A new year has landed and after a much-welcomed break for event organisers, the time has come to refocus and get back to planning upcoming events for the year with an added dose of much needed motivation and creativity.
The event planning team at Blackberry Events know this time of year is crucial for event planning with most of us geared up with a new strategy, objectives and budget. To assist with the creative juices, our in-house experts in events have pulled together their top predicted event planning trends in 2026.
Take note and level up your experiences this year.
A new year has landed and after a much-welcomed break for event organisers, the time has come to refocus and get back to planning upcoming events for the year with an added dose of motivation and creativity.
The event planning team at Blackberry Events know this time of year is crucial for event planning with most of us geared up with a new strategy, objectives and budget. To assist with the creative juices, our in-house experts in events have pulled together their top predicted event planning trends in 2026.
Take note and level up your experiences this year.
If you know us, then you know we love events with purpose here at Blackberry, it forms part of our core values and we predict that designing events with purpose them will be so key in 2026. Event organisers want the experiences they create to have emotive impact so attendees feel something positive when they take part, this is what turns an event into a memorable experience.
Purpose drives intent at events, it helps delegates connect emotionally and therefore become more engaged in your content and agenda. Purpose at your event can also provide wins for your company corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, it can also creates positive PR, making the event return value long after it finishes.
To set purpose for your event find out what’s important to your audience, community or industry and set objectives around that, brief your event management company and ensure they are aligned with the purpose throughout all aspects of planning and delivery.
Delegate expectations are increasing each year as is the importance of providing immersive experiences. With the fast-paced developments of AI, an ever-enhancing digital world and sustainability demands we are seeing experiential technology used more on all types of events across all industries.
Technology on events can be used to increase engagement among delegates with gamification or interactive brand activations. It can also help add wow factor by complimenting your event theme.
Event tech is sometimes used to get important messages across to your audience in a memorable way – virtual reality is a popular way for organisations to bring messages and visions to life.
Social value is a term you may not have heard of… yet. Emphasis on the yet, as it is a topic gaining traction in the event world. Forming part of environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies with focus on the social aspect, it is important that event planners in 2026 are aware of social value and what it means to their event.
Social value in events is about creating positive and lasting impacts on the people and communities surrounding it. It allows clients to look beyond the financial return and strategy of the event and helps focus on improving the well-being and inclusivity of the local community of where that event is being held. It is becoming increasingly important in events to ensure it leaves positive and lasting impact for both people and planet.
By embedding social value into event planning and delivery, organisers can support local economies, create inclusive opportunities, reduce environmental impact and align with client,stakeholder and public-sector expectations.
It also helps demonstrate purpose, accountability and measurable impact within your organisation and culture.
Examples of social value initiatives at events include donating or reducing food waste or offering local people jobs or volunteering opportunities.
Sustainable event planning isn’t just a tick box exercise, it is a priority for most organisations and is now ingrained in their strategy.
Ways in which we can reduce waste and emissions on events are evolving continuously, so it is vital as an event planner to keep on top of the ever-changing landscape especially if ESG is a priority in your organisation.
To ensure you are implementing the best sustainable event solutions, it is vital to do training, research, talk to others in your industry and work with sustainably certified event agencies like Blackberry Events.
We’ve only scratched the surface of sustainability in events despite it being a trending topic post pandemic. In fact, a 2025 report by eventdecision ® states that
"Only 25% of event professionals currently track emissions. That means 3 in 4 do not."
However, 2026 is set to be the year many of us consider a more holistic approach to people, planet and profit by considering all factors of ESG – environmental, social and governance.
When looking at your sustainability strategy don’t forget to start considering the social and governance aspects, looking at things like community, polices, procedures and ethical standards.
The power of community is set to be popular in 2026 as a marketing and events tactic to increase brand awareness, loyalty and return on investment. ROI is a huge focus for 2026, with organisations wanting proven value from events.
One effective way of adding value beyond the event is to encourage delegates or persons of interest to be part of your brands community, enabling them to access exclusive benefits and a safe place to engage with experts and peers.
Community feel plays a huge role in delivering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives too. If done correctly, it creates another experience for all to enjoy and access in a way that suits them.
AI in events is a fast-developing area with new tech and tools for event planning and delivery being launched to market all the time.
AI is no longer just a chat bot supporting attendees with their frequently asked questions, it is an advanced tool embedded in a wide range of tech and software to improve delegate experience and organiser efficiency.
