EventMania Festival will return for its third consecutive year on September 8, 2026 at the SkyLight Gallery, Arjaan by Rotana Dubai Media City, marking its largest and most ambitious edition to date.

Building on steady growth since its launch in 2024, the annual gathering for the events industry is introducing a new dual-format programme that expands its reach to Dubai's wedding sector while maintaining its networking platform for event professionals.

Since debuting with 300 participants in 2024, EventMania has grown to 400 attendees in 2025 and now enters its third year with an expanded programme designed to bring together suppliers, event planners, venues, corporate buyers and wedding professionals under one roof.

Organisers have also shifted the festival one day earlier in the industry calendar, moving the event from 9 September to 8 September to avoid clashes with other major industry gatherings and provide attendees with greater flexibility during the busy events season.

Positioned as a networking festival built by the industry for the industry, EventMania aims to facilitate direct business connections through live interactions rather than traditional exhibition formats.

The event brings together suppliers, artists, production companies, contractors and service providers with event managers, hotel representatives, corporate HR teams, private clients and wedding planners in a single afternoon of structured meetings, presentations and networking.

At the heart of the festival remains the Event Maze, a speed-networking concept that has become the event's signature attraction.

The format enables up to 200 suppliers to rotate through 40 meeting tables, delivering three-minute presentations to seated event buyers and decision-makers.

Organisers say the fast-paced format continues to be one of the highest-rated elements of the festival, offering participants an efficient way to introduce their services, generate leads and establish new business relationships.

A major addition for 2026 is the launch of Wedding Mania, a dedicated programme running alongside the main festival to serve Dubai's expanding wedding market.

The new platform creates a focused environment for wedding planners, venues, décor specialists, photographers, bridal service providers and other wedding suppliers to connect with both industry professionals and prospective clients.

Wedding Mania will operate in two phases. The daytime B2B programme will feature exhibitions, networking sessions, workshops and panel discussions for wedding industry professionals.

In the evening, the festival will transition into a B2C experience, opening its doors to engaged couples and brides through free pre-registered admission, allowing them to meet suppliers and explore wedding planning services directly.

The new wedding stream is supported by media and information partner BrideClubMe.com, a wedding industry resource across the GCC.

As part of the festival's "360° Event Marketing" speaker series, three industry experts will headline the Wedding Mania stage, exploring topics including storytelling, branding and customer engagement.

Speakers include Gauri Chadha, Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Big Night Events, presenting How to Turn an Event into a Cinematic Story; Vaishali Shah, Founder of Creative ID and Ananya Cards, discussing The Art of Being Remembered; and Rhiannon Downie Hurst, Founder of Bride Club ME, delivering Every Touchpoint Matters: 360° Marketing for Event Pros. Together, the sessions will examine brand building, audience trust and marketing strategies within the competitive luxury events and wedding sectors.

The festival programme begins at 11:00am with registration and the exhibition opening, followed by the Event Maze networking sessions from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

Afternoon activities include a live show programme, TED Zone presentations and open networking until 6:00pm. Wedding Mania's professional programme runs from 11:00am to 5:00pm before welcoming consumer visitors from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

EventMania returns to the SkyLight Gallery at Arjaan by Rotana Dubai Media City, a venue recognised for its spacious layout, high-ceilinged crystal-roof design and central location near the entrance to Palm Jumeirah. The venue also offers ample parking and valet services for participants.

The festival's general media partner is EventMag.Me, which will provide editorial coverage before and after the event, featuring exhibitors, partners and expert contributors while extending participants' visibility beyond the festival itself. -TradeArabia News Service