Momentum, messaging, and experiences as speakers and attendees at the 18,000 person annual conference for event planners.
As two sober gals in the nonalcoholic space for years, it was awesome to be welcomed into the world of event planners, hospitality, and travel at the IMEX America Conference in Las Vegas Oct 12-15 at Mandalay Bay. Seattle-based Juanita Unger, The NA Sommelier, and I (Jen Veralle, Mindful Drinking Movement, Minneapolis) were first-time attendees to this annual global conference for the events industry. We navigated IMEX’s education events, tradeshow floor, wellness offerings, and evening parties along with 18,000 others, and had several opportunities to share our knowledge and experiences in the nonalcoholic and events world.
Past years’ IMEX attendees got a taste for the growing nonalcoholic conversation from David T. Stevens of Olympian Meetings, who emceed a panel of nonalcoholic product makers in 2025; and Laura Nelson of Sober Life Rocks, author of The Inclusive Event Planner, and co-host of the upcoming Amplify Sober Choices Conference in Phoenix, March 12-13, 2027, who presented a session on the importance and impact of offering nonalcoholic options at events in 2025.
Juanita and I built on this momentum throughout the 2026 IMEX Conference with an awareness of the foundation that David and Laura provided. We found a readiness this year for more robust exposure on the topic of nonalcoholic options and inclusivity in hospitality. From the IMEX planning team saying yes to the talk we pitched months in advance and delivered, our feature on a podcast and media opportunity on the show floor, to my inclusion on a panel designed to draw attention to the changing food and beverage preferences of event attendees, we experienced attendees’ heightened interest and awareness through many conversations post events and while we networked on the show floor. It was invigorating!
Here’s a sampling of our IMEX schedule:
Day 1 at IMEX
On Monday, October 12, we attended an Event at F1 Arcade at Caesar's Palace hosted by my travel /retreat partner, Nikki McLain, McLain Collective, for the company’s partners in global travel destinations. We talked with global travel industry contacts, getting their take on the nonalcoholic scene in their countries. Although the nonalcoholic menu Nikki and team were assured would be available didn’t come to fruition due to a breakdown behind the scenes at the venue that we’re still exploring, we did enjoy beautiful belts custom selected and sized onsite by corporate gifting company Mel Boteri and AI-generated travel postcards by The Brand Booth.
Day 2 at IMEX
On Tuesday, October 13, Juanita and I were guests on Tracy Stuckrath’s podcast, Eating at a Meeting. Tracy, a pioneer in the food sensitivities space and event menu development, produced five podcasts during the conference. Our episode is here. I’ve known Tracy since she cold called me in Minneapolis in December 2022 to meet while she was in town. I had the honor of being a third-time guest on the show and the conversation at IMEX, with Juanita’s fresh takes, felt like a conversation at the bar among long-time friends who’ve experienced a lot of barriers – and triumphs – in our closely connected missions around inclusivity.
That same day, we had the pleasure of being interviewed on the show floor by the VIPnet Media duo of Maria Ngo and Ray DuGray. Their model for event coverage capitalizes on the energy during the event by talking with a wide variety of people in various roles and their reason for being at IMEX. A fantastic interviewer, Maria also lent her experience of events in relation to nonalcoholic offerings and drinking culture to our conversation. We loved her enthusiasm for the work we’re doing!
Day 3 at IMEX
On Wednesday, October 14, I joined a panel: Exceeding Expectations in the Contemporary Culinary Experience with Zena Phillips, Senior Director at Hilton, Tracy Stuckrath, and Monique Rochard-Marine, Head of Global Commercial Services at Cordis, for a conversation on consumers’ food and beverage preferences and how they impact the bar menu and what's on the buffet, and how as event planners to plan for and anticipate these changes. Over 150 folks were in the audience while Zena guided us in topics from menu design to sustainability and food waste, Monique shared her journey and insightful perspective on GLP-1s, and I shared my experiences as a person in sobriety navigating event menus for over a decade.
At the panel’s end, an Event Rap rap artist eloquently summarized the session with a rap, appropriately titled Exceed Expectations. Watch it here. It was high energy and I felt hopeful that the attendees would take the message and passionately apply it to their roles in the industry.
