Campfire

Number of speakers: No formal speakers, only a moderator
Duration: 60 minutes

Just like a group of people sitting around a campfire listening to someone tell a story, a campfire session at a conference is an informal way of presenting and discussing topics with meeting attendees. 

It allows for participants in the group to become 'active' participants, or just stay 'passive' participants if they just want to listen in. It encourages the audience to ‘set the agenda’ by posting questions and discussion topics.

There is usually a moderator/lead person who gets the conversation going, but then takes a back seat and lets the conversation continue between those present. 

Time keeping isn’t really an issue either – if the group (or some of the group) decided to keep chatting that’s ok as well (they might need to move elsewhere though if the space is needed for another session). The moderator should try to keep topics moving so the group doesn’t get stuck on just one or two. Attendees can raise topics or pose questions through the app, and the moderator decides in which order to bring them up and how long to spend on each one.

To create an intimate feeling, capacity is usually capped at 20-40 people depending on the room size.

Campfire sessions focus on conversation and event networking, rather than projecting content and information.

This format is very informal and highly interactive.

Room set-up and audio-visual

The space is usually set up in a circle or semi-circle with comfortable seating.

There’s no formal presentation, and therefore there is no screen or projector. Some AV may be required, such as handheld microphones for the participants to use when they are in one of the ‘hot seats’. The moderator can choose to move around during the session or change seats. 

Key dates

6 Feb - Call for proposals opens

14 March - Call for proposals closes

May - Registration open

mid-June - Program released

31 July - Super early bird registration closes

12 September - Early bird registration closes

14–17 October – AIEC 2025

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