Event Host Guide & Resources

Welcome, host 👋

At a glance

Quick links

• How to host
• Submit your event
• Manage RSVPs & registration
• Venues & spaces
• Vendors & production
• Marketing toolkit
• Reduce no-shows
• Capture & amplify
• Code of Conduct & host responsibilities
• Signature & anchor programs
• Getting here & staying
• Key contacts
• Host success checklist

How to host a Boston AI Week event

Have an idea for an event? Bring it to the festival. Anyone can propose one — startups, enterprises, universities, investors, community groups, nonprofits, and cultural organizations all host. The steps are simple: decide what to run, pick a place and time, then submit it for review.

1. Decide what you want to host

Any AI-relevant format works. The most common ones:

What we're especially looking for in 2026:

• Practitioner-led substance over spectacle. Honest technical conversations, real deployments, and lessons learned beat product pitches every time.
• Hackathons and builder events. They pull in the engineers, researchers, and developers who make the ecosystem go.
• Applied AI tied to the theme — "AI in Business and in Life." How organizations put AI to work in core operations, and how communities experience it in education, culture, healthcare, and everyday work.
• Research showcases and academic sessions. Lectures, poster sessions, and labs opening their work to the community.
• For founders and investors, by founders and investors. Demo days, fundraising sessions, and gatherings for the seed, angel, and LP community.
• Newsworthy moments. Launches, announcements, and first looks that give attendees a reason to be in the room.

2. Pick a location

Boston AI Week is statewide, and in-person, virtual, and hybrid events are all welcome. In-person events should take place in Massachusetts; virtual and hybrid events are listed with a join link. Note: Boston AI Week does not provide venues — you arrange your own space (more help in Venues & spaces). You can host anywhere in the Commonwealth, but density helps attendance. The hubs that anchor the week:

3. Propose a day and time

Any day of the core week (Sept 24 – Oct 2) can work. Use Eastern Time for everything. Evenings suit meetups and mixers; daytime suits workshops, conferences, and career events. The Opening Party (Fri, Sept 25) and Closing Party (Fri, Oct 2) bookend the week in the Seaport. Aim to complement the anchor programs rather than collide with them — see Signature & anchor programs. Pick the date and time that genuinely works best for your audience — you know them best.

Submit your event

All events go through one official submission form. Complete it at aiweek.boston/host-event. There is no charge to list an approved event.

How it works

1. Submit your event. Provide your title, description, format, date and time, location (or virtual join link), capacity, and host details — plus your logo.
2. We review it. Every submission is reviewed for relevance and fit, and we follow up by email. Review is rolling — most events are approved within a couple of days (a week at most), and you can edit your listing after approval. The sooner you submit, the sooner you're listed.
3. Get listed & promoted. Approved events appear on the official schedule and on attendees' personal agendas with your name, logo, and description, plus inclusion in relevant promotion.

What we look for

Approvals come down to: clear relevance to AI, real value for attendees, a credible host, and alignment with our Code of Conduct. We prioritize substance over spectacle — promotional content disguised as a community event won't be approved. We may edit, decline, or remove a listing that is inaccurate, off-topic, unsafe, or inconsistent with the festival's values.

What you get once approved

A listing on the official, statewide schedule and on attendees' personal agendas — with your name, logo, and description. Inclusion in the official program (not a side event) and in relevant festival promotion. Visibility to founders, engineers, researchers, investors, operators, students, and enterprise buyers from across the Commonwealth.

Write a listing that fills the room

• Title: lead with the format and who it's for, and add your host name (e.g. "AI for Healthcare — Practitioner Panel, hosted by [Org]"). Strong, specific titles get more clicks.
• Description: at least three sentences. The best descriptions make two things obvious — who the event is for and why they should attend. You can keep editing after you submit.
• Date & time: accurate start and end times, in Eastern Time.
• Location: a real Massachusetts venue, or a join link for virtual / hybrid. You can list just the neighborhood publicly and share the exact address with confirmed guests closer to the date.
• Capacity & logo: set a realistic capacity and upload a clean, square logo where possible.
• Recurring meetup? Existing groups can run their regular meetup under the official Boston AI Week banner during the week — just submit it like any other event.

