Small Market Meetings October 2025

IN SIGHTS

WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

DRAW A CROWD TO YOUR CONFERENCE

It’s a nightmare most every event planner has had: The day of the big conference arrives. The doors open. No one walks in.

Thankfully, the dream never becomes reality. Still, turnout sometimes disappoints, and a planner is left to figure out why attendance was off and how to keep it from happening again.

There’s a lot that goes into drawing a crowd. Here are five areas to think about as you plan your next conference.

Asking these questions can help grow your attendance

Is the price right?

Depending on travel budgets, the cost of a conference might be a sticking point. That’s why it’s essential to adopt some retailing strategies like offering early bird discounts, group discounts for businesses and other deals. Getting attendees to sign up early or en masse will give your conference a healthy start and a good foundation. Offering the option to attend virtually is also something to consider. There are always people who lack either the time or money to attend in person but who would still like to take in the conference’s educational sessions and keynote speakers.

Another way to raise awareness of your conference and demonstrate its value to someone who can’t attend is to offer, for a fee, downloads of educational sessions. Hearing the speakers your conference books might just convince someone to attend the conference in person the next year.

Does the destination draw a crowd?

Where a conference is held can make a difference in attendance. Do you know what excites your audience? Is it a city with appealing features, like a convention center with an attached hotel in a walkable, safe downtown like you’ll find in Fort Wayne, Indiana? Will the destination interest particular professionals? For example, if it’s a conference for those in the hotel industry, wouldn’t Ithaca, New York, home to Cornell University and its high-profile hotel management program, be a good choice? If attendees are flying, will they be able to get reasonable airfare and good flight options? One way to ensure that would be to meet in the Chicago suburbs, close to O’Hare and Midway airports. Those areas are represented by several CVBs, including Visit Chicago Southland, Chicago’s North Shore, Visit Lake County and Meet Chicago Northwest.

If the conference always meets in the same city, it might be time to try something new. Most CVBs will host a meeting planner who wants to check out a destination in person. These familiarization trips can be the first step in building a relationship with a CVB.

How much marketing is enough?

Remember this old marketing mantra? A customer must see an ad for a product seven times before they’ll buy it. That was in the days when newspapers and television dominated advertising. These days, it might take a lot more than seven, as we’re all inundated with marketing messages from the smartphones in our hands and the laptops on our desks. Conference marketing requires a multifaceted approach. Email marketing, social media marketing and content marketing all come into play through online newsletters, blogs, text reminders and updates, a conference website, videos and stories on social media, a conference hashtag and more.

The goal should be to reach out in as many ways and as many times as possible with varied content to capture your target audience’s interest. A CVB partner can also help market a conference by supplying photography of the city, videos, online visitors guides and other marketing materials. The Greater Palm Springs CVB, for example, can create microsites for events held there.

What do they want to learn?

Many people will want to see the lineup of speakers and sessions before they commit to attending, so push out that information early. They also want to come away with new insights and information, so make sure the conference’s speakers and sessions are pertinent to the problems and challenges attendees face. To find the best speakers, do some crowdsourcing. If you’re a member of MPI, ASAE or other meeting industry associations, reach out to fellow members for ideas. Research who is speaking to organizations that are similar to yours. Ask members of your board or executive committee if they have suggestions based on speakers they have heard at conferences they attend. If the conference format is creative in the way information will be delivered — perhaps through hands-on activities, behind-the-scenes tours, interactive sessions, lively panels or spirited roundtables — promote that in your marketing.

Who can spread the word?

Chances are you know several people who are unofficial “influencers” — key figures in your organization whom others respect and listen to. What if you found a way to turn them into recruiters for your conference? Perhaps you could do a short video and have them talk about why they attend the conference and what specifically they have gained by attending. No need for fancy cameras; your smartphone will work just fine for short videos and photos. These ambassadors could also send personal messages — emails, texts, personal notes — to people they know who might not be registered yet, encouraging them to do so. Longtime suppliers, who either participate in your tradeshow or simply attend the conference to network, might reach out to customers who could benefit from attending and encourage them to sign up. Reward registrants who convince a peer to sign up for the conference with an Amazon gift card. These rate second only to cash in terms of preferred incentives, experts say.

MEETING LEADERS

EMIKO BECK

EBY REBECCA TREON

miko Beck grew up in Detroit in a middle-class family with a dynamic that was uncommon at the time: her mom was a white American, and her dad was Japanese.

“Biracial marriages weren’t allowed until the Loving trials in 1967,” she said. “I’m a product of one of the first biracial marriages.”

Beck went to public school and then got a bachelor’s degree from Ohio Dominican University with a focus on marketing and international business. She got married at age 18 and started a family at 21. She launched her career in advertising and circulation sales with USA Today, and the company took her first to Pittsburgh and then to Orlando, where she has lived ever since.

She worked with USA Today for almost 17 years before switching gears and moving into the meetings and events industry. In 2014, she started her own marketing firm, Emilate. It was when she was developing materials for her first marketing client’s upcoming meeting that she realized a need for people who could help groups book their hotels.

“I asked her if she wanted to put the logo of the hotel on their save-the-date invites, and she said they hadn’t yet chosen the hotel,” Beck said. “I ended up helping them book their meeting, which led me to become a licensed associate at HelmsBriscoe.”

HelmsBriscoe is the world’s largest hotel and venue site selection company. As one of their global accounts managers, Beck supports a network of clients in the entertainment, sports, media and travel industries, finding meeting solutions for groups that

may have up to 100,000 attendees. The move has proven to be a good one. She has won numerous awards and has helped organize momentous events like Pope John Paul II’s final U.S. visit and five Super Bowls.

“I have over 50 clients that I book meetings for,” she said. “I do meetings as small as seven people or as many as 700 people. I’ve booked hotels in America, Canada, Mexico, Holland, Spain, Italy, France and England. My clients are primarily construction companies, fitness companies, and food and beverage franchises.”

One of the biggest surprises for Beck when she started working for HelmsBriscoe was the sheer size of the meetings and events industry. She often attends events like the Small Market Meetings Conference, where she is able to meet several suppliers in one place and learn about the meeting spaces they have. She also appreciates the friendships and relationships she’s been able to forge over the years within the hospitality industry.

Beck has also acquired a certificate in hotel management and continues to seek out other educational opportunities while running her marketing agency. She encourages anyone thinking about pursuing a career in the meeting planning space to go for it.

“There is plenty of business out there,” she said. “We really don’t have to compete with each other — people are still meeting. Meetings are still crucial to business, and we have a great meeting and event planning community. There are tons of educational opportunities out there: webinars, podcasts, etc. Get out there and meet people and see people and build business and be friends — it’s all good.”

“There is plenty of business out there. We really don’t have to compete with each other.... Meetings are still crucial to business, and we have a great meeting and event planning community.”

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

NAME Emiko Beck

TITLE

Manager, Global Accounts

ORGANIZATION

HelmsBriscoe

LOCATION

Orlando

BIRTHPLACE

Royal Oak, Michigan

EDUCATION

Ohio Dominican University, Bachelor of Arts in International Business and Marketing

CAREER HISTORY

• USA Today, regional marketing manager, 1998–2013

• TravelClick, director of strategic sales, 2013–2014

• Emilate, principal, 2014–present

• HelmsBriscoe; manager, global accounts, 2019–present

TIPS FROM EMIKO BECK

• Get involved, get out there and remember — you have something important to say to a new prospect! So don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call someone who may need your services.

• Stay calm.

• “No” just means “not yet.”

BRIDGING GAP

WITH RACHEL CRICK THE

INSIGHTS FROM NEXT-GENERATION MEETING PROS

MENTORSHIP MATTERS Allie Selznick

MEETINGS COORDINATOR

American Association of Airport Executives

Allie Selznick attended James Madison University (JMU) and graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. She briefly worked with the JMU Alumni Association before becoming a meetings coordinator at the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), a role she has held for over two years. In addition to her career as a meeting planner, she is president of the Robert Anthony Eriksson Foundation, an organization for mental health. She also coaches high school volleyball and mentors JMU hospitality management students. She earned her CMP earlier this year and was featured as one of BizBash’s Fresh Faces of 2025.

