More than 2,000 professionals from the meeting and event industry will descend on St. Louis this week for Meeting Professionals International’s 2025 World Education Congress, which officially kicks off Wednesday and runs through Friday.
But the industry conference won’t be just another series of meetings.
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The city will serve as a living classroom for planners from across the country, with local neighborhoods, venues, and cultural institutions woven into the programming. Rather than staying put in convention halls, attendees will explore places including Busch Stadium, Union Station, Grand Center, and others for immersive sessions designed to highlight what the city has to offer industry professionals. The goal is to not only showcase the future of event planning, but to position St. Louis as a capable host for major events and conventions in the years to come.
“This is the largest events and events trade association in the world,” says Jennifer Poindexter, director of Meet St. Louis, the convention services department of Explore St. Louis. “With that, 50 percent of the attendees will be meeting professionals who will have the opportunity to directly book meetings and conventions in St. Louis. For us, it’s important that we show the best of St. Louis and engage them in the full St. Louis experience.”
That means turning the city itself into a stage for the local hospitality and entertainment industries. The conference gets underway Wednesday evening with a celebration on the field of Busch Stadium. Thursday’s itinerary features a late-night party at The Pageant, where industry pros can dance and network with colleagues. The festivities wrap Friday with a miniature version of Music at the Intersection in Grand Center, complete with local food, drinks, and live music.
In between, locally focused activations will further tell the story of St. Louis as a host city. Event organizers are calling these activities “learning journeys.” They include a session focused on women in business at Energizer Park, a session on the science of happiness hosted by WashU, a session on “The Power of Play” hosted by City Museum, and the role of events in Black history hosted by the Missouri History Museum. Attendees will also have an opportunity to assist with tornado relief efforts while packing supply kits in conjunction with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Each event is designed to help attendees experience the region’s culture and, organizers hope, leave a mark on decision makers who could consider St. Louis for their next major event.
“We want to show the depth and breadth of the hospitality community so when people book meetings and conventions in St. Louis, they know there is a professional on the other end who works every day to help them,” Poindexter says.
The overall goal is to encourage this week’s visitors to return again soon with their own major events.
“This is our opportunity to showcase to the world that there is a business case to book meetings and conventions in St. Louis,” Poindexter says. “If you come here, all the hospitality assets that you need are here in the city, the professionals you need, and the infrastructure. This is a city that is well-versed in hospitality, well-versed in managing meetings and conventions well, and we also have all the great St. Louis culture music, sports, restaurants, green spaces, and museums. We have it all.”
