The Event Industry Power 50 Draws Record Voting, Passing 3,500 Ballots With Days Left

Second annual program on pace to double last year's turnout, with honorees recognized at The Event Planner Expo in New York City this month

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Event Industry Power 50, produced by EMRG Media, has passed 3,500 votes with voting still open, already surpassing the program's entire first-year total. More than 1,000 votes came in within the first 24 hours. Voting closes Wednesday, October 7.

Honorees will be recognized at The Event Planner Expo 2026, held October 27 to 29 in New York City in front of more than 2,000 event professionals.

The Power 50 recognizes influential leaders shaping the events industry across planning, production, design, experiential, entertainment, hospitality, and corporate marketing. Finalists are determined by public voting combined with an editorial review panel.

"The finalists this year produce some of the largest events in the country," said Jessica Stewart, VP of Marketing for The Event Planner Expo. "They run the companies, they sit at the top of this industry, and they control enormous event budgets. That is why they are finalists for the Power 50. They are power players in the truest sense of the word."

"Every one of them is in New York in October," Stewart added. "If you work in events or hospitality, or you plan events for your company, that is the room you want to be in."

HONORED THROUGHOUT THE EXPO

Honorees are recognized on stage at 92NY during the Speaker Series on Tuesday, October 27, and celebrated across all three days of The Expo.

Each honoree receives a profile on the official Power 50 page with a headshot, name, title, and company, live for a full year, plus a Power 50 badge built for LinkedIn, social media, and email signatures.

The winner announcement goes to an industry email list of more than 200,000, plus The Expo's social channels and industry press.

Last year's honorees included Colin Cowie, Julie Novack of PartySlate, Mindy Weiss, Marcy Blum, David Stark, Jaclyn Bernstein of Empire Force Events, Nic Faitos of Starbright Floral Design, and Preston Bailey.

THREE DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY

The Event Planner Expo runs October 27 to 29, with 150+ exhibitors across two floors and 60 speakers on the main stage and in fireside chats. Ed Mylett headlines the Speaker Series on Tuesday, October 27 at 92NY.

Past Expo keynote speakers include Gary Vaynerchuk, Martha Stewart, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Mel Robbins, Jesse Itzler, Tim Grover, and Colin Cowie.

TICKETS

Education Passes, VIP Education Passes, and All-Access Passes cover all three days, including the Speaker Series at 92NY, the Opening Party at Lavan Midtown, the Wednesday networking event, the trade show floor at the Metropolitan Pavilion, and the After Party at NEBULA.

To purchase tickets, visit theeventplannerexpo.com. To vote and view full program details, visit eventpower50.com/vote.

About EMRG Media

EMRG Media is a New York City-based corporate event planning and production company with 25 years of experience and more than 1,100 events produced for Fortune 500 companies and leading global brands, including Google, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Netflix, Bloomberg, LVMH, and Condé Nast. EMRG Media also produces The Event Planner Expo and The Event Industry Power 50.

Media Contact
Jessica Stewart
VP of Marketing, The Event Planner Expo
917-940-5239
[email protected] 

SOURCE EMRG Media