Nearly 1,500 event professionals gathered at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center on May 4 for BizBash Live: Florida, a day packed with ideas, inspiration, and resources to create smarter events.
The event kicked off with a pre-party the night before at the Gallery of Amazing Things, where guests enjoyed activations, food, and beverages. They could also explore the gallery's unusual art collection.
After a welcome from Christine Roberts of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Event Innovation Forum and Workshop Series featured presentations from speakers including Michael Blatter of Mirrorball; David Sinopoli of III Points: Music, Art, and Technology Festival; Cassandra Clark of Facebook; Christopher Pastor of the PĂ©rez Art Museum Miami; chef Michael Schwartz of Michael Schwartz Events; DJ Saul of iStrategyLabs; and other event professionals. This was the first year all education tracks counted as credits towards CSEP and CPCE certification.
“Food for Thought” was the inspiration for the luncheon produced by Kelly Murphy of Events on the Loose. It included a discussion about sustainability by chef Brian Aaron of Aaron's Catering, an activity benefiting families in need through Feeding South Florida, and a three-course meal crafted by chef Marcel Martinez of Savor.
A new innovation for the show was Betty the BizBash EventBot, created with Sciensio. The bot answered questions about the event through platforms including text message, Facebook Messenger, and a widget on the show's website. Betty answered 1,630 questions in the days leading up to, during, and after the event.
“AHA Moment” environments throughout the venue provided photo ops—from a zen garden to oversize “AHA” letters where participants completed the phrase by making the “H,” and a new Lounge and Learn sponsored education track. Sessions focused on collaborative meeting design from Stormz, technology from Sciensio, and increasing revenues at fund-raising events from Swell Fundraising.
Inside the hall, Scarborough & Tweed and Totally Mod Event Furnishings provided a colorful networking lounge where attendees could network and take in varied acts on the exhibit hall stage.
The day closed with an after-party in the convention center that featured photo activations, ice sculptures, and a DJ.