Delegate management, creative and content, personalisation,measurement and tracking, scheduling, gamification and automation are all things AI can now support and the list keeps growing.
Event planners can no longer afford to avoid considering AI on events, however we understand it can be difficult to know where to start or what solutions will be justifiable and rewarding for your organisation.
That’s where a partnership with a forward-thinking tech-savvy event management company like Blackberry Events comes in handy.
Many studies from within the events sector in recent months show that clients are expecting more from events for the same budget as previous years.
This is down to economic factors increasing costs for organisations coupled with the need to show value of the event as budgets remain tight for many.
But how do we track returns on our event if we are not making a physical sale on attendance? For example on free public sector events or internal conferences and corporate gatherings.
Tracking returns in this case would mean understanding the audiences level of engagement with the content you provided. It’s one thing to get the attendee numbers you want but to keep them interested throughout the day and post event is a whole other kettle of fish!
By introducing more digitally interactive elements such as Slido at conferences, photo booths at awards or digital team building activities you can gather data to understand how engaged your attendees were before collecting post event feedback surveys.
As we look ahead to 2026, DEI and neuroinclusion aren’t really “trends” in the events industry anymore, they are simply part of good event management and design.
Audiences attending our events are more diverse than ever and our events work best when people feel comfortable, included and able to take part in ways that suit them.Whether that’s us choosing an accessible venue, offering quiet spaces during events, building flexibility into schedules or making sure a range of voices are represented, inclusive choices lead to better experiences for everyone.
Intention is all the range in 2026 and applying that ethos to your event planning will be essential to stay ahead of the curve and to provide experiences for attendees that really matter to them. In other words, less of the "we've always done this" mindset and more thinking outside the box about what our delegates TRULY want or need from us.
A prime example of ways you can partake in intentional event planning in 2026 will be by providing responsible and truly valuable giveaways.
The events and hospitality industry is challenging the old and is encouraging all event planners to give promotional merchandise with thought for the receiver and the planet.
Intentional giveaways will ensure we as event organisers choose more sustainable items that will be reused for years to come, as opposed to thrown away – increasing value for the receiver and dramatically reducing waste.
For help planning your next event with the latest trends in mind speak with our event management team.
If you found that interesting here are some suggestions from us to find out a bit more about Blackberry Events and our events management services.
A new year has landed and after a much-welcomed break for event organisers, the time has come to refocus and get back to planning upcoming events for the year with an added dose of motivation and creativity.
The event planning team at Blackberry Events know this time of year is crucial for event planning with most of us geared up with a new strategy, objectives and budget. To assist with the creative juices, our in-house experts in events have pulled together their top predicted event planning trends in 2026.
Take note and level up your experiences this year.
If you know us, then you know we love events with purpose here at Blackberry, it forms part of our core values and we predict that designing events with purpose them will be so key in 2026. Event organisers want the experiences they create to have emotive impact so attendees feel something positive when they take part, this is what turns an event into a memorable experience.
Purpose drives intent at events, it helps delegates connect emotionally and therefore become more engaged in your content and agenda. Purpose at your event can also provide wins for your company corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, it can also creates positive PR, making the event return value long after it finishes.
To set purpose for your event find out what’s important to your audience, community or industry and set objectives around that, brief your event management company and ensure they are aligned with the purpose throughout all aspects of planning and delivery.
Delegate expectations are increasing each year as is the importance of providing immersive experiences. With the fast-paced developments of AI, an ever-enhancing digital world and sustainability demands we are seeing experiential technology used more on all types of events across all industries.
Technology on events can be used to increase engagement among delegates with gamification or interactive brand activations. It can also help add wow factor by complimenting your event theme.
Event tech is sometimes used to get important messages across to your audience in a memorable way – virtual reality is a popular way for organisations to bring messages and visions to life.
Social value is a term you may not have heard of… yet. Emphasis on the yet, as it is a topic gaining traction in the event world. Forming part of environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies with focus on the social aspect, it is important that event planners in 2026 are aware of social value and what it means to their event.
Social value in events is about creating positive and lasting impacts on the people and communities surrounding it. It allows clients to look beyond the financial return and strategy of the event and helps focus on improving the well-being and inclusivity of the local community of where that event is being held. It is becoming increasingly important in events to ensure it leaves positive and lasting impact for both people and planet.