Can you tell me about your experience with your own mentor?

A: In college, most of my mentors were my professors, as well as some of my friends who were older than me and going into the industry. One of my closest friends helped shape who I am. She made me realize I could mentor people who were younger than me. One professor sent me the job posting for my current role. I also got a mentor through PCMA who has really helped with so many situations that I didn’t know how to handle professionally and personally. She helped me navigate a lot of hard situations, figure out how to express myself better and learn to advocate for myself. She also really supported me throughout getting my CMP, which was a huge accomplishment and one I don’t think I would have gone for just yet had it not been for her support.

QWhat do the next generation of planners provide as mentors?

A:I I think there’s a lot of fresh perspective. I have a lot of experience advocating for myself now. For example, usually I would think someone who’s getting their CMP is midway through their career, but I found out that I had the qualifications, and I got a scholarship to be able to do it. I have that unique point of view where I can encourage people to get their certification at any point. As soon as you have those three years of full-time experience and that industry degree, go get it — it will be worth it. Also, I can speak on advocating for yourself, working on getting raises or promotions, and negotiations. A lot of students don’t really think about joining professional organizations after college, let alone being involved in one in college. It’s nice for the younger generation to be able to share those experiences of being part of that and growing their network. When you’re first coming out of college, it can be very intimidating to go to these events and not know a single person. Having someone who’s younger you can really relate to helps.

Can you tell me about your experiences mentoring others?

A:I do two different things. At JMU’s senior seminar class, students have a class project where they each get assigned a mentor. This will be my third time being a mentor to a JMU student who is graduating from the hospitality school. I give them advice on looking for jobs and answer any questions. I try to answer very honestly since I was in their shoes three years ago. When they ask teachers or older people, it’s not how it used to be when they were graduating college versus three years ago. It’s also great because I’m able to connect them with someone with an interesting role or someone who has an open position I could recommend them for.

On a less formal note, I was able to convince my team here at AAAE to let a student come in and shadow me, which had not been done before in the meetings department. My internship showed me that I wanted to go into meeting planning. To be able to do that for someone else is really empowering and important to me.

You also volunteer as the president of a foundation and coach volleyball at a high school. How do you balance that with your work life?

A:Yes, it’s extremely enriching. The foundation was established in honor of a friend of mine who took his own life, and our mission is to make sure that no one ever feels alone and to provide resources for the community I’m from. I volunteered my event planning services to them one day and ended up becoming a very influential part of the team. I got asked to join the board of directors and then somehow became president. It’s very meaningful and impactful to see the community that I grew up in come together.

And, of course, I played volleyball and loved it, so I ended up finding a coaching position at a high school in Fairfax. I’ve been coaching the JV and the varsity team as an assistant coach. It’s very busy, but it is so fulfilling. I think everybody needs their day job, but then you need either hobbies or something else you’re passionate about. I’ve always been someone who loves to give back and find something to do that’s bigger than myself. Balancing those has been difficult. But it’s a passion of mine, and so that’s what keeps me going.

What advice do you give your mentees about the importance of other commitments like those?

A: I’ve talked to them about the foundation that I’m president of, how I got involved in that, and how I used my meeting planning skills to better that foundation, whether it’s leading them as president or using the meeting planning skills to plan an event that brings in a lot of revenue and limits expenses. I think that work-life balance has sometimes been a struggle for a lot of meeting planners. I’ve tried to encourage everybody to take time and find something outside of work, now that I’ve done that and have realized that it’s beneficial. I don’t think that your whole life should be just about work. Work is important, and it’s something that you need to focus on, of course, but I also have other priorities, like my family, my dog, my boyfriend, my volleyball team and my foundation. I think being able to spread the wealth is really important.

Planning for Plus-Ones

SMART PREPARATION MAKES SPOUSES AND FAMILY MEMBERS FEEL WELCOME

BY RACHEL CRICK

Bringing spouses, children or other guests to company conferences or annual events has long been an added incentive for people to attend. But in recent years, financial considerations, an increased demand for work-life balance and a desire for higher event attendance have led more organizations to invite their attendees to bring plus-ones. This has occurred alongside the rise of “bleisure” destinations, places that have the appeal of combining work and play.

But how should planners ensure their events are sufficient to entertain everyone? Whether attendees will be bringing a single guest or their whole family, here is some insight from industry experts on planning an event that ticks both boxes in bleisure.

CHOOSE THE LOCALE WISELY

One of the most important factors for planning a bleisure event is the choice of destination. Common choices are beach destinations, cities near major theme parks and incentive destinations with a distinguishing culture — think California wine country or Nashville’s vibrant music scene.

But before they book, planners should research the demographics of their attendees to determine how to best cater to their plus-ones and families. If the profile of the target attendee is a professional in their 30s or 40s, it’s very plausible they have young families tagging along. However, if it’s mostly executives or professionals in their 60s, it’s a safe bet their spouses are of similar ages.

Planners should choose destinations that cater to these different demographics. A family-friendly beach community or something near a theme park is perfect for entertaining families with children, while a city with great nightlife could cater to couples traveling without children.

An option that can appeal to both groups is a resort or an all-inclusive property, which has enough amenities to entertain any demographic, from spas to abundant outdoor recreation.

“When you look at resorts that already have those activities and amenities in place, it makes planning the event right on property so much easier,” said Melissa Salem, director of group sales at Kingston Resorts in Myrtle Beach.

No matter where the meeting ends up being held, activities that showcase the destination and its signature experiences are going to be most

On the value of engaging families: “The more cheerleaders you have at home on the family and spousal side, the more likely you are to consistently attend conferences.”

Heather Pilcher

OWNER

Blue Spark Event Design Experience: 25 years

“I think it provides that family with that feeling of inclusion. It’s important because time is so valuable to everyone, and it contributes to work-life balance.”

memorable to the attendees.

“Activities are usually a direct reflection of where you’re located,” said Heather Pilcher, owner of Blue Spark Event Design. “People want to get out of the ballroom or out of the hotel room and into the culture or the attractions of the location.”

Choosing a location with a hands-on destination marketing organization (DMO) can ensure planners have help with transportation needs to off-site activities. DMOs can also provide plus-ones with suggestions of how to spend any free time.

“We, as a DMO, often provide brochures and specific information to help give planners different ideas,” said Michelle Russ, vice president of sales at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “We can provide a family guide and even have ambassadors that come in and speak to the families about all there is to do in the area.”

CHOOSE ENTICING ACTIVITIES

While some free time can be good, especially if an event is located at a resort or leisure destination, planners should arrange a few activities as part of a spousal/family program to provide some structure and to get them out of their hotel rooms.

Michelle Russ VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

Experience: 25+ years

“You see a lot of that with a resort or beach location where they have free time built in that can be used for family time,” Russ said. “But you want to schedule something they can get excited about and look forward to. It does feel like they’re part of something, too.”

The best way to entice guests to take part in scheduled activities is to make the activities irresistible. That could include options that are unique to the destination or highly exclusive and usually unavailable to the public.

“If they’re going out West, we can do horseback riding or something Western, or if they’re in the Caribbean, we’re definitely going snorkeling,” Pilcher said. “For on-site activities, which can be a little cheaper, we’ve leaned into some more experiential activities, like building charcuterie boards.”

While having plenty of scheduled programming is important, planners should build flexibility into their spousal programs as well. Not all families’ needs are the same, and having the option to rest or enjoy downtime when it’s needed can be important. This is especially true considering most spousal or family programs are an add-on in price.

“It’s the beauty of our resort in that we offer such a wide range of options for groups and individuals that they can tailor programs to fit their needs, from beach Olympics to pickleball tournaments,” Salem said. “But we don’t really package any of that together because we like the meeting planner to have that flexibility to pick and choose what they would like to do.”

When arranging activities for spouses and families, it’s important that planners are as inclusive as possible. They shouldn’t make assumptions about gender or relationship when planning the activities.

