I’m going to IMEX 2026. Last year, I wrote three long, detailed posts about The Good (1, 2) and The Bad and The Ugly of IMEX America 2025.
So, I thought I should approach this year’s visit in a somewhat less serious fashion by summarizing my expectations in song.
No, I cannot explain why I chose to sing a parody of Irving Berlin‘s “Heat Wave.” (Though, hey, if Miss Piggy sang it in The Muppets Go to the Movies, that’s good enough for me.)
Here is my rendition for your delight and/or groans. Watch it; it’s only a minute long.
Now that you’ve suffered enough, let me remind you that I am not a typical IMEX attendee. I attend as an independent meeting designer and facilitator, paying my own way rather than participating in the hosted-buyer ecosystem.
My purpose in going is remarkably simple:
- See people I know.
- Meet people I don’t.
- Have interesting conversations.
- Discover things that might make meetings better.
- Have some fun.
Why I keep going back
The exhibition floor, technology, sessions, food, and spectacle are entertaining, but they’re not really the reason I return.
The real value is people and conversations.
Draw on last year’s examples:
◦ brief encounters with old friends that restored connections;
◦ longer conversations over dinner;
◦ unexpected encounters;
◦ Club Ichi’s community-table conversations;
◦ meeting new people through people you already know.
• This connects naturally to your broader argument about conferences: the value of bringing people together is created by what participants do with one another, not simply by putting thousands of people in the same building.
What I’m looking forward to this year
Keep this section light and concrete.
• Seeing old friends I haven’t seen since last year’s IMEX—or perhaps since some much earlier event.
• Meeting people I’ve only encountered online.
• Meeting readers of your blog.
• Finding interesting conversations about meeting design, facilitation, participation, AI, event technology, and whatever else people are thinking about.
• Discovering something unexpected.
• Finding a reasonably quiet place where you can actually talk.
• Having some fun.
You could echo the final stanza of the song here:
“Love making new friends too / And having fun with you / I’m hoping to see you there.”
An invitation
If you’re going to IMEX America this year, come find me.
Old friend? Please come say hello.
Haven’t met me yet? Even better.
If you’ve been meaning to introduce yourself, this is your opportunity.
And if you see me wandering around looking slightly overheated, remember: I wrote a song about it.
I’ll be the guy at IMEX trying to live up to his claim that he certainly can shake hands.
I’m going back!
Yes, I expect the usual heat, spectacle, expensive food, sessions, technology, and conference-industry absurdities.
But mostly, I’m looking forward to the people.
I’m hoping to see you there.