By embedding social value into event planning and delivery, organisers can support local economies, create inclusive opportunities, reduce environmental impact and align with client,stakeholder and public-sector expectations.
It also helps demonstrate purpose, accountability and measurable impact within your organisation and culture.
Examples of social value initiatives at events include donating or reducing food waste or offering local people jobs or volunteering opportunities.
Sustainable event planning isn’t just a tick box exercise, it is a priority for most organisations and is now ingrained in their strategy.
Ways in which we can reduce waste and emissions on events are evolving continuously, so it is vital as an event planner to keep on top of the ever-changing landscape especially if ESG is a priority in your organisation.
To ensure you are implementing the best sustainable event solutions, it is vital to do training, research, talk to others in your industry and work with sustainably certified event agencies like Blackberry Events.
We’ve only scratched the surface of sustainability in events despite it being a trending topic post pandemic. In fact, a 2025 report by eventdecision ® states that
"Only 25% of event professionals currently track emissions. That means 3 in 4 do not."
However, 2026 is set to be the year many of us consider a more holistic approach to people, planet and profit by considering all factors of ESG – environmental, social and governance.
When looking at your sustainability strategy don’t forget to start considering the social and governance aspects, looking at things like community, polices, procedures and ethical standards.
The power of community is set to be popular in 2026 as a marketing and events tactic to increase brand awareness, loyalty and return on investment. ROI is a huge focus for 2026, with organisations wanting proven value from events.
One effective way of adding value beyond the event is to encourage delegates or persons of interest to be part of your brands community, enabling them to access exclusive benefits and a safe place to engage with experts and peers.
Community feel plays a huge role in delivering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives too. If done correctly, it creates another experience for all to enjoy and access in a way that suits them.
AI in events is a fast-developing area with new tech and tools for event planning and delivery being launched to market all the time.
AI is no longer just a chat bot supporting attendees with their frequently asked questions, it is an advanced tool embedded in a wide range of tech and software to improve delegate experience and organiser efficiency.
Delegate management, creative and content, personalisation,measurement and tracking, scheduling, gamification and automation are all things AI can now support and the list keeps growing.
Event planners can no longer afford to avoid considering AI on events, however we understand it can be difficult to know where to start or what solutions will be justifiable and rewarding for your organisation.
That’s where a partnership with a forward-thinking tech-savvy event management company like Blackberry Events comes in handy.
Many studies from within the events sector in recent months show that clients are expecting more from events for the same budget as previous years.
This is down to economic factors increasing costs for organisations coupled with the need to show value of the event as budgets remain tight for many.
But how do we track returns on our event if we are not making a physical sale on attendance? For example on free public sector events or internal conferences and corporate gatherings.
Tracking returns in this case would mean understanding the audiences level of engagement with the content you provided. It’s one thing to get the attendee numbers you want but to keep them interested throughout the day and post event is a whole other kettle of fish!
By introducing more digitally interactive elements such as Slido at conferences, photo booths at awards or digital team building activities you can gather data to understand how engaged your attendees were before collecting post event feedback surveys.
As we look ahead to 2026, DEI and neuroinclusion aren’t really “trends” in the events industry anymore, they are simply part of good event management and design.
Audiences attending our events are more diverse than ever and our events work best when people feel comfortable, included and able to take part in ways that suit them.Whether that’s us choosing an accessible venue, offering quiet spaces during events, building flexibility into schedules or making sure a range of voices are represented, inclusive choices lead to better experiences for everyone.
Intention is all the range in 2026 and applying that ethos to your event planning will be essential to stay ahead of the curve and to provide experiences for attendees that really matter to them. In other words, less of the "we've always done this" mindset and more thinking outside the box about what our delegates TRULY want or need from us.
A prime example of ways you can partake in intentional event planning in 2026 will be by providing responsible and truly valuable giveaways.
The events and hospitality industry is challenging the old and is encouraging all event planners to give promotional merchandise with thought for the receiver and the planet.
Intentional giveaways will ensure we as event organisers choose more sustainable items that will be reused for years to come, as opposed to thrown away – increasing value for the receiver and dramatically reducing waste.
For help planning your next event with the latest trends in mind speak with our event management team.
If you found that interesting here are some suggestions from us to find out a bit more about Blackberry Events and our events management services.
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