SpeakFest 2026 is scheduled to take place May 11–14, 2026, at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, bringing together speakers, educators, scholars, program directors, executives, and institutional leaders from across the United States and internationally. The multi-day conference is designed for professionals whose work centers on communication, leadership, education, and influence.
The conference is positioned as a national convening for individuals who use their voice strategically within their organizations, institutions, and communities. Attendees include professional speakers, subject-matter experts, educators, administrators, and leaders who guide programs, shape messaging, and influence decision-making across sectors such as education, business, wellness, and nonprofit organizations.
These professionals represent a diverse range of industries but share a common goal: harnessing the power of their voices to drive meaningful change and impact. SpeakFest offers a platform for these individuals to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another, enhancing their ability to influence and inspire in their respective fields. The conference fosters an environment where participants can expand their networks, gain insights from peers, and discover new strategies to elevate their impact. It also provides a space for emerging voices to engage with seasoned professionals, fostering mentorship and growth.
SpeakFest enters the professional development and leadership landscape with a focus on access, visibility, and real-world opportunity. In addition to structured programming, the conference offers select participants the opportunity to be evaluated in person for placement on large-scale speaker tours and institutional platforms. Live audition opportunities are built into the conference experience, allowing speakers to be seen and considered for future bookings beyond the event itself.
Rather than functioning solely as an educational forum, SpeakFest is designed to operate at the intersection of learning and opportunity. Programming addresses leadership development, professional positioning, certifications, grant access, institutional engagement, and wellness, as well as the systems that support sustainable speaking and advisory work. These sessions are intended to support professionals who are actively seeking to expand their reach, consistency, and impact.
The conference also creates space for meaningful connections between speakers and the organizations that book and support professional speakers. Attendees include individuals with purchasing authority, program oversight, and influence within schools, universities, conferences, and organizations nationwide. By bringing speakers and decision-makers into the same environment, SpeakFest facilitates alignment between talent and opportunity.
SpeakFest reflects broader shifts within the speaking and leadership ecosystem, where professionals increasingly seek platforms that offer more than inspiration. As the industry becomes more structured and competitive, speakers are seeking environments that offer visibility, evaluation, and access to larger stages. SpeakFest is designed to meet that demand by embedding opportunity into the conference structure itself.
In addition to speaker-focused programming, SpeakFest serves as a platform for organizations and partners to engage a highly influential audience. Attendees represent a cross-section of leaders who shape programming, guide initiatives, and influence purchasing and booking decisions within their institutions. This creates opportunities for collaboration and engagement beyond the conference dates.
The Savannah Convention Center was selected as the host venue for a conference of this scale, providing the infrastructure necessary to accommodate a national audience while offering accessibility for attendees traveling from across the country. Savannah’s location enables SpeakFest to serve as a centralized meeting point for professionals from diverse regions and institutions.
As SpeakFest prepares for its 2026 debut, the conference aims to establish itself as a recurring platform for speakers and leaders navigating the next phase of professional visibility and growth. By combining education, access, and evaluation within a single environment, SpeakFest positions itself as a national conference focused on opportunity and advancement.
Additional details, including speaker announcements, audition opportunities, and registration information, will be released in the coming months.
