April 28, 2026 (San Diego, CA) — SommCon Conference & Beverage Expo is now accepting speaker proposals for its 2026 San Diego gathering, inviting beverage professionals, educators, and industry leaders to contribute to a program built around how beverage programs are evolving in real time.
SommCon is seeking speakers who can bring practical insight, thoughtful perspective, and experience-driven education to a highly engaged audience shaping today’s beverage programs.
Returning to San Diego November 3–5, 2026, SommCon convenes buyers, operators, importers, distributors, suppliers, and media for a three-day conference designed to translate education into real-world application. The program blends advanced seminars, tasting-driven learning, and a focused trade tasting environment through the SommCon Beverage Expo.
New and returning programming reflects the realities of today’s industry. This includes the Profitability Bootcamp, a business-focused track addressing pricing strategy, margin pressure, inventory, and program performance, alongside regional deep dives, advanced tasting seminars, and conversations exploring shifts in consumer behavior, market dynamics, and category evolution.
Speaker proposals are now open across key areas of focus, including:
- Regional and varietal exploration
- Sensory and advanced tasting methodology
- Beverage program operations and profitability
- Sales, distribution, and market access
- Marketing, community, and audience engagement
- Leadership, culture, and career development
- Sustainability and the future of beverage
Selected speakers will receive a complimentary full conference pass, including access to all programming, networking events, and the SommCon Beverage Expo.
Applications are due by Friday, May 15, 2026. Submit a proposal:
https://app.sessionboard.com/submit/sommcon-sandiego-2026/2303a3f8-b178-4a63-9542-425411a0b6d4
Brands interested in sponsored seminars should contact partner@sommconusa.com.
ABOUT SOMMCON: SommCon® is a leading conference and beverage expo for professionals across the wine, beer, and spirits industry, bringing together beverage buyers, operators, educators, and brand leaders for education designed to translate into real-world application. Through a combination of advanced seminars, tasting-driven learning, and a focused trade tasting environment, SommCon serves as a platform for the conversations, insights, and relationships that shape how beverage programs are built, run, and experienced today.
Beyond the conference, SommCon extends its impact through scholarships and ongoing educational opportunities that increase access and support the development of the next generation of beverage professionals. SommCon also produces Concours d’Spirits and Concours d’Vin – impartial competitions for domestic and international wines and spirits – in partnership with The SOMM Journal. SommCon is produced by Fast Forward, an event management and media company specializing in consumer and business events across wine, beer, spirits, culinary, and hospitality.
