Temperatures are soaring across the U.S., and what’s typically a slower time in the trade show industry is filled instead with a bevy of industry meetings.

Destination Marketing Association International’s Annual Convention is on tap July 16-18 in Seattle and will kick off with an opening keynote by Jason Ryan Dorsey, known as “The Gen Y Guy”, who will discuss “Crossing the Generational Divide: Leveraging the Power of Generations for Your Strategic Advantage.”

Other events on the schedule for the three-day event include a volunteer activity with locally based Seattle Works to help repair a Seattle tourism site.

There also will be DMAI’s Global All-Stars Marketing Institute that will provide inspiration, ideas and insights firsthand from energetic, expert panelists from some of the world's most exciting destinations and renowned travel research experts.

In addition, there will be several days of educational sessions and networking opportunities, including the Opening Celebration, featuring local chefs, Washington wines and insider entertainment from four Washington destinations – Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue and Spokane.

For more information please visit http://annual.destinationmarketing.org/.

Also in July is thenewly named Exhibit & Event Marketers Association (E2MA) 3rd Annual Red Diamond Congress July 10-12 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

The opening keynote will be given by Gary Slack, CEO of Slack and Company, on “Transforming the Organization”, a look inside the challenges he faced, and the opportunities created, as president of the Business Marketing Association.   

The event also will feature the debut of The Expo Group’s Exhibit Manager of the Year Awards, as well as a gala during which several other honors, such as the Intrepid Award, will be given to an individual or organization that excelled in customer service.

A full schedule and registration information can be found HERE.

In August, two more association meetings hit the calendar – the American Society of Association Executive’s Annual Meeting & Expo will take place Aug. 11-14 in Dallas and the Society of Independent Show Organizers’ Executive Conference will take place Aug. 13-15 in Chicago.

The ASAE event kicks off with a concert by country singers Big & Rich and food prepared by award-winning chefs at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

The next few days are packed with networking and educational activities, including an Opening General Session with James Carville, a longtime advisor to President William Jefferson Clinton, and Karl Rove, one of President George W. Bush's closest confidants and advisors, that will be moderated by Michelle Bernard, political analyst, MSNBC and founder, The Bernard Center for Women, Politics and Public Policy.

There also are some volunteer activities that will benefit the North Texas Food Bank, as well as plethora of learning sessions in all shapes and sizes and an expo showfloor featuring suppliers to the association industry.

For more information please visit http://www.asaeannualmeeting.org/.

The SISO event also promises to be filled with interesting educational opportunities focusing on the theme of digital models, social models, virtual content and sales strategies.

The event will be held at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel and will start off with an opening keynote by   Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute & Content Marketing World, talking about “The Content Marketing Revolution”.

Other sessions throughout the day will include “Surfing the Digital Media Wave to More Attendance”, “Community Engagement as an Audience Builder” and “Mastering the Art of Negotiation”.

The event will be capped off by interactive negotiating workshops and a reception dinner.

For more information please visit HERE.