The 2023 Small Market Meetings Conference will take place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 27–29. More than 200 delegates will travel from around the country to attend the conference, which will be held at the 267-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex.
With 80,000 square feet of meeting and event space, the Cedar Rapids Convention Complex is Iowa’s newest convention center. It’s located in the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids, just a couple blocks from prominent venues like the historic Paramount Theatre and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
Conference organizers have announced the conference’s keynote speaker will be Bob Pacanovsky, a consultant and trainer with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Pacanovsky and his team have created more than 7,000 meetings and events in his career, including catering 25 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction events. He speaks on topics such as service excellence and hospitality, and his presentation for the Small Market Meetings Conference will focus on the five essential laws of hospitality.
During their stay in Cedar Rapids, conference attendees will have the opportunity to explore the city’s thriving downtown and distinct destination appeal. Sightseeing tours on Thursday, September 28, will showcase the city’s wide range of venues. Visitors will first tour Indian Creek Nature Center, a green meeting space outside Cedar Rapids that’s among the most sustainable buildings in the world. They’ll see a beehive, meet Cedar Rapids llamas and enjoy a sample of local beer from Lion Bridge Brewery. Their second tour will showcase the Brucemore Mansion, a historic house mansion downtown. Attendees can play croquet on the lawn and hear live music.
The third tour, at Lion Bridge Brewery in the historic neighborhood Czech Village, will explore the mecca of immigrant heritage and culture in the city. Visitors will see the brewery and taste some of its most popular beers. A tour of the city’s Czech and Slovak heritage and Czech Village will follow with a trip to the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, which features an extensive collection of Czech artifacts. Attendees will taste classic Czech pastries known as kolaches while they wander through the museum’s many exhibits and elegant meeting spaces.
The final tour will take place at Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, which is just 10 miles south of Cedar Rapids. Attendees will get to enjoy the scenic meeting and event space as they have appetizers and try some of the distillery’s award-winning bourbon.
To register for the 2023 Small Market Meetings Conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 27–29, go to: smmconf.com/registration
