New Location and Dates: January 21-23, 2025 in Monterey, CA
July 22, 2024 – Registration is now open for the 18th annual Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium. Presented by, and as a fundraiser for, Free the Grapes!, this year’s conference sees exciting changes in a new location and expanded time frame. It will be held January 21-23, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, CA. Register now for some of the most attractive Early Bird pricing the conference has offered to date; https://dtcwinesymposium.com/
Celebrating its 18th year as the nation’s premier industry conference dedicated to winery direct-to-consumer sales and marketing, the 2025 event will see new aspects, alongside the quality content attendees have come to expect. These moves come in response to attendee requests over several years; the new location offers more access to attendees from other parts of the state, as well as providing more options for moments outside of the conference agenda. “We’re thrilled to be opening registration for what we feel will be one of our most exciting conferences to date,” says Brian Baker, DTCWS Event Chair and Founder of Cultivar Marketing. “Our move to Monterey and a new, larger venue allows us to broaden our community and offer an elevated experience, especially for our loyal attendees.”
Another change of note is that the conference will expand the agenda to three days. This new schedule better accommodates travel to and from the conference, starting in the afternoon of January 21 and wrapping up in the afternoon of January 23. The opening afternoon and evening will now include sessions and experiences created with See Monterey. “2025 is bringing a lot of fresh approach to DTCWS, but to sure – all attendees will still enjoy the high-quality content you’ve come to expect,” assures Thea Schlendorf, Executive Director of Free the Grapes! The DTCWS Steering Committee works closely with industry professionals to present case studies, supporting data, and solutions to today’s winery DTC challenges. Topics will touch on the most current issues through thought-provoking keynotes, actionable workshop sessions, Town Hall-type discussions, and a tradeshow of the industry’s leading suppliers. As the industry and times evolve, so too does the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium, in all areas.
Brian encourages, “all DTC professionals in the wine industry to work this into your plans for 2025 as soon as possible. This conference will provide cutting-edge ideas you can integrate into your programs as soon as you return home.” Take advantage of special discounts from the conference’s hotel partner, Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa, to extend your stay and enjoy the longer holiday weekend preceding the conference dates, January 21-23, 2025. Early Bird pricing for conference tickets will expire at midnight on November 1, 2024.
Information on sponsorship opportunities and a call for workshop proposals will be available on the DTCWS website shortly, and session topics and speakers will be finalized in the fall. For updates, please visit https://dtcwinesymposium.com/.
Subscribe to Free the Grapes! newsletter at https://freethegrapes.org/ and/or follow the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium on LinkedIn and on Instagram @dtcws.
About the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium & Free the Grapes!
The Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium is presented by, and as a fundraiser for, Free the Grapes! The annual DTCWScelebrates its 18th year as the nation’s premier industry conference dedicated to winery DTC sales and marketing. DTCWS funds the Free the Grapes! (FTG) campaign, which seeks to expand consumer choice in wine with legal, regulated DTC shipments. FTG works closely with industry lobbyists and regional associations to streamline onerous shipping regulations and to increase the number of legal states, which has grown from 17 to 47 and represents 98% of the US population. Free the Grapes! executes state-specific advocacy campaigns encouraging consumers to write to their legislators and works with media and advocacy groups to keep the issue alive in support of favorable legislation.
https://dtcwinesymposium.com/
https://freethegrapes.org
