Start 2026 Off Strong By Attending One of These Events for Journalists
Welcome to Blogger Events, a monthly column of upcoming blogger and journalist events that we think you should know about. Plan even further ahead and bookmark our page with upcoming events for the entire year.
Hello 2026! As we kick off a new year and get back into work mode, we’ve compiled a list of upcoming events in January and early February. Start the new year off right — by networking with peers, honing your skills and connecting and strengthening relationships with experts for your next story.
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.
Coming in February
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.
Did we miss an event? Email the team and let us know so we can add it to our full list of upcoming events for journalists and bloggers.
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Rocky Parker is the Manager of Audience and Journalist Engagement at Cision PR Newswire. She's been with the company since 2010 and has worked with journalists and bloggers as well as PR and comms professionals. Outside of work, she can be found trying a new recipe, binging a new show, or cuddling with her pitbull, Hudson.