Manage RSVPs & registration

Boston AI Week lists your event and links out to your own registration page, so you choose the platform that fits — Luma, Meetup, Eventbrite, a sign-up on your own site, or whatever you already use. You manage RSVPs, screening, and any ticketing directly — your registration link is the official attendance list. Attendees may also RSVP on the Boston AI Week site to save your event to their personal schedule. Keep your listing details current if anything changes; if you submitted while signed in to your Boston AI Week account, you can edit (or cancel) your listing right on the site.

Screen and qualify your guests

Registration questions are the simplest way to get the right people in the room. Most hosts collect: name and email; job title / role and company or organization; LinkedIn profile; for technical events, a GitHub link (optional is fine).

Approve people promptly

Approve qualified applicants within about 7 days. The longer someone sits "pending," the less likely they are to attend — they'll fill that slot with another event. Decline applicants who aren't a fit quickly, so they can find another event. On most platforms, declined applicants aren't notified, so you may want to export your list and follow up directly where appropriate. Reveal the exact address closer to the date to confirmed guests (via your platform or a message) if you'd prefer not to publish it up front.

Running a paid event?

You handle ticketing on your own platform. Make the price, what's included, and the refund policy clear on the listing.

Venues & spaces

Boston AI Week does not provide venues — each host arranges their own space, and the venue, safety, accessibility, and any permits or insurance are the host's responsibility. In-person events should be held in Massachusetts. A few ways to find the right room:

• Use your own space or your network first. Company offices, university classrooms and auditoriums, and partner spaces are the fastest path — and free.
• Coworking and innovation hubs. Boston and Cambridge have a dense supply of coworking spaces, incubators, and innovation centers that host community events.
• Museums and cultural venues make memorable settings for public-facing or arts-and-AI events.
• Restaurants, bars, and event spaces work well for happy hours and mixers — many have private rooms or buyouts.
• Consider co-hosting. Partnering with another organization can unlock a venue, split costs, and double your reach. Ask sponsors and partners in your network too.

For virtual or hybrid events, pick a reliable platform, test your A/V and screen-sharing in advance, and assign someone to manage the chat, the queue, and admitting attendees.

Vendors & production

You're responsible for your event's production. Line these up early — good vendors book out fast around a busy festival week:

Marketing toolkit

Marketing your event is essential for a healthy turnout, and it's on you as the host. The official calendar gives you reach, but the events that fill up are the ones whose hosts also promote to their own communities. Plan to do both.

Brand & logos

Use the Boston AI Week name to your advantage. Mention that your event is part of Boston AI Week 2026 in your promotion. Create an event graphic — a simple, branded graphic boosts shares and clicks. To request the Boston AI Week logo and usage guidance, email info@aiweek.boston. Add your own logo on the submission form so it appears on your listing and attendee agendas.

Social

Use the hashtag #BostonAIWeek and tag the official accounts so we can find and reshare your posts: LinkedIn and the Meetup community. Post the listing link, your speakers, and the "why attend" angle. Tag your speakers, partners, and sponsors — their networks become your reach.

Join the coordinated launch

New events are added weekly and the full schedule publishes ahead of the festival. When the calendar goes live, do a marketing push — a coordinated wave across hundreds of hosts drives visibility and momentum for everyone. If you submit early, you can be part of launch announcements.

Marketing checklist

• Announce your event the day your listing goes live.
• Promote it to your own audience — email list, Slack/Discord, newsletter, and team.
• Send personalized 1:1 invites to people you really want there (and ask them to forward it).
• Send reminders — weekly in the run-up, then daily during festival week.
• Post live during the event and tag #BostonAIWeek.
• Share a recap afterward and thank attendees, speakers, and sponsors.

Reduce no-shows (attrition guidance)

Every event faces attrition — even with strong demand. (Last year, we were told every single event was at capacity.) Because most festival events are free and draw people from beyond your immediate network, expect a meaningful share of RSVPs not to show — commonly 50–70% or more, depending on format, location, weather, and timing. Paid events generally see less attrition. Plan for it from the start.

