The global events industry was worth $1.1 trillion in 2019. By 2032, it’s expected to reach $2.1 trillion, nearly double that amount.
So, what’s driving this growth?
People are craving real connections; they want experiences. And that puts a lot of pressure on planners.
It's no more about booking fancy venues and coordinating speakers. You need to create moments people will remember. And the event format you choose sets the foundation for everything else.
Get it right, and your attendees leave feeling connected and inspired. Get it wrong, and you'll see people checking their phones within minutes.
Let's break down what event formats are and how to choose the right one, and explore fresh ideas that will keep your attendees engaged from start to finish.
What are event formats?
Event formats are just the different ways you can run your event. In-person, virtual, or hybrid events, big stage, roundtable, open mic, or even a walking tour. It’s the structure that shapes how the experience is delivered to your attendees.
Say you're planning a product launch. You could rent a theater, invite press and influencers, and make it a live show. Or you could do a virtual walkthrough with real-time Q&A. Both are valid. However, each creates a different kind of experience for everyone.
The format of the event affects your budget, the tech you need, the time it takes to plan, and how engaged your attendees will be. That’s why the format is one of your first big decisions and not just a side detail.
How to choose an event format
There’s no universal format that works for all event types. The right one depends on what you're really after and who you're doing it for. What are your event goals? What do you want to get out of it? Education, connections, product promotion, or lead generation? In other words, different formats serve different purposes.
Product launches work best with a showcase format where people can see and touch what you're offering. Webinars are great for lead generation, and leadership training might need interactive workshops. Similarly, networking goals call for formats with built-in conversation time.
Next, think about your audience. Who are they? What do they expect? What will keep them engaged?
Tech-savvy professionals might prefer hybrid events with digital components. Creative teams often respond better to unconventional formats like hackathons or walking sessions. Senior executives typically value focused discussion formats with peer interaction.
Talk to past attendees or send out surveys to understand what your specific audience wants. Their preferences matter more than industry trends. Consider practical limits, too. Your budget, venue options, and team capabilities all shape what's possible. A small budget might rule out multi-day formats but could still support an impactful half-day workshop.
Time is another key factor. The ideal length depends on your content and audience. Long events risk fatigue and dropping attendance, while short events might feel rushed. Finding a sweet spot takes time and thoughtful consideration.
Draft a rough agenda before finalizing your format. List the topics you want to cover and potential speakers. This will help you see if your chosen format can accommodate everything. And, don't forget to plan for the unexpected. The best formats build in flexibility. Can your format adapt if a speaker cancels? What if attendance is higher or lower than expected? A good format bends without breaking.
Testing your format with a small group before the main event can provide valuable feedback and allow adjustments. Even a simple run-through with team members can reveal potential issues. You can even mix and match formats and not always follow a rigid template. The most memorable events often combine elements from different formats to create something tailored to their specific goals and audience.
15 great event format ideas
You’ve seen how different formats work for different goals. Now, let’s look at some real examples of event formats you can use—whether you’re planning something small and targeted or large and high-impact. We’ll cover a mix of in-person, hybrid, and virtual event formats.
1. Live podcast recording
Live podcasts bring energy to what’s usually a solo experience. You take a podcast normally recorded behind closed doors and bring it on stage with an audience. People get to watch it unfold in real time—and sometimes even take part.
This format is great for audiences already familiar with the host or show. It creates a sense of exclusivity and intimacy. They’re not just listening to content. They’re part of it.
Bonus: You get content you can repurpose after the event. The episode becomes a piece of media that lives on and keeps people engaged long after the chairs are packed up.
2. Fishbowl conversations
Fishbowls are a different take on the traditional panel. You set up a few chairs in a circle—usually four or five—with one left empty. Everyone else sits around the circle as the audience.
Here’s the twist: anyone in the audience can step into the empty chair to join the conversation. When they do, someone from the inner circle steps out. It’s a constant flow of voices, but it never feels chaotic.
This format creates space for genuine dialogue. It breaks down the wall between “speakers” and “audience” and encourages people to contribute when they actually have something to say, not because they’re on the schedule.