Our Talk: Beyond the Alcohol-centric Bar
Later the afternoon, Juanita and I co-presented our talk: Beyond the Alcohol-centric Bar and served up Parch Spirits as a model of ready-to-drink nonalcoholic excellence. In 25 minutes, we shared a broad view of consumer preferences and expectations when it comes to alcohol. Forty-five percent of Americans aren’t drinking alcohol, and when they attend events they’re acutely aware of how you handle the beverage bar. We described the cultural shifts we’ve seen in workplace and events and what’s next in hospitality, i.e. a top shelf nonalcoholic beverage offering. We broke down the pillars of what inclusive, elevated programming actually looks like from category fluency and organizational buy-in, to marketing and the menu.
Following our talk, we connected with resort owners, food and beverage directors, event planners, and leaders in companies who host large-scale conferences. About half of those we talked to already had nonalcoholic offerings and a desire to do more with existing programs, the rest said they were encouraged to proceed gaining more buy-in in their organizations with the cultural and tactical pieces we mapped out.
MORE INFO on OUR ACTIVITIES at IMEX
Off the Stage, On the Floor
The IMEX floor showcased exhibitors from all over the world: luxury hotels, travel agents, country representatives, and more. Many offered complimentary food and drinks, including plenty of coffee stands (many very high-level espresso bar offerings), a few full bars, and lots of snacks. But adult non-alcoholic beverages were almost nowhere to be found, and when they did exist, there was no signage or mention of them anywhere.
A few exhibitors deserve a big shout-out including The Dominican Republic, SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), and Caesar’s. The Dominican Republic booth served Morir Soñando, a traditional drink of orange juice and milk, creamy and bright. The name translates to “to die dreaming,” which, in Juanita’s opinion, is how a good drink should make you feel. We were also very pleased to attend the SITE booth for a celebratory 3:00 happy hour with cake and Martinelli’s served alongside alcoholic champagne.
We spent the most time marveling at the sparkling water bar at the Caesars booth on the show floor. It was an unexpected standout although not too surprising, since Caesars has developed solid wellness initiatives over past years. They boasted a beautiful bar top lined with gorgeous pink etched martini glasses, filled with something clear and bubbly and garnished with care. NA Cheers to this experience!
After three full days in Vegas, presentations and being in conversation on the show floor, we loved the Circadian Cove existed. David T. Stevens and Ariadni Pereira and team created this oasis amid activity at IMEX for the second year running. The Cove, with its subdued lighting and location tucked away from the masses, provided a needed and an immediate nervous system reset. The offerings included VR therapy, compression therapy, and sound bath sessions and a full menu of speakers on the half-hour each day addressing brain health, metabolism, breathwork, and more.
Our Take
There are hidden gems of nonalcoholic excellence and inclusivity everywhere, even in Vegas. Our conversations with attendees and nonalcoholic offerings on the show floor proved that real hospitality for non-drinkers exists, and it can be stunning.
There’s still a lot of work to do, especially at events. When the biggest conference for our industry can’t offer more than one nonalcoholic spirit brand on the entire property, and, as the case in most Vegas restaurants, one nonalcoholic beer (sourced from their distributor and a likely because they carry the alcoholic version) and Martinelli’s, that’s a gap worth closing. And a reminder: it’s not just about what’s in the glass. It’s about whether guests can find it on the menu, and whether your team has the training and freedom to deliver it.
Inclusive hospitality isn’t about one bottle on the back bar or tucked away in a cooler. It’s about making sure everyone has something delicious in their glass, regardless of the ABV. We’re happy to help pave the way in this conversation and will be seeking even more nonalcoholic in Vegas when IMEX America returns to Vegas in 2027!
The NA Sommelier produces top shelf nonalcoholic bar experiences in Seattle and nationally, working with onsite caterers and event planners on everything from beverage creation to product access and execution on the NA bar. Jen Veralle of Mindful Drinking Movement, speaks nationally and addresses the barriers to nonalcoholic product access, and the cultural conversations that pair with the nonalcoholic experience as they relate to creating belonging and inclusivity. We often team up to share our services as they are complementary. More information at: thenasommelier.com and jenveralle.com