Fifty years ago, most of the spouses accompanying attendees to a conference would have been women. Today, men and women are more equally represented in the workplace, and they bring a diverse range of guests. Offering a range of activities that cater to broad demographics ensures that guests of all genders, ages and ability levels can find something to amuse themselves.

BUILD PLUS-ONES INTO THE PROGRAM

Including family members in an event means attendees have fewer barriers to attending, so it’s crucial not to treat spousal or family programing like an afterthought, but rather an extension of the event itself.

“It ties back to higher attendance and overall satisfaction with the event itself,” Pilcher said. “Everybody knows events are important for your career, but it’s also hard to be away from your family for five days. If you can bring your family with, and they’re excited about it, the idea of you going again next year is probably going to be well received at your home.”

To make plus-ones feel like part of the event, surveys can be a useful tool in the planning stages. Looking at past survey data for recurring events can be helpful, but be sure to include questions in the post-event survey if there’s no data to draw on.

“As groups begin to incorporate activities for plus-ones into their programming, it’s important at the end of the event to get their feedback and see what they thought,” Salem said. “Did it work? Did these activities resonate with them?”

In addition to offering a range of activities for attendees’ guests to take advantage of separately, planners should invite them to a few social events during the main program so they feel included. Receptions or any type of social events are a great place to start.

“Here in our destination, you’ll see a lot of families and spouses attend that evening activity, especially if it’s on-site,” Russ said. “It could be a beach picnic or luau or something similar.”

Another way to make plus-ones feel welcome is to give them their own set of conference materials. That could include their own name badges at registration and a welcome packet with a list of local activities to do in their free time.

“Don’t leave them out of the marketing element,” Pilcher warned. “If you are creating agendas for the attendee who’s coming, make sure that the spousal programs, including events, lunches, dinners, anything that’s offered to them, is all in one agenda. It’s not an afterthought; it is part of the conference.”

“Companies that value their work-life balance have become a really big part of culture, and when they allow you to incorporate family into a meeting, it just shows the value and the experience that the company wants their attendee to be able to have.”

DIRECTOR OF GROUP SALES

Kingston Resorts Experience: 43

years

EVENTS AL FRESCO

Outdoor venues offer meetings a breath of fresh air

BY RACHEL CRICK

Fresh air and sweeping vistas add a special something to events.

Whether it’s a team meal on the top floor or a welcome reception under the stars, attendees agree that meeting outdoors on rooftops and terraces is a fresh take. The venues are effortlessly gorgeous thanks to the scenery, and there’s nothing like networking while enjoying a breeze or sipping a cocktail while watching the sunset.

From chic hotel rooftops to whimsical museum terraces, here are five outdoor venues across the country that are perfect for off-sites and receptions.

JUMP BOISE, IDAHO

JUMP, short for Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, is a multipurpose gathering space in downtown Boise. Opened in 2015, it’s known for its contemporary design, including multiple vintage tractors and farm equipment located throughout. Its creative use of space turns it into a playground for all ages, five-story spiral slide included. In addition to its variety of indoor spaces, JUMP features several outdoor spaces befitting all types of events.

One of the most impressive outdoor venues at JUMP is known as The Deck, a great choice for receptions or outdoor meals. Found on the top floor of the building, it features a lofty pergola, a raised wooden deck, overhead fans, a rooftop fireplace and an outdoor kitchen. The space also boasts views of downtown and the mountains beyond, making it an excellent spot for an evening reception or outdoor meal. On the third level, the building’s Garden Terrace is 3,255 square feet of open-air space. It’s perfect for everything from receptions to outdoor fitness classes. One of the indoor spaces, The Loft,

also has a terrace for planners who want to add an outdoor element to their meetings.

In The JUMP Park, large informal gatherings can be held at the grass amphitheater; the front lawn; or the celebration circle, a circular concrete pavilion perfect for marketplaces and performances. JUMP provides exclusive in-house catering, as well as basic A/V equipment. jumpboise.org

THE BERKELEY OCEANFRONT HOTEL

ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY

In the small, seaside New Jersey town of Asbury Park, meeting attendees will be impressed

just steps from the Atlantic Ocean, planners will find one of Asbury Park’s best venues for receptions, off-sites and banquets: The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel.

by the offerings on the coast, including the beachfront boardwalk and several prominent music and performance venues. But just steps from the Atlantic Ocean, planners will find one of the city’s best venues for receptions, off-sites and banquets: The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel. The sophisticated 1925 hotel includes the opulent design features innate to Beaux-Arts architecture, in addition to elegant contemporary decor and finishes.

The 275-room hotel has 25,000 square feet of meeting space for a maximum of 400 people. While its multiple historic ballrooms are popular spots for daytime meetings, one of the hotel’s most prized venues is its Rooftop Lookout, featuring the stunning sights and sounds of the ocean. Events held in the many hotel ballrooms during the day can move to the rooftop for an elegant sunset reception or a starlit banquet with a panoramic view of the beach below. For a more casual gathering, such as a group meal, team-building exercise or social hour, one of the hotel’s on-site restaurants, Berkeley Backyard, has a lovely outdoor patio with views of the ocean.

Planners have the choice of several catering

packages, including a cocktail reception option and two sit-down packages, complete with a three-course meal and a variety of stations. All catering packages include a premium open bar, table numbers and linens. berkeleyhotelnj.com

THE CAPITAL CLUB OF ASHEVILLE ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Known for the breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, North Carolina, is the perfect setting for outdoor events. One of the premier rooftop venues in the city can be found at The Capital Club in the heart of downtown, not far from the city’s top attractions, including the River Arts District and the Asheville Museum of Science. It’s a popular spot for weddings, and it also frequently hosts corporate events and other social gatherings.

The venue’s elegant indoor banquet room features floor-to-ceiling glass windows, meaning that even indoor events enjoy a spectacular view. For an indoor-outdoor feel, the doors open onto one of the

most iconic rooftops in the city. It features stunning views of downtown Asheville and the mountains beyond and can accommodate up to 205 people for a reception, including staff, or 120 guests for a seated event. The venue can be rented for four-hour windows. With an on-site catering kitchen, flexible setups, and tables and chairs, a roller bar, some décor, music service and basic A/V included in the venue rental, The Capital Club offers a bargain for banquets, receptions and other gatherings. The venue can provide event planning services and has an extensive list of approved caterers, though it’s open to considering additional caterers.

capitalclubavl.com

Known for the breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is the perfect setting for outdoor events. One of the premier rooftop venues in the city can be found at The Capital Club in the heart of downtown.

The Facilities, The Lodging The Fun ... Just Perfect!

Located along the Ohio River directly adjacent to Ohio and Kentucky, our proximity to Cincinnati means we’re close to big-city amenities with all of the meeting customization and service a smaller location can provide.

Home to Hollywood Casino and the Lawrenceburg Event Center, we’re ideal for small and mid-size meetings and conventions of all types, offering:

✦ Large, customizable meeting and event space

✦ 15 miles to the Cincinnati International Airport

✦ 468 hotel rooms

✦ Walkable Main Street offering casino gaming, destination dining, entertainment options, historic tours, riverfront access, outdoor recreation, trails, winery/brewery properties, and more

Ready to get started? Scan the QR code to the right!

IDEAS

MOXI SKY GARDEN

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

The entire city of Santa Barbara, California, is a haven for meeting planners looking to take their next event outdoors. With its warm, Mediterranean-like climate and mild winters, it’s a great year-round destination with no shortage of charming rooftops, terraces and historic venues. One standout rooftop can be found at the MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation. Opened in 2017, the museum highlights STEAM learning experiences for all ages, with exhibits designed around concepts in physics. The entire museum is available for a buy-out, but the Sky Garden, also one of the museum’s permanent exhibits, can be rented separately.

The MOXI Sky Garden is designed to bring out one’s inner child with its exhibits, including an interactive water feature, a weather orchestra, a lookout tower with five telescopes and a glass sky deck with a view of the courtyard below. But the 360-degree

view of Santa Barbara, including the Santa Ynez Mountains, provides an elegant backdrop for receptions, performances or dinners. The rooftop space can accommodate up to 200 attendees.

