IMEX America 2026: What’s Different and How Planners Can Make the Most of the Show
Smart Monday, powered by MPI, remains an important pre-show education day. In 2026, it takes place on Monday, October 12.
What is different is the stronger focus on specialized groups and professional communities. Smart Monday programming includes:
- Corporate Focus
- Association Focus
- Executive Meeting Forum
- Smart Monday education sessions
- Networking and professional development opportunities
- The EIC Global Awards Celebration
- SITE NITE North America
This gives attendees more ways to spend the day based on their role and responsibilities.
Corporate Planners Have More Opportunities to Connect
Corporate Focus is designed for corporate event planners who want to exchange ideas, discuss common challenges, and learn from peers across industries.
The Executive Meeting Forum is intended for senior-level corporate meeting leaders, while the Event Leaders Exchange, or ELX, Forum offers invitation-only programming for senior corporate event professionals.
These programs create more space for peer discussion around topics such as procurement, stakeholder management, leadership, meeting design, and organizational change.
For corporate planners, this is one of the most meaningful changes to the 2026 program. IMEX is recognizing that the most valuable learning does not always happen in a traditional classroom. Sometimes it happens through candid conversations with people managing the same pressures, budgets, and expectations.
