7 Best Hybrid Events You Should Not Miss
We can’t say it enough, but it is a relief that the world has rolled back the Covid-19 pandemic that threatened our civilization. As we return to normalcy, event professionals seek to merge two worlds into one in how they organize events. Hybrid events have become the new cool. The experiences garnered from organizing virtual events during the lockdown days have taught us that we can increase participation by making it easy for people to join without traveling long distances to reach physical venues.
What are hybrid events?
A hybrid event combines in-person and digital aspects to provide the best possible experience for each attendee. This combination allows event attendees to choose how they want to participate, whether in person or from the comfort of their homes.
The seven best hybrid events to look forward to
1. TEDx
A TEDx Talk is one where speakers may demonstrate their excellent, well-developed ideas in less than 18 minutes. It is a series of conferences that began in 2009 to spread ideas and inspire change. The conference features a mix of in-person and virtual speakers who share their stories and ideas with attendees. In today’s world, we all need inspiration sometimes; it might come from a collection of individuals with different perspectives. Sometimes these speakers bring together an idea that can change lives. TEDx Talks are held across many countries every day, inspiring people everywhere to take action on what matters most to them.
Look for the TEDx Talk close to you and attend. Who knows? You might just be inspired.
2. INBOUND by Hubspot
HubSpot-powered INBOUND brings together thought leaders in marketing, sales, customer success, and revenue operations worldwide. HubSpot held its first-ever INBOUND last month, from September 6th to 9th, 2022. With in-person and online tickets available, INBOUND assured to accommodate remote audiences.
Virtual participants could access specialized “Digital Only” content made just for virtual ticket holders. On-demand content for the event is now accessible for one year. It became available within 24 hours after the event’s last day. Not to mention that all target audiences had access to the Inbound community for networking, meetups, and chats.
That networking part was important as HubSpot declared that businesses were dealing with “disconnection” post Covid-19. HubSpot CEO said the disconnection cut across people, systems and customers. This conclusion was reached after the company’s staff took a ‘listening tour’ to many customers. This understanding is why companies like InEvent have developed solutions that support full in-person events to engender human connection.
3. TwitchCon
TwitchCon is an annual conference held in the United States for the popular video game streaming platform Twitch.tv. The conference is a celebration of all things Twitch, featuring interactive exhibits, meet and greets with popular streamers, panels with industry experts, and more.
The first TwitchCon was held in October 2015 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Over 20,000 individuals came to the event, which featured appearances by top streamers like PewDiePie and Ninja. In subsequent years, TwitchCon has been held in locations including Anaheim, California, and Berlin, Germany.
What to Expect at TwitchCon 2022
TwitchCon 2022 will hold next week in San Diego, California. It is a hybrid event. And we can safely predict that the event will be bigger and better than ever. Past conventions have included exhibits like the “Twitch Streamer Zone” and the “Twitch Theater,” which offer attendees a chance to get hands-on with games and streaming technology and watch live streams from some of the world’s best broadcasters.
Panels are another popular aspect of TwitchCon and offer attendees a chance to learn from experts in the gaming industry. Past panels have included topics like “Building a community around your stream” and “Marketing your stream.” In addition, there are usually plenty of opportunities for fans to meet their favorite broadcasters face-to-face at autograph signings and meetups.
4. The New Yorker Festival
The New Yorker Festival is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. The annual festival celebrates art, literature, music, and comedy. The festival was started in 1992 and has become a must-attend event for people in the arts and entertainment industry.
The New Yorker Festival 2022 will be held from October 8th to the 14th. This year’s lineup includes some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Mindy Kaling, Issa Rae, John Mulaney, and Trevor Noah. The festival will also showcase talks with authors such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Jesmyn Ward and panels with journalists from publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The New Yorker Festival is an excellent opportunity for attendees to hear from some of the biggest names in entertainment and journalism. It’s also a great opportunity to network with fellow creatives and professionals.
5. SXSW
The SXSW (pronounced: South by SouthWest) conference is a yearly gathering of technology enthusiasts and professionals in Austin, Texas. The conference covers film, interactive media, music, and emerging technologies. SXSW was founded in 1987 and has continued to grow in popularity. The conference usually spans ten days and features an interactive trade show, film screenings, music performances, and more.
SXSW is an excellent opportunity for professionals to learn about the latest technology trends and network with others in the industry. Attendees can participate in panel discussions, workshops, and meetups. The interactive trade show features exhibits from companies that are developing new technologies. Attendees can also watch films at the SXSW Film Festival or see musical performances at the SXSW Music Festival.
The SXSW conference for this year was held between March 13 and 22, 2022. It was, as you would guess, a hybrid event. The conference celebrated its 35th anniversary under the “35 Years of Future” theme. The conference examined how technology has transformed in the past 35 years and how it will keep evolving in the future. Key topics of interest include the Metervese, NFT, Web 3.0, and BlockChain technology.
6. Gamescom
Gamescom 2022. The first thing to likely think when you hear that is the video game convention held each year in Germany. But many people don’t know that Gamescom began as a live gaming event in 2002.
Back then, it was known as Gamescom and was held in Cologne, Germany. The event was organized by the German Federal Association for Entertainment Software, and featured a mix of exhibitors from the video game industry and retail sector. The inaugural event was hugely successful, with over 240,000 visitors attending for four days. The event grew in size and scope in subsequent years, eventually becoming the world’s largest gaming convention.
In 2013, Gamescom was rebranded as The International Gaming Expo and moved to a new venue in Cologne. The event now attracts over 350,000 visitors from around the world each year. The 2022 edition was held in August at Cologne in Germany. Like previous years, the event featured exhibits from the video game industry, retail sector, and entertainment industry. There were also plenty of cosplayers, merchandise stalls, and gaming tournaments throughout the venue.
If you missed this year’s Gamescom, just prepare for next year’s edition.
7. Junction
The Junction was the first international hackathon hosted in Finland. It was a three-day event held in late November and attended by over 500 participants from all over the world. The hackathon’s goal was to encourage collaboration and creativity and help participants learn new skills and network with other professionals.
The idea for the Junction (Hackathon) originated from a group of Finnish entrepreneurs who wanted to create an event to bring together the best and brightest minds in the tech industry. They got onboard a team of experienced organizers, and together they created an event that was both fun and challenging.
The Junction (Hackathon) 2022 holds in Finland, between November 4th and 6th. It will help to raise awareness of Finland as a leading destination for tech startups and encourage more people to pursue careers in technology. While Junction did hybrid events throughout the pandemic, it goes fully in-person this year.
Conclusion
These are just some fantastic hybrid events happening in 2022, although a few have already taken place. With so many options, there’s sure to be one that fits your interests perfectly. So go out and start planning your dream event. And remember, hybrid events have come to stay.
About the Author / Chinedu Ekeke