Events can be held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., after regular museum hours. Attendees get full access to museum exhibits. The museum can supply a list of preferred vendors, and the back lot is available for kitchen staging. The museum sound system can be used for music. moxi.org

The MOXI Sky Garden is designed to bring out one’s inner

child with its exhibits, including an interactive water feature, a weather orchestra, a lookout tower with five telescopes and a glass sky deck.

IDEAS

MONONA TERRACE ROOFTOP MADISON, WISCONSIN

Designed in 1938 by one of America’s most notable contemporary architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, Monona Terrace is a 250,000-square-foot convention center in Madison, Wisconsin. Though Wright’s visions weren’t brought to life until 1997, the convention center gained acclaim for its picturesque views of Lake Monona, as well as its significance to the state capital.

While its 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 13,500-square-foot ballroom and stunning 7,000-square-foot Grand Terrace overlooking the lake (an indoor venue, despite its name), provide plenty of options for indoor events, the convention center’s rooftop gardens steal the show and provide stunning scenery for outdoor gatherings. Decorated with blue and yellow umbrellas and carefully landscaped foliage, the gardens are a popular venue for outdoor concerts, art exhibitions and

receptions. They’re also known for providing the best views in the city.

The center circle of the rooftop gardens totals nearly 35,000 square feet. An additional west circle adds another 5,000 square feet, while the east circle houses Lake Vista Cafe. The rooftop gardens can accommodate up to 3,000 attendees. The convention center also offers tours of the gardens to the public to learn about their history, architecture and significance to Madison.

mononaterrace.com

Designed in 1938 by one of the most notable contemporary architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, Monona Terrace is a 250,000-square-foot convention center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Monona Terrace scenes, clockwise from left: Looking out from rooftop gardens; view from Lake Monona; an evening event on the rooftop

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Host with purpose — your event helps plant trees. Start planning today.

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Cajun CONFERENCES

Guided explorations of the area’s bayous make great activities for groups meeting in Lafayette.

Lafayette adds signature Louisiana flavor to any event

IBY TOM ADKINSON

t’s easy to have fun, even at a serious meeting, in Lafayette, Louisiana. A palpable joie de vivre invigorates this city that is the heart of Acadiana, a place steeped in the spices and tradition of Cajun culture. Lafayette is alive with music, food, drink and dance. Add to that a closeness to nature — there’s a protected swamp on a university campus in the middle of town — and a spirit of hospitality that invites everyone to join the party, just as soon as the serious business is over, of course.

CITY

LAFAYETTE AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: Acadiana region of south central Louisiana

ACCESS: Intersection of interstates 10 and 49; Lafayette Regional Airport; Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (125 miles)

HOTEL ROOMS: 5,533

CONTACT INFO: Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission

337-232-3737 lafayettetravel.com

CAJUNDOME & CONVENTION CENTER

0BUILT: 1985

EXHIBIT SPACE: 72,000 square feet total space and 37,303 square feet exhibit space

OTHER MEETING SPACES: The Cajundome Arena seats 13,500 for sports and entertainment events. 12,000-square-foot Festival Ballroom (divisible into five breakouts); 6,075-squarefoot Mardi Gras Ballroom (divisible into five breakouts); two other breakouts of 1,073 square feet each; 450 square-foot boardroom

MEETING HOTELS

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette

GUEST ROOMS: 327

MEETING SPACE: 18,124 square feet

Home2 Suites by Hilton Parc Lafayette

GUEST ROOMS: 106

MEETING SPACE: 3,896 square feet

Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette/Cajundome

GUEST ROOMS: 153

MEETING SPACE: 3,054 square feet

Destination Highlights

When a meeting concludes in Lafayette, attendees know they have visited a distinctive place. Lafayette, with a population 123,000, is the economic and cultural hub of Acadiana, Louisiana’s region created by a dramatic episode in the colonization of North America. France settled coastal Canada (Acadia) in the 1600s, but the British exiled the French colonists when they took over in the early 1700s. A wholesale expulsion ensued, and Acadians landed all along the Eastern seaboard. Louisiana, then controlled by France, became a magnet, and many Acadians made new homes there, especially west of New Orleans, working as farmers, trappers and fishermen. “Acadian” became “Cajun” over time, and the transplants were largely isolated for generations.

The Cajun culture survives and permeates Lafayette and the surrounding parishes. There really is a Cajun accent, and French words or modified French words slip into conversation and business names. Seafood and shellfish, especially crawfish and oysters, are menu favorites, and the local music is lively with the sounds of fiddle, triangle and accordion.

A living history attraction called Vermilionville tells the Cajuns’ story. It’s a representation of a village from 1765-1890 featuring 19 restored and replicated buildings. Real people bring it to life, and visitors can chat with musicians, spinners, woodcarvers and a bateau pilot who narrates tours on Bayou Vermilion. Inside a little Vermilionville house, La Cuisine de Maman restaurant, informally known as Mama’s Kitchen, is a great place to sample jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, shrimp étouffée, boudin and other Cajun treats.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette adds another layer of vitality and activity to meetings here, and the food scene is the envy of much bigger cities. Poupart Bakery is hailed as the only authentic French bakery in Acadiana. Charlie G’s has been around more than 40 years serving smoked duck and andouille gumbo, and the Olde Tyme Grocery is famous for po’boy sandwiches.

Distinctive Venues

Vermilionville is the best-known Cajun heritage venue in Lafayette, but the Cajun story is so big that there is a second venue to consider. LARC’s Acadian Village, somewhat smaller than Vermilionville, re-creates a Cajun community complete with several houses (the oldest dates to 1800), a blacksmith shop, a doctor’s office/museum and New Hope Chapel, a replica of an Acadian chapel from 1850.

Just this year, the University of Louisiana Stadium Club became available for special events. Groups can see their logos on the stadium’s bigscreen scoreboard, take photos on the field and get a football vibe even outside of football season. Keeping on the sports theme, Rock ‘n’ Bowl is a 16-lane bowling alley and party destination available for buyout rentals and for events needing fewer lanes.

The Acadiana Center for the Arts, which is celebrating 50 years of arts promotion this year, offers its 304-seat James Devin Moncus Theater (it accommodates 600 with seating removed) and several other venues for meeting events. Expected to open in 2027 is the affiliated Louisiana Music Museum, which will offer even more event space. The 2,168-seat Heymann Performing Arts Center is another cultural arts venue to consider, especially if its lineup of plays and concerts fits within a meeting calendar.

When schedules match, Tassin suggests meeting planners book around Lafayette’s two major cultural festivals. October features Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, with a food festival, art shows, craft displays and a “fais do-do,” or Cajun dance party. April delivers the even bigger Festival International de Louisiane, which organizers bill as the largest international music and arts festival emphasizing the links between Acadiana and the French-speaking world.

Major Meeting Spaces

The Cajundome & Convention Center is the city’s biggest meeting space, with 72,000 total square feet and 37,303 square feet of exhibit space. Breakout room configurations are plentiful. The Cajundome arena seats 13,500 people for University of Louisiana at Lafayette basketball games and other sports events and is also popular for concerts and large-scale convention events.

A surprise to many meeting planners is that the university has considerable meeting space for non-university clients in its student union. Danielle Tassin, senior convention sales director for the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, said most of the student flow is away from the meeting space, and the building’s outdoor space is perfect for crawfish boils, receptions and other meeting functions.

“The student union also is the meeting site closest to a swamp you’ll ever book,” Tassin said. “Seeing an alligator while on a coffee break is something attendees will talk about back home. Lafayette definitely is a place to get outside of four walls.”

AFTER HOURS

After the Meeting

Perhaps the most memorable post-meeting activity is taking a swamp tour — and not just a stroll past the University of Louisiana swamp. Meeting attendees can go east a few miles for an Atchafalaya Basin boat tour and a lesson about a watery wilderness bigger than Florida’s Everglades. McGee’s Swamp Tours in Henderson offers rides on traditional tour boats and exhilarating airboats.

