Upcoming Events for Journalists and Bloggers

Is an event missing from this list? Email us at [email protected] or tweet us @BeyondBylines about conferences and events for journalists, bloggers, freelancers, and other content creators.

And make sure to follow our monthly event calendar posts.

Upcoming Events for Journalists, Bloggers, and Freelancers - mediablog.prnewswire.com

Jump to 2026 events in: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

Note: We will work to keep this page updated, but please make sure to check individual event websites for the latest changes.

Various Dates

Pinners Conference & Expo

A full slate of these events for DIYers, crafters, photographers, and other creatives is available for 2026. The Pinners Conference schedule will kick off in February in Overland Park, Kansas, and make its way around the country throughout the rest of the year, including stops in Utah, Texas and one TBD “Cool Place, USA.” Check out the full schedule to see which city and date work for you.

January 2026

Jan. 6-9: CES

CES, the one-of-a-kind consumer technology event in Las Vegas, will welcome thousands of exhibitors from all over the world. They will meet with hundreds of media attendees to discuss how their innovations are building a better world. Some of the keynote speakers already lined up include Joe Creed, CEO of Caterpillar, and Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD. Expect the latest advancements in fields like AI, digital health, advanced mobility, entertainment, fitness, robotics, space tech and more.

Jan. 7: Leadership Academy for Women (application deadline)

Apply now for this 5-day intensive in-person training from Poynter, which will take place March 23-27 in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Designed for women and nonbinary journalists, this singular program will support you to amplify your managerial strengths; navigate ethical decision making; strategize ahead of difficult conversations and negotiations; manage up, down and across generations; delegate with purpose; and create your unique formula for work-life chemistry.”

Jan. 8: How to Get Published, Land a Book Deal in 2026

Register now for this two-hour webinar from Writer’s Digest University to come away thinking like an insider who knows what it takes to get published, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction or a memoir. Attendees will receive “practical advice and tools to help you develop strong pitch letters and proposal materials for both fiction and nonfiction-plus back-door methods for networking with agents and editors.”

Jan. 9-10: Tastemaker Conference

This popular food blogger event will take place in Los Angeles. Attendees will be treated to meals (of course), swag bags, workshops, panels and food excursions around the vibrant L.A. food scene. Sessions will cover YouTube for food bloggers, tips for succeeding in an AI search landscape, food trends and more.

Jan. 10-11: Adventure Travel Show

After a five-year absence, “off the beaten track” travel specialists and inspiring speakers from around the globe will convene in London for the Adventure Travel Show. Tickets to the 2026 event will also include entry to the Gravel & Adventure Bike Expo, a new boutique show dedicated to adventure cycling. Register now to discover new bucket list experiences and trips for your readers.

Jan. 12-14: Affiliate Summit West

Mass publishers and bloggers alike will head to Las Vegas to attend Affiliate Summit West. Build new partnerships and learn new ways to build traffic to your site. Content & Commerce, Lead Gen, Brand Strategy, and E-commerce are some of the available content tracks. Experts from the Daily Mail, Washington Post, McClatchy, Her Campus Media and Blavity are just a few of the many speakers on the agenda.

Jan. 13-14: Creator Economy Live West

Creator Economy Live will welcome hundreds of brands to hear insights from industry experts to help take their influencer marketing to the next level. The main topics include measurement and ROI, creator relations, social platforms, content strategy, and future tools and trends. It will take place at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

Jan. 21-22: IMM North America 2026

This global networking event connects the travel industry with editors, journalists, broadcasters and content creators. Sessions will cover 2026 travel trends, independent publishing in travel media, wellness tourism, travel editing and more. IMM is free for media attendees and will “provide an unrivaled return on the time invested and help journalists plan a year’s worth of travel.” The event will take place at the Javits Center in New York City.

Jan. 27-29: The Southern C Summit

The Southern C Summit welcomes female entrepreneurs for three days of workshops, mentor sessions, social gatherings, and the ever-popular silent disco, beachside brunch, and swag market. Topics will cover the latest in e-commerce, media, marketing and more. If you’re passionate about blogging, wellness, fashion, food, art or media, this is a great event to check out. Both virtual and in-person ticket options are available. The in-person event will take place in Sea Island, Georgia.

February 2026

Feb. 6-7: Pinners Conference (Kansas)

The 2026 Pinners Conference schedule kicks off in Overland Park, Kansas. The schedule will feature 100+ classes and workshops for DIYers and craft bloggers, including hands-on sessions for wood burning, candlemaking, resin projects, charcuterie tips, airfryer hacks and much more.

Feb. 10: Covering the Loneliness Epidemic: A Mental Health Reporting Project Webinar

This is a free, one-hour webinar from Poynter. Attendees will dive into the roots of America’s loneliness and isolation epidemic, and will come away with strategies and tactics for effectively covering individuals and communities experiencing these issues.

