Speaker and Panelist Guidelines
Call for Speakers and Panelists
Now Accepting Session Proposals for MSES27
MSEA is seeking experienced professionals, practitioners, and subject matter experts to contribute educational sessions, panels, and operational discussions focused on municipal special events, public safety, tourism, nightlife, permitting, entertainment districts, and the experience economy.
Sessions should emphasize practical insight, operational relevance, and real-world application for municipal audiences.
Separate instructor opportunities for the MSES Game Day Academy may be considered for qualified subject matter experts. Those interested in Academy instruction are encouraged to contact MSEA directly.
Speaker and Session Guidelines
Planning & Operations
Event Plans, Mapping, operational planning, vendor coordination, logistics sequencing, run-of-show management, credentialing, production timelines, contingency planning, and small to large-scale event execution.
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Site Planning and Event Layouts
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Vendor Coordination Strategies
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Credentialing and Access Control
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Run-of-Show Development
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Contingency and Backup Planning
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Multi-Agency Event Operations
Permitting & Policy
Scalable permitting systems, interdepartmental review, regulatory frameworks, facilitation strategies, fee structures, and balancing public safety with economic activity.
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Modernizing Permit Systems
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Interdepartmental Review Processes
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Balancing Facilitation vs. Enforcement
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Political Realities of Event Approval
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Insurance and Indemnification
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Scalable Fee Structures
Public Safety & Risk
Crowd management, unified command, ingress and egress planning, emergency preparedness, severe weather response, medical coordination, and operational risk mitigation.
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Crowd Management Strategies
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Unified Command and ICS Integration
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Severe Weather Decision-Making
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Vehicle Mitigation Planning
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Medical and EMS Coordination
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Executive Leadership During Emergencies
Experience Economy & Entertainment Districts
Nightlife governance, tourism integration, entertainment zoning, hospitality partnerships, venue accountability, social district management, and quality-of-life balance.
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Managing Entertainment Districts
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Nightlife Safety and Governance
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Hospitality and Venue Partnerships
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Tourism and Economic Impact
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Venue Accountability Systems
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Quality-of-Life Balance in Urban Districts
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MSES brings together professionals responsible for planning, permitting, managing, and supporting public events and entertainment activity across the country. Attendees include municipal event managers, public safety officials, emergency management professionals, permitting staff, tourism and destination leaders, film offices, entertainment district managers, parks departments, venue operators, hospitality partners, and industry consultants.
Sessions should be designed for operationally focused audiences seeking practical insight, scalable solutions, and real-world application.
MSES supports a variety of educational formats designed to encourage practical learning, operational discussion, and peer engagement. Session types may include traditional presentations, moderated panels, operational debriefs, case studies, tabletop discussions, workshops, interactive sessions, and roundtable conversations.
Standard audiovisual support is available for most session formats, including projection, microphones, and presentation display capabilities. Additional operational or technical needs may be coordinated in advance where feasible.
MSES educational sessions are designed to provide practical, operationally relevant instruction for municipal audiences. Standard summit session blocks are anticipated to range between 60–75 minutes in length, generally consisting of approximately 45–60 minutes of educational content followed by attendee discussion, moderated questions, or audience engagement.
As MSEA continues expanding continuing education and professional development opportunities, selected sessions may be eligible for CEU consideration. Proposed sessions should include clearly defined learning objectives, operational relevance, actionable takeaways, and educational value appropriate for professional municipal audiences.
MSEA provides discounted registration opportunities for selected speakers and presenters. In return, speakers are expected to deliver well-prepared, engaging, and non-promotional educational content that contributes meaningfully to the summit experience.
The MSES Academy is designed to provide focused, classroom-style operational instruction for municipal professionals seeking deeper educational engagement and professional development. Separate instructor opportunities may be considered for qualified subject matter experts with demonstrated experience in specialized operational, regulatory, safety, or management disciplines.
Academy sessions are generally longer-form educational environments emphasizing practical application, structured learning objectives, and actionable takeaways suitable for continuing education and professional development initiatives.
Qualified professionals interested in Academy instruction opportunities are encouraged to contact MSEA directly for additional information.
Selected speakers and panelists receive the opportunity to engage directly with municipal professionals, operational leaders, and industry partners from across the country. MSES provides a collaborative environment focused on peer learning, professional development, and practical operational discussion.
Additional speaker benefits may include discounted summit registration, promotional recognition through summit communications and marketing materials, networking access, and participation in a growing national community focused on public events, safety, tourism, nightlife, and the experience economy.
MSES session spaces are supported with standard audiovisual capabilities appropriate for professional educational programming. General session and plenary environments are anticipated to include large-format presentation screens, stage lighting, microphones, and panel seating configurations.
Educational breakout and classroom spaces will generally include presentation displays, projection capabilities, handheld and lavalier microphones where appropriate, and standard audience seating arrangements.
MSEA will work with selected speakers and panelists in advance to coordinate reasonable presentation and operational needs. Additional technical or staging requirements may be accommodated where feasible based on session format, venue capabilities, and production scheduling.
Call for Speakers Opens: May 2026
Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026
MSEA encourages early submission, as programming tracks and available session placements may fill prior to the published submission deadline based on overall response, scheduling capacity, and educational balance across tracks and disciplines.
MSEA reserves the right to close or limit submissions within specific topic areas as programming needs are fulfilled. Select invited speakers and supplemental programming opportunities may continue to be considered based on operational and scheduling needs.