It works exceptionally well for internal events, community discussions, or any topic where you want multiple perspectives and honest input. It’s not the best fit for formal or technical content, but it's hard to beat when the goal is inclusion and open sharing.
3. Speed networking
Speed networking is like speed dating but for business. Attendees meet one-on-one for short bursts of time, usually around 3 to 5 minutes, before rotating to the next person.
It’s fast, structured, and efficient. To make it work well, give attendees some kind of prompt to start with—a question, a topic, or even a shared challenge they can discuss. You can organize the rotations manually or use software tools that match people based on interests or job titles.
Speed networking is best used early in an event. It helps break the ice, warms people up, and increases the likelihood of them approaching each other later.
4. Game show-style learning
Turning learning into a game isn’t new, but more planners are starting to use complete game show formats to drive engagement. Think “Jeopardy,” “Family Feud,” or quiz-style competitions, with questions tailored to your industry or theme. You can split people into teams, give out prizes, or bring speakers back on stage as contestants.
This event format works well in internal training, sales kickoffs, or anywhere people need to retain information. And you don’t need a full-stage setup to make it happen. A simple buzzer system, a confident host, and some creative question writing are all it takes.
5. Walking sessions
Who says you have to sit down to learn something? Walking sessions break attendees out of the traditional format by pairing physical movement with guided conversation. Attendees are given headsets or listening devices and walk through a space—either outdoors or inside a venue—while listening to a speaker or taking part in small-group discussions.
Walking sessions are ideal for brainstorming, wellness-focused events, or anything that benefits from a change in pace. It’s handy when energy is low, or people are feeling Zoom fatigue.
Movement wakes people up and helps ideas flow more freely. You can also tie it to the setting. Walking tours of a city, a conference venue, or even an art installation can be used to spark conversation around your theme.
It’s not always practical—weather, accessibility, and tech can get in the way. But when it works, it leaves a strong impression and breaks the monotony of traditional formats.
6. Interactive workshops
Workshops aren’t new, but many planners forget just how versatile they are. These are the sessions where people get to do something.
In an interactive workshop, the room setup matters. Tables instead of rows. Supplies or shared docs are ready to go. A facilitator who’s prepared to guide, not lecture. Attendees should leave having practiced a skill, solved a problem, or built something with others.
It’s active. It’s focused. And it usually results in higher retention. People remember what they tried, not what they watched. Virtual workshops can work, too, but you’ll need the right tools: whiteboards, breakout rooms, live polling, and tech support that can jump in if things go wrong.
7. Storytelling sessions
If you want people to connect on a human level, let them tell stories.
Storytelling sessions invite attendees—not just speakers—to share real, personal experiences related to the event theme. These can be informal, like an open mic, or curated in advance to feature a handful of voices. Either way, they shift the spotlight from experts to everyday experiences.
This format is often used in community-driven events or DEI workshops. However, it also works in leadership training, healthcare, education, and mental health programming. To do this well, create a safe space. Make it clear who’s sharing, how long they have, and what kind of stories are welcome. And always give people the option to listen without speaking.
8. Escape room challenges
This format turns your event into a puzzle—and your attendees into the players. Escape room challenges involve small groups solving clues, racing against the clock, and working together to "escape" a room or complete a mission.
The twist is you build the challenge around your content. A cybersecurity company might create a scenario where attendees must identify a fake phishing attack. A sales team retreat might feature an escape room built around uncovering customer objections.
This format is fun, memorable, and rooted in teamwork. It builds trust and communication quickly, especially with people you have never met.
You can run it in person or virtually using breakout rooms and interactive tools. The key is balancing fun with focus. Make sure the challenge ties back to your message. Otherwise, it’s just a game.
9. Virtual reality (VR) experiences
VR takes immersion to its very limits. You put people right in the middle of it. That's where the real magic happens (or, at least, that's where the real learning happens).
You can use VR to let attendees explore a venue before it's even built, walk through a disaster response simulation, or tour a historical site as part of a cultural education event. The tech can be expensive, but the engagement is high.
This format naturally fits industries like real estate, architecture, training, and education, but more consumer-facing brands are using it, too. Remember, not everyone will be familiar with VR, so ensure a staff member is there to guide people through it. If it’s your attendees’ first time, that support makes a big difference.