Feb. 16: Lead with Influence (application deadline)

This is the application deadline for the popular career/leadership development program from Poynter, which will run from March 3 to April 7. Through the six-session course, attendees will learn about different leadership styles, how to give and receive feedback, how to advocate for themselves, and more.

March 2026

March 5-7: ACP Spring National College Media Conference

The Associated College Press (ACP) is heading to San Francisco for its Spring National College Media Conference. The event provides collegiate journalists and advisers with helpful sessions on key skills, mental health, AI and responsible reporting. Other topics include advertising, leadership, editing, yearbook planning and more. On-site media critiques will provide attendees with common-sense suggestions for improvement.

March 5-8: NICAR 2026

The 2026 data journalism conference will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana. The session schedule is TBD and full session and speaker details will be released in early 2026. The deadline for submitting lightning talk ideas is Feb. 8, 2026.

March 12-18: SXSW

Austin, Texas, returns as the home of SXSW and will welcome a diverse group of innovators, storytellers, humanitarians and global thought leaders for a week full of collaboration. The 40th SXSW event will bring the Conference, Film & TV Festival and Music Festival together for the first time to run concurrently. The climate, creator economy, startups, sports/gaming, and brands and marketing are just a few of the session tracks available on the packed schedule.

March 30-April 1: ONA26

The Online News Association’s annual event focuses on the future of digital media and will be held in Chicago. Attendees range from digital media audience and analytics professionals to news product, strategy, and business executives and entrepreneurs.

April 2026

April 15-18: International Journalism Festival

Perugia, Italy, will again host the International Journalism Festival, the largest annual media event in Europe. The schedule is still being finalized and will be available in Q1, but to give you an idea of what’s covered, the 2025 conference focused on topics like AI, climate, collaborative journalism, local news and press freedom. Speaker proposals will be accepted through the end of 2025.

May 2026

May 7-9: SABEW Annual Conference

The annual conference for the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) will be held in Philadelphia. “Whether you are a newsroom leader, early/mid-career journalist, academic, student, or PR pro, SABEW’s annual conference is an excellent opportunity to take home new ideas to use in your stories, newsrooms, or classrooms,” the site explains.

May 18-22: Essential Skills for New Managers

During this five-day, in-person workshop from Poynter, first-time managers or those on the path to becoming one will learn how to establish credibility, manage former peers, and provide effective feedback to help their team improve. Attendees will receive personalized feedback from colleagues and leave with greater self-awareness and actionable tools they can use right away.

May 29-31: WITS (Women in Travel Summit)

Creative entrepreneurs, influencers and travel experts will head to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for WITS 2026. They will “discuss future innovations, build dynamic collaborations, and change travel worldwide, all while supporting and empowering a diverse community.” Discussions will center around elevating women and underrepresented creators as well as current issues in travel. All genders are welcome to attend. If you’re new to travel blogging, check out the Beginner Bootcamp add-on for an extra half-day of programming. The schedule features speakers from Marriott, Wanderful, Girls Who Travel, Pinterest and much more.

June 2026

June 10-13: Craft + Commerce

Boise, Idaho, will host the event where “top online creators gather to help grow their businesses.” Inspiring keynotes, intimate workshops and plenty of networking opportunities will round out the schedule. Topics like SEO, design, photography, newsletters and more have been featured in previous years; the full 2026 schedule is still being finalized.

June 23-26: TBEX North America

Travel content creators will attend TBEX to boost their writing, photography and video skills; network with other creators, travel experts and tourist boards; and more. Dozens of workshops, sessions and forums will fill the schedule. TBEX North America 2026 will take place in Richmond, Virginia, which was CNN Travel’s #1 town in America to visit in 2024.

July 2026

TBD

August 2026

TBD

September 2026

September: Podcast Movement

Exact dates are TBD, but we know Podcast Movement will be taking place in New York City in 2026. Thousands of podcasters and industry pros will attend the event, which includes educational sessions and workshops, networking events and parties, and a podcasting expo and trade show.

October 2026

TBD

November 2026

Nov. 9-12: Web Summit

Although it’s nearly a year away, you can already start prepping for Web Summit 2026. The “world’s premier tech conference” will again take place in Lisbon, Portugal. Educational masterclasses and roundtables will be available at the event, which will bring together experts from some of the world’s top companies to define “what’s next, offering deep insights, practical skills, and a clear path forward.”

December 2026

TBD: Global Investigative Journalism Conference

GIJC26, the world’s largest international gathering of investigative reporters and editors, is likely to take place in the fourth quarter of 2026. It will feature training on the latest investigative tools and techniques, cutting-edge workshops, and extensive networking and brainstorming sessions.

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