South of Lafayette is Avery Island, home of the only Tabasco factory in the world. Edmund McIlhenny created Tabasco sauce to spice up the bland food of the 1860s Reconstruction South, and its distinctive bottles of red heat are recognized worldwide. Tabasco offers a factory tour, a museum and a restaurant that features ways to use both the original sauce and latter-day variations.

Music certainly is a reason to hang around Acadiana. Lafayette’s Blue Moon Saloon is always a hit. Randol’s and Prejean’s both offer good food, great music and plenty of dancing space, and Cypress Cove Landing has music with a swamp backdrop. For a memorable zydeco brunch, targets include Buck & Johnny’s in Breaux Bridge and Naq’s N Duson in Duson. The region is small, but the opportunities for fun are huge.

GATEWAY TO THE

Black Hills

Founded in 1876 during the Gold Rush, Rapid City, South Dakota, quickly evolved into the “Gateway to the Black Hills” and became a hub for commerce, tourism and military operations. Today, it combines historic charm with modern conveniences, offering an ideal and affordable location for meetings with signature Old West style.

Situated on the eastern edge of Black Hills National Forest, Rapid City is a central point for exploring the entire region. Iconic monuments like Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial are only a short drive away, and it’s just an hour from the legendary landscapes of Badlands National Park. The city is also surrounded by scenic drives, hiking trails and abundant opportunities for outdoor adventures in every season.

Rapid City is nicknamed the “City of Presidents,” and visitors will find lifesize bronze statues of all the U.S. presidents located on street corners throughout the historic downtown. It’s also home to The Journey Museum and Learning Center, which provides a fascinating look into the history, geology and culture of the Black Hills and the surrounding prairie.

With a wide variety of lodging options, numerous attractions and a central location, Rapid City is a great destination for memorable meetings and an ideal base camp for exploring the Black Hills.

Primary Meeting Space

Located in downtown Rapid City and serving as the main event center for the Black Hills region, The Monument (formerly known as Rushmore Plaza Civic Center) offers a one-stop shop for event planners, providing catering and audiovisual needs, as well as a dedicated event services manager to work with planners throughout the entire process. The complex covers more than 500,000 square feet of multifunctional space, including the 10,000-plus-seat Summit Arena, which opened in 2021.

Meeting Hotels

Rapid City has six downtown hotels, ranging from historic properties to national chains, and an assortment of convention and meeting venues for groups of all sizes. The recently renovated Hotel Alex Johnson has hosted six U.S. presidents, along with Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock during the filming of the 1959 classic “North by Northwest.” The historic 143-room hotel offers five meeting spaces that can accommodate groups of 20 to 200. Just steps from The Monument, the 205-room DoubleTree by Hilton has 14,568 square feet of exhibit space with 14 meeting rooms, including the Dakota Ballroom, with a theater-style capacity of 800 and reception space to accommodate 250 attendees. The Hyatt Place offers 117 sleeping rooms and 5,000 square feet of flexible, customizable meeting space.

Unique Venues

Located in downtown, the historic Elks Theatre dates back to the early 1900s and screens current and classic movies. It’s available for a variety of private events, including receptions and screenings, training seminars and presentations. A century-old family grain mill, Aby’s Rapid City is now an eatery, art venue and community hub. This unique indoor/outdoor venue can host up to 200 guests for live music and other events.

Parks and Monuments

Situated between the Black Hills and Badlands, Rapid City is an ideal base for exploring some of the nation’s most iconic parks and monuments. The area has a rich Native American history, and the Crazy Horse Memorial that honors the great Lakota leader is the largest mountain carving in progress on the planet. The welcome center has conference facilities that accommodate theater-style seating for up to 300 people.

At Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the faces of four American presidents — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln — are immortalized in 60-foot granite carvings. The memorial’s cafe has space for 25 to 250 guests and delivers stunning views of the four stone visages.

Illinois Resorts

EAGLE RIDGE RESORT & SPA Galena

Spread out over 6,800 acres of rolling hills overlooking the 225-acre Lake Galena, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is a perfect getaway for meeting groups wanting to escape the typical hotel ballroom.

Meeting Guide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Meeting and event planners love to book events at hotels and resorts in gorgeous settings with ample lodging and meeting spaces. These five Illinois properties fit the bill, providing guests with nearby nature — sandy beaches, rugged hills and scenic bodies of water — and plenty of outdoor adventures.

Meeting attendees will enjoy hiking or biking along 20 miles of wilderness and paved hiking trails, taking a boat out on the lake, or going horseback riding. The resort also has a year-round pool with a retractable roof for the warmer months.

Golfers have their pick of four courses offering 63 holes. In winter, Eagle Ridge Nordic Center offers ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding down the 10th hole of the golf course. The resort’s Stonedrift Spa has been reimagined and moved to its own stand-alone building adjacent to the inn, growing in size to 12,000 square feet of treatment and therapy space.

The resort has 80 guest rooms and 150 distinctive homes and villas for rent.

With 23,600 square feet of meeting and event space, the resort can accommodate groups of any size. The Eagle Ballroom can host groups of 400 for a banquet and 600 theater style. It can be subdivided into three separate rooms.

The Woodlands private dining rooms can host groups of 24 to 72 in a classroom setup. The Galena rooms offer 3,300 square feet, and there are three boardrooms for executive meetings. The property also has three conference

homes where small groups can stay, dine and gather.

Point Patio is a tented venue with beautiful views of the lake and Highlands Restaurant, and Lounge 289, located at the General Golf Course, can host events overlooking the 10th tee box and the 18th green.

eagleridge.com

ILLINOIS BEACH HOTEL

Zion

Illinois Beach Hotel is the only hotel in the state that is perched on the shores of Lake Michigan. The 92-room hotel is in Illinois Beach State Park, making it a perfect meeting spot for groups that want to get out into nature or out on the water as part of their events. The park, which is known for its beaches, dunes, wetlands and prairie, has 6.5 miles of undeveloped sandy shoreline and offers biking and walking trails, fishing and swimming.

The resort is a popular spot for smaller meetings and retreats, with nine meeting rooms and 10,293 square feet of meeting and event space. The largest meeting room has 2,448 square feet and can host 240 for a banquet. The 3,500-square-foot Grand Ballroom can accommodate 270 for a seated meal.

Nolan’s Restaurant is known for its locally sourced comfort food. Visitors can dine in the Pavilion or on the deck overlooking Lake Michigan.

Nearby attractions include the Genesee Theatre for concerts, plays and shows and Gurnee Mills, a shopping destination with nearly 200 stores, including a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. The mall is located between Chicago and Milwaukee, and both cities are within an hour’s drive of Illinois Beach Hotel. Six Flags Great America is less than 20 minutes away in Gurnee.

illinoisbeachhotel.com

THE HERRINGTON INN & SPA

Geneva

Situated on the banks of the Fox River in Geneva, The Herrington Inn & Spa is a boutique hotel with 60 rooms outfitted with gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs and either patios or balconies. Complimentary breakfast is served daily, and the evening turndown service provides guests with cookies and cold milk before bed.

The Fox River Trail passes in front of the hotel, and many groups like to walk or bike along it during their free time. Mill Race Cyclery on the corner provides bike and kayak rentals for

Illinois Beach Hotel is the only hotel in the state perched on the shores of Lake Michigan, making it a perfect meeting spot for groups that want to get out into nature or out on the water as part of their events.

groups that want to get out into nature and explore.

The day spa works with groups that want to incorporate selfcare into their retreats. The spa has four treatment rooms and offers massages, facials and body treatments.

The inn has more than 13,000 square feet of meeting space, the largest of which is 3,095 square feet. It also has an executive boardroom for up to 16 people and four meeting suites for two to eight people.

The adjacent Pump House is the inn’s 5,800-square-foot banquet facility, featuring exposed brick and natural light. There are three rooms in the Pump House: the River Room, Creamery Room and Rock Springs room. The River and Creamery rooms can be combined to make a larger space, featuring glass-paned French doors nearly encircling the room and an original tin ceiling that dates to the late 1800s. The doors open onto the Plaza Patio, which overlooks the Fox River.

