A sneak preview of the upcoming 23rd annual EMS in Las Vegas
There’s only one place where professionals who are all in on event marketing, all the time, come together as one community to forge new connections and new perspectives on an ever-evolving industry—and that’s EMS. This year at the 23rd annual Experiential Marketing Summit, April 14-16 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, event peeps will together contemplate a “Big Bold Future.”
We’re here to get you prepped and primed for this three-day industry huddle guided by the world’s most prolific practitioners, and supported by wide range of opportunities to demo new products and services, network, participate in pitch competitions, and yes, stop for puppy breaks when you need a moment of Zen.
Let’s explore all the ways you’ll connect, discover and charge up for your big bold future in events at the Summit.
1. Interactive Creative Sessions
EMS 2025 will kick off in style with an interactive morning keynote delivered by global creativity expert and author Phil Hansen. You’ll have the chance to experience, in real time, the science behind our resistance to limitations, and learn techniques for using those limitations as launchpads for creativity. Plus, we’ve woven in facilitated, energizing discussions that will get you out of your chairs and looking through a different lens.
2. Birds of a Feather Meetups
Wherever you are in your experiential marketing career journey, you’ll find your squad at EMS. Community meetups for those new to the industry, international attendees and marketers who produce global events, EMS first-timers, sustainability champions, EDPA members, and the inaugural gathering of members from our Experiential in Color Mentorship Program, are all on tap. If you’re a night owl, don’t forget to register for the EMS After Dark VIP networking event at The Cosmopolitan. If you’re an adventurer, hop on the bus for a field trip to Omega Mart.
3. EMS Experiences
It wouldn’t be the Experiential Marketing Summit if we didn’t have an agenda packed with experiences designed to help you level up (and chill out). When you’re not soaking in sessions, you’ll have the chance to visit the Sustainability Lounge, the Paws & Reflect Studio, attend daily lunch-and-learns, set up meetups in the Brewed Awakening Café, partake in breakfast trivia, compete in sneaker and vintage tee contests, experience a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition, enjoy guided meditation, and more.
4.Content Just For You
Whether you’re a brand-side marketer, trade show exhibitor, agency leader, conference planner, experience designer or logistics specialist, EMS has content designed just for you. You can search by keywords and add sessions and experiences to your personalized agenda in the EMS app. Be sure to fill out your profile so you’ll be matched with attendees with similar interests, too.
5. Deep Dives with Luminaries
You’ll be learning from the best and brightest at EMS. From a fireside-chat-style keynote with American Express’ vp of global brand sponsorships and experiential, to learning the secrets behind the world’s biggest entertainment productions (think: Coachella and Coldplay), to the annual B-to-B Dream Team super-panel and a candid career conversation with women in events, we’re tackling the most pressing topics and trends in a variety of executive chats.
6. Events & Content for First-Timers
So you’re an Experiential Marketing Summit newbie. We got you. On day one, you’ll have two chances to learn the ropes at our “How to Get the Most Out of EMS” sessions. Later in the evening, you can head on over to the First-Timers Meetup to make connections at a mixer designed specifically for new attendees. Plus, take your pick from a library of custom agendas.
7. Tackling Hot Topics
At EMS, everything is on the table, and we’ve created an agenda that offers rapid-fire, interactive learning at every turn. Grab a seat in our session theaters in the Hall of Ideas to explore topics like better budgeting, data-backed personalization, trade show exhibits of the future, tools are transforming experience design, sports sponsorship power plays, event security, and a whole lot more.
8. Celebrating the Best Campaigns
Slip on your best Rat Pack-era ensemble and come celebrate the best campaigns of the year at the 23rd annual Ex Awards Gala. The most prestigious recognition program for the experiential marketing industry is taking a trip back to 1960s Las Vegas to celebrate 2025’s most award-winning people and programs across 29 unique categories.
9. The Hall of Ideas
Get inspired and explore hands-on demos of all the latest event products and services, from event tech to structures to furnishings, in the Hall of Ideas. More than half of EMS exhibitors are new this year, which means you’ll get first crack at the newest event tools to hit the industry. While you’re at it, enjoy snacks and drinks, and stick around for a few special surprises… The Hall of Ideas is the epicenter of EMS, and houses our immersive theaters and The Clubhouse studio sessions, too.
10. Happy Hours
While you’re in the Hall of Ideas, come raise a glass at official EMS Happy Hours. Need some dinner companions? We can hook you up. Want some sweet swag for your collection? You got it. Hungry for some delicious small bites and a cocktail or mocktail with friends? You’ve come to the right place.
Often imitated, never duplicated. It’s EMS, baby.