Tactics that work

• Promote to your own community. The warmer and more familiar your audience, the more likely they are to attend. Events that rely only on the public calendar see the worst attrition.
• Approve promptly. Confirm qualified guests within about 7 days so they commit to your event rather than another.
• Send personalized 1:1 invites. A direct, personal note to the people you most want there is one of the best ways to build a quality crowd.
• Over-invite to fill the room. As a rule of thumb, approve roughly 1.5–2× your capacity for free events. Use judgment so you don't oversell a hard-capped space.
• Remind, and confirm headcount. Weekly reminders, then daily during festival week. Ask people to tell you if their plans change so you get a clear count and can pull from a waitlist.
• Make it easy to show up. Clear logistics — address, transit, parking, start time, what to bring — remove friction and reduce drop-off.

Capture & amplify your event

Capture photos and video throughout your event — it's the most valuable thing you'll take away. Post during and after using #BostonAIWeek and tag Boston AI Week so we can reshare — we amplify great community content. Share a recap with your community, and collect emails or quick feedback so you can follow up and improve. Respect consent. Don't photograph, film, or record anyone against their wishes, and disclose if your event is being recorded — see the Code of Conduct below.

Code of Conduct & host responsibilities

Boston AI Week is committed to a welcoming, safe, inclusive, and professional experience for everyone. As a condition of being listed, every host agrees to uphold and enforce our Code of Conduct at their event. Please read it in full — the essentials:

As a host, you agree to:

• Uphold and enforce the Code of Conduct at your event, designate a point of contact for concerns, and handle any incident promptly and fairly.
• Practice responsible AI conduct. Represent demos, models, capabilities, and results honestly; don't use AI-generated content to harass, impersonate, defame, or deceive (including deepfakes of attendees or speakers); and respect intellectual property, data, and privacy.
• Run your own event. Boston AI Week lists events but does not produce, run, ticket, staff, insure, or supervise them. You're responsible for the venue, safety, accessibility, RSVP/ticketing, food and beverage, and any required permits or insurance, and for keeping your listing accurate and responding to attendees in a reasonable timeframe. Full details are in the Terms of Service.

Reporting & safety

If someone experiences or witnesses a violation, they can report it by emailing info@aiweek.boston, or — at an in-person event — speaking with an organizer, a volunteer, or you, the host.

Accessibility & accommodations

We want Boston AI Week to be accessible to all. Individual hosts are responsible for accessibility at their own events. If an attendee needs an accommodation, point them to info@aiweek.boston and we'll do our best to help.

Signature & anchor programs (2026)

These tentpole events anchor the week. Time your event to complement them — the parties bookend the festival, and the big draws concentrate the crowd on certain days. Details and the full, growing schedule live at aiweek.boston/schedule.

Getting here & staying

Coming in for the week, or hosting attendees from out of town? Boston is compact and well-served by transit — a few pointers: Stay central for Boston-area events. The Seaport, Downtown, and Back Bay keep you close to the most activity and the Opening / Closing parties. For Cambridge events, stay near Kendall Square. Hosting elsewhere in the state? Book lodging near your event's region — Worcester, the Pioneer Valley, the Berkshires, and other hubs each have their own options. Use the T. The MBTA subway, commuter rail, and Logan Airport connect the core neighborhoods; many venues are an easy walk or short ride apart. Book hotels early — fall is a busy season in Boston.

Key contacts & support

Host success checklist

1. 1

   4+ weeks out

   Lock your idea, venue, and date; submit on the form at aiweek.boston/host-event.

2. 2

   On approval

   Confirm your listing details, set up your RSVP/registration page, and create your event graphic.

3. 3

   3 weeks out

   Announce the event, open RSVPs, and start promoting to your community.

4. 4

   2 weeks out

   Send personalized 1:1 invites and your first round of reminders.

5. 5

   1 week out

   Send reminders, confirm headcount, and finalize logistics, A/V, and catering.

6. 6

   Day before / day of

   Send a final reminder, share the exact address with confirmed guests, brief your team, and assign your Code of Conduct point of contact.

7. 7

   During

   Capture photos and video and post with #BostonAIWeek.

8. 8

   After

   Share a recap, thank attendees and speakers, follow up on leads, and gather feedback.