Team-building activities include a scavenger hunt, a charcuterie-making workshop, a Geneva Winery tour, and bicycle, kayak or canoe rentals.

herringtoninn.com

GRAND BEAR RESORT AT STARVED ROCK

North Utica

Grand Bear Resort’s proximity to Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, as well as the I&M Canal National Heritage Area and Visitor Center, make it a popular destination in Illinois.

The resort has 92 guest rooms, 140 vacation villas and 48 luxury cabins. It is known for its 24,000-square-foot indoor Grand Bear Falls Waterpark, which features play zones, slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and a 15-person hot tub.

Meeting planners have their pick of 11,000 square feet of

Chicagoland’s

flexible meeting space. The largest room is the 6,000-square-foot grand ballroom, which can accommodate groups of 325 with a dance floor. The ballroom can also be divided into more intimate spaces for breakout sessions or smaller gatherings. Seven meeting rooms range in size from 420 square feet to 2,000 square feet. The Outdoor Pavilion and Jack’s Place Restaurant & Bar, which serves American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, can also be used for events.

There are three other restaurants on property: TreeTops Casual Café, which serves coffee, breakfast, lunch and ice cream in the main lobby; J.H. Higby’s sports bar, which offers specialty cocktails, more than 30 whiskeys and bourbons, seasonal bites and trivia nights; and Bear Island Bar, a canyonside bar that serves food and drinks next to Canyon Creek Mini Golf and the Forest Castle Playground.

For fun, groups can compete against each other on the 18hole miniature golf course or hang out at the Cave Arcade, which features carnival games, video games and kiddie rides. grandbearresort.com

EAGLEWOOD RESORT & SPA

Itasca

Eaglewood Resort & Spa is located in Itasca, just outside of Chicago, close to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The facility has 295 guest rooms and suites that feature large walk-out

balconies or patios. Groups hosting meetings or events at the resort can take advantage of its 18-hole, USGA-certified championship golf course, six-lane bowling alley, four fitness rooms, swimming pool, bocce ball, team building and more.

The resort’s spa offers massages, body treatments such as wraps and scrubs, reflexology and facials. After their treatments, spa guests can visit the tranquility room, which provides light snacks, tea and infused water. They can also use the spa’s fitness center, indoor pool, steam room, wood sauna and spacious indoor jetted hot tub.

Eaglewood offers a value-driven, one-price-per-person package that includes an overnight stay, three meals, continuous refreshment breaks, meeting space rental, audiovisual packages and dedicated meeting managers.

The resort has 37,000 square feet of function space, including 37 meeting rooms and two ballrooms. Red Oak Ballroom is 7,031 square feet and can accommodate 490 guests at rounds or 792 theater style. The Linden Ballroom can host 180 at rounds or 252 theater style. The Trillium Amphitheatre offers tiered seating for 75.

For team building, the resort partners with WCF Events to provide fun challenges that get groups to work together and communicate better as they solve various problems, such as the Mousetrap Race Car Challenge, Scavenger Hunt or Mobile Escape Room. eaglewoodresort.com

Affordable Illinois

JOLIET

RIALTO SQUARE THEATRE IS A LANDMARK IN DOWNTOWN JOLIET, ONE OF ILLINOIS’ MANY AFFORDABLE MEETING DESTINATIONS.

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Meeting in Illinois may be more affordable than you think.

Planners searching for affordable destinations to host their meetings or events should check out these five Illinois cities. These communities offer amenities that rival those of bigger cities, but they pride themselves on providing features that meeting planners care about, such as free parking, affordable dining, unique attractions and hotels in a variety of price points.

A classic Rust Belt town on Route 66, Joliet capitalizes on its history to attract visitors from around the world. The Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center are a great first stop for visitors to learn more about the city’s history.

Unique venues include Old Joliet Prison Historic Site, which is one of the oldest prisons in Illinois, and Rialto Square Theatre, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.

The 200-room Harrah’s Joliet is the largest hotel in the area. Its 6,000-square-foot ballroom can host up to 280 attendees. Hollywood Casino Joliet features 100 rooms and 8,500 square feet of flexible event space that can accommodate up to 1,000 people.

The Clarion Hotel & Convention Center Joliet is close to Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR Racing Experience and Route 66 Raceway and is only 2 miles from the casinos. It has 94 guest rooms and 14,153 square feet of event space.

Rock Run Convention Center offers 13,000 square feet of meeting space for events of up to 800. The historic Jacob Henry Mansion can host up to 300 guests in its ballroom or 150 for a plated dinner.

For team building, The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park, about 30 minutes from Joliet, has ropes courses, zip lines, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboard excursions. It also has a live music venue and a restaurant on the water.

SCHAUMBURG

Schaumburg is a village of 77,000 people. It was built around what was once the largest mall in America, Woodfield Mall. The village sits on the northwest edge of Chicago O’Hare International Airport, offering small town charm with all the benefits of the big city.

The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel is the largest event space in the village, with 500 guest rooms and 160,000 square feet of event space that includes a 27,500-squarefoot ballroom that can seat 1,960 for a banquet. The Renaissance is close to completing a $30 million renovation that includes new carpet, upgraded audiovisual and a 900-car parking garage, which will attach to a brand-new restaurant entertainment complex, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games.

Across the street, Topgolf Schaumburg is another fun offsite venue for groups that involves food, drinks and team building. Golf lovers will also want to visit the PGA Tour Superstore, X-Golf Schaumburg, which has indoor golf simulators, or play a round of golf at one of several area golf courses.

Hyatt Regency Schaumburg offers 468 guest rooms and 29,500 square feet of meeting space, while the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg has 398 rooms and 25,000 square feet of meeting space.

In total, Schaumburg has 294 restaurants, 31 hotels and 4,877 sleeping rooms.

New attractions in the village include Wondra, a nature-inspired light world at Woodfield Mall. Altitude Trampoline Park

and Cube Challenges each offer team-building opportunities for groups of all ages. Cube Challenges operates like an escape room, with 20 different rooms where groups must complete physical, mental and agility challenges. chicagonorthwest.com

PEORIA

Peoria is in the heart of Illinois, about two and a half hours from Chicago and St. Louis and three hours from Indianapolis by car, making it a convenient location for meeting attendees who want to drive to an event. Peoria International Airport offers direct flights from 13 cities.

Peoria is divided into separate districts. The RiverFront District is downtown along the Illinois River, with James W. Baldwin Festival Park and CEFCU Center Stage at The Landing offering live music throughout the summer. Groups can rent these spaces for larger events.

The Warehouse District offers local shopping, restaurants and bars. Both districts are within walking distance of the Peoria Civic Center, which is the largest meeting venue in the city with 110,000 square feet of exhibit halls, a grand ballroom, 2,200-seat theater and 12,000-seat arena.

The 402-room Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette, which was built in 1926, is connected to the Peoria Civic Center and has over 18,000 square feet of event space. The Embassy Suites in

The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center

Hotel is close to completing a $30 million renovation that includes new carpet, upgraded audiovisual and a 900-car parking garage.

East Peoria has a 35,000-square-foot conference center and beautiful views of the Illinois River.

In their free time, attendees can visit the Peoria Riverfront Museum, which is a blend of art, science and history, or explore the Caterpillar Visitors Center & Museum next door, which has interactive exhibits, including massive Caterpillar equipment. Both facilities rent space for meetings or events.

The Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino is on a riverboat docked on the Illinois River. It is next door to a 202-room hotel. Wildlife Prairie Park offers team-building opportunities and space for corporate retreats. Lodging includes train cabooses, cabins, stables and grain bins.

peoria.org

SKOKIE

Skokie is one of the first suburbs visitors hit when leaving Chicago on Interstate 94. The destination is popular with people who want to include the big city as part of their itinerary but want to be in a more affordable location with plenty of hotels and meeting venues.

