Will Lead the Post-COVID Bounce Back—If Only We Knew Their Names!
Led by David Adler, BizBash; Christina Matteucci, David Beahm Experiences
10:15-10:45 a.m. Featured Education Session 10 (Hybrid)
Mastering Working From Home
Led by Kate Patay; David Lombardo, Lombardos; Jolie Oree-Bailey, Low Country Quisine
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
10:45-11:30 a.m. Featured Education Session 11 (In-Person Only)
Traditional Customer Service Won't Work Any Longer in 2021...But This Will!
Led by Bob Pacanovsky
10:45-11:30 a.m. Featured Education Session 12 (In-Person Only)
5 Tips to Planning a Site Visit During a Pandemic
10:45-11:30 a.m. Featured Education Session 13 (Hybrid)
TikTok & Fresh Paradigms for Event Engagement
Led by David Adler, BizBash; Kudzi Chikumbu, TikTok; Brian Feit, BMF
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch
1:15-1:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 14 (Hybrid)
SURVIVE AND THRIVE—POWERED BY SEARCH: Balancing work, personal life, volunteerism and more
Led by Kate Patay; Thomas Whelan, Levy Restaurants; Michele Polci, Caesars Entertainment
1:30-3 p.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
1:45 p.m. Workout Break
Led by Meghan Wenstrup, FitGive Movement
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 15 (In-Person Only)
Hotel Comeback
Led by Michael Dominguez
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 16 (In-Person Only)
The Good, The Bad & The Blind Spots: Targeting Beyond Unconscious Bias
Led by Tianna Tye
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 17 (Hybrid)
Budgeting in the New Era of Events
Led by Kate Patay; Christina Matteucci, David Beahm Experiences; Erika Lohmar, akire productions; Suzette Wilson Samuels, Drury Design; Bob Russo, VDA; Michele Polci, Caesars Entertainment
2-2:45 p.m. Featured Education Session 18 (Hybrid)
Finding Talent Now

Led by David Adler, BizBash; Dawn Penfold, Meeting Jobs
3-4:30 p.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 19 (In-Person Only)
7 Practices to Be a Mindful Sales Professional in a Recovering World
Led by Holly Duckworth
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 20 (In-Person Only)
Food & Beverage Risk Management
Led by Tracy Stuckrath
3:30-4:15 p.m. Featured Education Session 21 (Hybrid)
Pipeline to Professions
Led by Latoya Lewis, EnventU
Wednesday, May 26
7:30-8 a.m. Morning Workout (Hybrid)
Led by Meghan Wenstrup, FitGive Movement
8 a.m. Virtual Trivia (Virtual Only)
8:30 a.m. Morning Welcome (Hybrid)
Led by Kate Patay
9-9:45 a.m. Featured Education Session 22 (In-Person Only)
Menu Trends/Food Safety
Led by Tracy Stuckrath
9-9:45 a.m. Featured Education Session 23 (In-Person Only)
Diversity & Inclusion Workshop: Unconscious Bias
Led by Tianna Tye
9-9:45 a.m. Featured Education Session 24 (Hybrid)
NOMO FOMO
Led by Erika Lohmar and Beth Norber, akire productions; Cory Travalena, Red Tail; Adam Ogden, InSync Production Services, Inc.
9-10 a.m. One-on-One Appointments (In-Person Only)
10:15-11 a.m. Featured Education Session 25 (In-Person Only)
Workplace Appreciation: Leading Teams Remotely
Led by Tianna Tye
10:15-11 a.m. Featured Education Session 26 (In-Person Only)
Marketing to New Customers Post-COVID
Led by Adonica Shaw
10:15-11 a.m. Featured Education Session 27 (Hybrid)
40 Out-of-the-Box Event Ideas in 40 Minutes: Inspiration for Your Live, Virtual or Hybrid Gatherings
Led by Ashton Pike, BizBash
11 a.m. Closing Remarks
Led by Kate Patay