10. AMA (Ask me anything)
AMA sessions are what they sound like: the audience gets to ask whatever they want—and the speaker answers live.
This format strips away the formalities. There’s no agenda, no slides, just direct access. And that’s why people love it.
Ensure your speaker is someone attendees already care about. A CEO, a celebrity, a founder, or someone who’s been in the news. But even lesser-known experts can shine if they’re open, honest, and quick on their feet.
To pull off a great AMA, you’ll need a moderator who can sort through questions, keep things moving, and shut down anything off-topic or inappropriate. And you’ll need a way for people to submit questions—either anonymously or live.
The best AMAs feel like a conversation you’re lucky enough to sit in on. They humanize the speaker and make the audience feel heard.
11. Lightning talks
Lightning talks are short, focused presentations—usually five to seven minutes max—designed to deliver one clear idea quickly.
They’re fast-paced by design, which forces speakers to get to the point: no long intros, no filler slides, no meandering. Just one takeaway clearly explained.
Use this format if you want to showcase multiple voices without spending hours on a single topic. You can run a lightning talk block where five or six speakers take turns, each sharing something unique.
It’s popular at tech events, creative conferences, and startup meetups. But it can be adapted anywhere you want: energy, variety, and tight storytelling.
12. PechaKucha
PechaKucha is a twist on the lightning talk—with a strict format: 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide, auto-advanced. That’s 6 minutes and 40 seconds, no more.
It’s a format that forces clarity. You can’t go off-script; you have to keep pace. And for the audience, it means no rambling, no wasted time—just visual storytelling that moves.
Think design showcases, student projects, or themed open mic nights; PechaKucha is best for creative content, personal stories, or rapid idea-sharing.
If you’re planning to use this event format, make sure to test your tech in advance. The timing is unforgiving. One glitch in the slideshow, and your speaker could be three slides behind before they even realize it.
13. Mystery guest
Adding an element of surprise can energize your audience. A mystery guest format keeps the identity of a speaker secret until the moment they walk on stage (or appear on screen). It works best when you know the reveal will matter—because the guest is high-profile, polarizing, or unexpected.
This tactic builds anticipation. It’s often used in internal kickoffs (“You’ll want to stick around—someone big is dropping in”) or public events where media attention matters.
But be careful not to overhype. If the reveal doesn’t land, the format falls flat. Use it sparingly and only when you know the payoff is worth the buildup.
14. Living library
In a living library, people are the books. You create a space where attendees can “check out” real people for short, one-on-one conversations. Each “book” is a volunteer who represents a lived experience, expertise, or perspective on a specific topic.
Attendees browse a menu of available conversations—topics might include “Life as a First-Time Founder,” “Navigating Career Burnout,” or “Working While Neurodivergent”—and choose who they want to speak with.
It’s intimate. It’s personal. It also encourages listening in a way that panels and Q&As can’t always match. Living libraries are often used in DEI programming, employee resource groups, or wellness events. But they can also be adapted for professional development, mentorship, or internal storytelling.
15. Pop-Up experiences
Pop-up events are temporary, often unexpected activations that appear in high-traffic areas or as part of bigger events. The limited-time nature of pop-ups adds urgency. People want to see it before it disappears. And that urgency creates buzz you can build on in person and online.
They could be as simple as a branded coffee cart with networking prompts or as elaborate as a complete product demo built into a shipping container. The point is that they feel spontaneous—and limited.
Pop-ups at trade shows stand out from the usual booth layout. At festivals or conferences, they can offer a quiet recharge zone, a surprise performance, or a photo-worthy moment.
And the best part is that you don’t need a huge budget to pull one off. What matters is surprise and relevance. Why is this here, now—and why should people care?
Finding an event format that works for you
There’s no formula for getting an event format “right.” You’ll make choices, test them, adjust, and sometimes scrap the whole thing and start over. That’s part of the job.
But the formats you choose shape everything that follows—how people connect, what they remember, and whether they come back next time. So don’t just copy what’s been done before.
Borrow it, bend it, break it if you need to. The best events don’t feel like formats. They feel like moments that couldn’t have happened any other way.
Up next, read the top 15 proven restaurant event ideas to try in 2025