About 75% of Skokie’s meeting business is drive-in — people who appreciate being close to Chicago but want to take advantage of free parking and Skokie’s proximity to the Chicago transit

system. Skokie is known for its premier shopping center, Westfield Old Orchard, which features 150 retailers. The shopping center is across from the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Chicago-North Shore Conference Center, which has 369 guest rooms and 21,131 square feet of meeting space. Its rooftop ballroom features panoramic views of the Chicago skyline and the North Shore.

The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts can host 250 for a banquet and 800 theater style. The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, which is a major attraction in the area, also offers spaces for meetings or events, including Rowe Hall, an auditorium that can host 200 for a plated dinner, and classroom spaces for breakout sessions. The museum is currently closed for renovations but is scheduled to partially reopen in the first half of 2026 and will celebrate its grand reopening next summer.

The Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore in Skokie has 250 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of event space that can host over 1,000 attendees.

visitchicagonorthshore.com/skokie

COLLINSVILLE

Collinsville sits in the Mississippi River Basin area with scenic bluffs and rich soil perfect for growing horseradish. The city is known as the “Horseradish Capital of the World” because it produces up to 80% of the world’s horseradish. Route 66 is the city’s main attraction, along with a 170-foot-tall water tower shaped

About 75% of Skokie’s meeting business is drive-in — people who appreciate being close to Chicago but want to take advantage of free parking and Skokie’s proximity to the Chicago transit system.

like a catsup bottle, and — like other communities along the Mother Road — Collinsville is gearing up for the highway’s centennial in 2026. Several new murals were installed, and there are many new photo opportunities along the route where visitors can take selfies.

Collinsville sits across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Meeting groups like to host conferences in the area because hotel rates are cheaper than in the big city, and parking is free.

The Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville is just 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis and offers nearly 50,000 square feet of flexible event space that can serve as one large expo hall or be divided into smaller spaces for banquets, general sessions and breakout sessions. There are seven hotels surrounding the convention center and a water park next door.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville also offers meeting spaces, beautiful gardens and public art.

Park North Golf Club in Edwardsville, which opened this year, can host events with on-site catering, a full bar and an array of golf entertainment activities.

Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve is a city-owned farm and park that offers meeting and event space in historic barns.

riversandroutes.com/cities-towns/visit-collinsville

Champaign-Urbana is more than an event destination—it’s a hub of research, resilience, and Midwestern warmth.

For brilliant minds, choose brilliant spaces.

Let’s plan your tour. experiencecu.org/planners

Bluegrass Originals Meeting Guide

BY

Kentucky’s scenic beauty and cultural heritage make it a fantastic place to find unique off-site venues for meetings or events.

Groups that want to get out of the hotel ballroom should look no further than these five notable venues that tap into Kentucky’s distinctive music and classic car history, fanciful architecture and natural environments.

GREEN TURTLE BAY RESORT & MARINA

Grand Rivers

Green Turtle Bay Resort covers more than 100 acres on the shores of Lake Barkley in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. It is a popular destination for boating and other water sports. Groups hosting events at the resort can bring their own boats and dock at the marina, or they can rent pontoon, tritoon or double-decker pontoon boats with slides to explore the lake in style.

Pier 32 at Green Turtle Bay, which is also known as The Commonwealth Yacht Club, is right on the water facing Green Turtle Bay Marina. It can be rented out for parties or special occasions for up to 120 guests, and the club includes a full-service bar, food, bar games and gorgeous harbor views. The waterfront conference center can also host groups of up to 120. On-site catering is available, and the resort offers a picnic pavilion with grills, a beach area and 80 one- to four-bedroom condominiums for rent.

When they are not meeting with their groups, attendees can sing their hearts out at karaoke or play cornhole or board games. The resort has pickleball and basketball courts and three swimming pools, one of which is heated.

There is a shuttle available for larger groups to get around the property that can also take them into Grand Rivers. Guests will find several restaurants, shops and a

petting zoo nearby. The resort also has golf carts for rent.

For team building, groups can host kayak races or see a show at The Badgett Playhouse.

greenturtlebay.com

THE KENTUCKY CASTLE

Versailles

The Kentucky Castle was built as a family home in 1969. Rex and Caroline Martin fell in love with the castles in Europe after they traveled there and decided they wanted to build one of their own. Sadly, the couple separated before the castle was finished, and it sat vacant for 30 years. It was eventually completed in the early 2000s but was damaged in a structure fire in 2004.

It was rebuilt and operated as a bed and breakfast until it was purchased by the Wes Henderson family. It is now a hotel, spa, farm, restaurant and private event space. The building has five different venues that can host meetings of 10 to 220 guests.

The castle’s farm-to-table restaurant gets its produce from the farm on property. Groups that host events at the castle can mix and match what services they want to use. They can pair a dinner with a hotel stay or add a spa visit to a daytime meeting. The facility has an in-house catering and events department, and everything from linens, tables, chairs and audiovisual equipment is included in rental of the venue space.

The castle has its own private TKC bourbon barrel pick and has partnered with Henderson’s True Story Bourbon on a bourbon and a finished rye. Groups hosting an event at the castle can take a general castle tour or tour the castle and the farm. Attendees also can participate in make-and-take activities on the farm, such as building miniature greenhouses, or add a bourbon tasting or cocktail class to an event.

thekentuckycastle.com

BB RIVERBOATS

Newport

Based in Newport, BB Riverboats is an excursion cruise company that plies the Ohio River between Newport and Cincinnati. The company runs three public cruises a day between May and October and operates cruises on a limited basis the rest of the year.

Meeting groups can rent one of the company’s two riverboats for meetings or events. The Belle of Cincinnati can serve 650 guests for a meal, or groups can rent spaces on board that can accommodate groups of 50 to 225. The River Queen can hold 220 passengers, or groups can rent just one deck for 110 guests.

BB Riverboats also has a dockside event venue, River’s Edge, which features three walls of windows so guests can see upriver and downriver and enjoy unobstructed views of downtown Cincinnati. The room can be set up for 225 guests.

Groups that rent the River’s Edge can also add on a boat ride after their event. Meals for events tend to be buffet-style, and groups have the option to add a full bar. There are no food and beverage minimums, only passenger minimums.

Daily cruises will either have a live DJ or a “riverlorian” — someone who tells historic stories while playing the banjo and pointing out places of interest — on board. On the weekends and evenings, the riverlorian performs during the day, and live bands play a variety of musical genres on Friday and Saturday nights. bbriverboats.com

NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM

Bowling Green

The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green pays homage to one of the classic American sports cars: the Chevrolet Corvette. Beautifully restored Corvettes fill the Nostalgia Gallery in scenes reminiscent of the good ol’ days of car culture, including a Mobile service station and a 1960s Chevrolet dealership. Additional exhibits laud the masterminds who designed the beloved automobile.

Visitors to the museum will learn about the famous sports car’s inception, from its innovation to its performance and design.

The museum’s family education gallery is geared toward the younger generation of Corvette enthusiasts, and the E. Pierce Marshall Memorial Performance Gallery features digital projections, interactive touch screens and artifact display cases set among beautiful Corvettes from different generations.

The facility can host large indoor events for groups of 50 to 1,500. The conference center is 8,297 square feet and has a prep kitchen, stage, bar area and outdoor covered display space that can accommodate 500 for a banquet. Corvette Boulevard is perfect for a reception, trade show booths or conference center overflow. It can host 200 for a banquet.

The Stingray Grill, Wendell Strode Club Room and Gardner/ Mattson Boardroom can host smaller groups of 20 to 60. The

Amphitheater and lawn outside of the museum can accommodate large events, like receptions or car shows, for up to 10,000 people.

Groups can add a guided or self-guided tour of the museum to their rental.

corvettemuseum.org

KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM

Mount Vernon

The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Mount Vernon opened in 2002 with its first class of inductees. The Hall of Fame pays tribute to some of the greatest musicians and songwriters from all musical genres who have influenced Kentucky’s musical heritage in some way. Inductees are named every two years. In 2024, the Hall of Fame inducted 12 new members, including Billy Moore, Charlie Sizemore and the McLain Family Band. They join other famous musicians, including Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys.

The museum is next to the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center concert venue, and its exhibits include musical instruments, memorabilia, clothing worn by famous musicians and photographs of the artists who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

A timeline shows how different musical genres got their start in Kentucky, and visitors have a chance to try out different musical instruments.

The museum hosts events in its lobby for 75 to 100 guests or in a conference room that can accommodate groups of 50 or fewer. The museum provides tables and chairs, and groups can arrange to have food catered by local restaurants.

An outdoor amphitheater behind the museum features a stage and is a great space for weddings, concerts or receptions for about 200 people. Groups can also rent the field behind the John Lair House or the one in front of the Aunt Polly House. kentuckymusichalloffame.com

ISSUE EVENT every

JANUARY

COASTAL DESTINATIONS

The Heartlands

Accessibility Montgomery, MD Niagara Falls, NY

SPACE DEADLINE: 12/2/25

APRIL

RELIGIOUS

Louisiana Alcohol-Free Events Hattiesburg, MS Lawrence, KS

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Meet Kentucky’s Parks

Overlooking the Kentucky Ridge State Forest, Pine Mountain State Resort Park is Kentucky’s first state park, founded in 1924. The park is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream with 10 different trails to choose from that take visitors to beautiful vistas, across rocky mountain terrain, past a beautiful natural sandstone rock shelter called Longhunter Cave and through large-leaved magnolia trees, tulip poplars, rhododendron and mountain laurel.

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

From beautiful caves and rugged mountains to rushing waterfalls and historic sites, Kentucky State Resort Parks offer meeting planners a perfect opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy all nature has to offer. Here are five state parks that can host meetings set in beautiful natural surroundings.

Groups can visit the park’s Laurel Cove Amphitheater, hike Chained Rock Trail, enjoy a meal or beverage at Mountain View Restaurant or Mountain Top Tavern, play the nine-hole miniature golf course, swim in the pool or play 18 holes of championship golf at Wasioto Winds Golf Course. Birding is also a popular activity in the area because the Cumberland Plateau is home to bird species that aren’t found anywhere else in Kentucky, including breeding warblers, ruffed grouse and ravens.

Herndon J. Evans Lodge has 30 rooms with either private patios or balconies to enjoy the mountain scenery. The park also has 11 cottages and nine cabins available.

The C.V. Whitney Convention Center offers 3,900 square feet of meeting space that can host groups of up to 250 for a banquet or 300 for a reception. Three smaller

rooms can accommodate between 75 and 125 guests for a banquet. Smaller meeting groups of 20 to 25 people can reserve the Sassafras Dining Room or Hemlock Meeting Room for meetings or dinners.

Laurel Cove Amphitheater is also available for rent for large gatherings or public performances.

LAKE CUMBERLAND STATE RESORT PARK

Jamestown

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park is a prime boating and fishing destination. The reservoir is considered the houseboat capital of the world, with the largest fleet of rental houseboats in the country. The marina has 100 open boat slips, rental fishing boats, pontoon boats, houseboats and ski boats.

The lake’s shoreline measures 1,255 miles, and the water covers 65,530 acres, providing plenty of opportunity for visitors to explore the many wooded coves and rocky cliffs ringing the reservoir. On land, groups can explore 7 miles of hiking trails.

The 63-room Lure Lodge overlooks the lake, and there are 29 cottages and 75 campsites available. The lodge has five meeting rooms that can host groups of 10 to 280. The activity center offers 3,397 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate 200 for a banquet or 230 theater style. Three smaller meeting rooms make great spots for breakout sessions, and the patio, which is 1,659 square feet, can host 100 for a dinner.

Pumpkin Creek Lodge works well for smaller gatherings or executive retreats. It has 13 lodge rooms and four meeting spaces that can accommodate groups of up to 60 for a banquet.

For fun, attendees can take advantage of the swimming pool and game room or play a round of disc golf or miniature golf. Rowena Landing Restaurant is lakeside, offering scenic views of the reservoir.

CARTER CAVES STATE RESORT PARK

Olive Hill

Carter Caves State Resort Park is an area with the highest concentration of caves in Kentucky. Groups hosting events at the park can organize a tour or flashlight tour of Cascade Cave or X-Cave, take a self-guided tour of the Horn Hollow Cave System or hike through the park to take in its rich geological beauty. Groups can also take walking tours of Saltpeter Cave.

Carter Caves features 33 miles of nature trails that take visitors past natural bridges, arches, caves, sinkholes, cliffs and a box canyon. There are 15 miles of multiuse trails for horseback riders, hikers and mountain bikers.

Lewis Caveland Lodge offers 28 guest rooms with private balconies or patios overlooking the surrounding woods. The park also has cottages and a campground that is open year-round.

The resort has an 18-hole miniature golf course, and groups can rent kayaks, paddleboards or canoes to paddle on the 45-acre Smoky Lake or nearby Tygarts Creek. Those who love to fish can

purchase a fishing license at the front desk of the lodge and angle for largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie. The resort provides fishing equipment for those who are interested.

The resort has three meeting rooms that can accommodate groups of up to 320 theater style and 225 for a banquet. Tierney’s Cavern Restaurant sources all its meat and produce locally when available.

CUMBERLAND FALLS STATE RESORT PARK

Corbin

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is home to Cumberland Falls, a large curtain waterfall on the Cumberland River that measures 125 feet wide and 68 feet tall. The pounding sheet of water pours into the river gorge below at 3,600 cubic feet of water per second. Considered the “Niagara of the South,” Cumberland Falls is also known as the only waterfall in the Western Hemisphere where moonbows appear during a full moon. The rainbow phenomenon is caused by the moon’s light hitting the mist from the falls. The 10.8-mile Moonbow Trail offers the best opportunity to witness the nighttime rainbow.

Groups visiting the park can tour the 1937 Pinnacle Knob Fire Tower with a naturalist, hike the Eagle Falls Trail, gem mine for gemstones and fossils, or take a guided 45-minute horseback ride through the surrounding forest. Guided rafting and canoe trips are also seasonally available on the Cumberland River.

The historic DuPont Lodge features solid hemlock beams, knotty pine paneling and a large stone fireplace. It has 51 guest rooms with beautiful views, a large observation deck overlooking the Cumberland River, 25 cabins and cottages, and 49 campsites.

The lodge has a multipurpose building adjacent to it that is perfect for meetings and can host groups of up to 350. Two smaller meeting spaces can accommodate groups of 75 and 30, respectively.

BLUE LICKS BATTLEFIELD STATE RESORT PARK

Carlisle

Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park is in northeastern Kentucky, about an hour from Lexington. The park celebrates the region’s pioneer, prehistoric and Native American history, along with the area’s natural beauty.

Meeting planners wanting to host events at the park have their pick of 32 guest rooms with full amenities, including two suites that can be used as a hospitality center for meetings and family reunions. There are also two, two-bedroom executive cottages available right on the Licking River. The resort is open year-round.

The resort has three meeting rooms that can host groups of up to 300. The Arlington Room features ample windows and wood beams and is next to the Hidden Waters Restaurant. The Daniel Boone Room has a stone fireplace and a private patio with scenic views of

the woods. The Pavilion Room is next to the Daniel Boone Room. Groups visiting the park can participate in team-building activities, like playing a round of miniature golf, hiking the park’s 5 miles of trails, canoeing on the Licking River or taking part in planned recreation and naturalist activities. The 2-mile Heritage Trail gives visitors a taste of what the area was like during prehistoric times. It takes hikers through a nature reserve and a reconstructed trade fort that was known to be in the area as early as 1784. parks.ky.gov

Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park is in northeastern Kentucky, about an hour from Lexington. The park celebrates the region’s pioneer, prehistoric and Native American history, along with the area’s natural beauty.

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» Full in-house Sales, Event Management, AV Technology, F&B, and Host services

» 225,000 sf of beautifully appointed space

» 18 versatile, fully appointed event spaces and intuitive floor plans

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» Walkable, safe, enjoyable downtown

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» Riverfront parks, trails, and activities for all ages and abilities

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