Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About The Maine Women’s Conference
What are the dates for the 2020 conference? The Maine Women’s Conference 2020 will take place on October 7, 2020.
Where will the 2020 conference be held? The Maine Women’s Conference will take place at the Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland, Maine.
How much does it cost to attend the conference? Early Bird tickets ($125) are on sale from November 1, 2019 at midnight - May 31, 2020 at midnight. General Admission tickets ($149) are on sale from June 1, 2020 at 12:01 am - October 5, 2020 at 12:00 pm. Additionally, if you purchase a group of 10 tickets or more, you'll receive a 10% discount on each ticket! You can grab your ticket now by visiting THIS LINK. When you arrive at the Holiday Inn By The Bay for the conference, there will be a registration table in the lobby and a number of friendly volunteers to greet you and help you through the registration process. You will not need your ticket to attend - just tell us your name and we’ll find you on our list!
When does registration open? Registration is open now!
When does Early-Bird registration end? Early Bird tickets ($125) are on sale from November 1, 2019 at midnight - May 31, 2020 at midnight. You can grab your ticket now by visiting THIS LINK.
Can I get a discount if I purchase a group of tickets? Yes! If you purchase a group of 10 tickets or more, you'll receive a 10% discount on each ticket! You can grab your ticket now by visiting THIS LINK.
Can I register on-site/on the day of the conference? We hope so - but the answer may be “no”! Last year, our conference sold out early and tickets were not available at the door so we encourage you to grab your ticket early! You can grab your ticket now by visiting THIS LINK.
I have already registered, but I can no longer attend. What is your cancellation policy? Can one of my colleagues attend in my place? Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to another person. More information about the ticket transfer deadline and how to transfer your ticket will be available soon.
Is there an exhibit hall for the conference? Yes! We have an “Experience Hall” to showcase the amazing businesses that help Maine thrive. You can learn more about the Experience Hall HERE.
Are there age restrictions for conference attendees? Children under the age of 18 must be escorted by a parent or guardian.
Is parking available at the conference location? Yes! The Holiday Inn By The Bay will offer free parking in their parking garage (available on a first come-first served basis). There is also additional on-street parking available near the hotel (hourly rate may apply). We encourage you to carpool or Uber if you can!
Are their overnight accommodations for the conference? Yes! It’s easy as pie to book a room at the Holiday In By The Bay - and you can use our block rate! There will be a limited number of rooms available, so be sure to book your room asap. Simply call 1-800-345-5050 to reach the hotel reservations department directly and mention that you're a part of The Maine Women's Conference.
Will meals be served at the conference? Yes! For breakfast, We’ll be serving a continental breakfast in the Experience Hall from 7:00am - 8:15am. Arrive in plenty of time to grab a bite before we begin! During our lunch hour, we’ll be providing you with a delicious boxed lunch. After lunch, be sure to visit our terrific Vendors in the Experience Hall! We’ll have coffee, tea, and water available all day in the Experience Hall as well as snacks and an iced coffee bar to enjoy.
I have dietary restrictions - how can I communicate this? When you purchase your ticket, you will be asked about dietary restrictions (gluten free/dairy free/vegetarian/vegan), and rest assured that we’ll provide you with what you need. If you did not indicate your dietary restrictions when you ordered your ticket, please contact info@themainewomensconference.org to let us know no later than October 1, 2020). If you do not let us know of your dietary restrictions, there is no guarantee that we will be able to provide you with food that meets your dietary needs.
When will the final agenda for the conference be released? We will release the final conference agenda in Summer, 2020. We will be sure to let you know on social media and in email newsletters when the agenda is available!
What materials should I bring to the conference? We suggest business cards, a notebook, a pen or pencil, and an open mind! We’ll have everything else covered for you (including lunch, snacks, and printed materials).
Are there opportunities to speak at The Maine Women’s Conference? Yes! Applications to be a Breakout Session Speaker are being accepted through January 31, 2020 and you will find all the information you need to know HERE. Potential Breakout Sessions Speakers are encouraged to submit proposals designed to lead participants to new insight, resources, and tools needed to take action in their life as it relates to the topic of the session. Our Breakout Session Speakers are not compensated financially, but speakers will receive a complimentary ticket to the event and are welcome to add promotional materials as well as book sales to their assigned speaking area.
Our Keynote Speaker selection is handled internally and there is not an external application process. Keynote Speakers for The Maine Women's Conference are financially compensated. If you are interested in connecting with our Keynote Speaker selection committee for the conference, please email info@themainewomensconference.org with your name, website, and proposed topic and we will be in touch if we feel that your topic is a good fit for our conference.
How do I become a sponsor of The Maine Women’s Conference? Oh, we’d love to talk with you about becoming a sponsor! Sponsorship packages are available at three levels – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each sponsorship level comes with its own perks and recognition from being featured on our website and other promotional materials to sponsoring a prominent Keynote or Breakout Session. Please contact info@themainewomensconference.org today to discuss how your organization and The Maine Women’s Conference can collaborate. Find out more on our Sponsorship page.
Is The Maine Women’s Conference affiliated with any other organizations? The Maine Women’s Conference is its own 501C3 nonprofit organization and it is not affiliated with other businesses or organizations, but we do work closely with Community Partners to spread the word about our conference.
Where did the inspiration come from to start a new conference in Maine focused on women? The original inspiration for the Maine Women’s Conference came from a small group of Maine women who attended the Massachusetts Women’s Conference and thought, “We should do something similar in Maine!” That small group wanted to explore the potential for an annual large conference that would bring together women of all walks of life (and from the many women’s groups that already exist here in Maine). Thus, the idea was born!
Is The Maine Women’s Conference just an event, or are you a whole new organization? In August of 2017, the Maine Women’s Conference received 501c3 status, making us an officially recognized nonprofit organization. MEWC is NOT just a conference - we are a whole new women’s organization in the making! We do not seek to compete with existing women’s organizations, but instead wish to increase awareness of these existing opportunities and offer Maine women ongoing inspiration and motivation as they chase their personal and professional dreams.
How was your Board formed? The Board of The Maine Women’s Conference was created from an original group of women coming together to explore the idea of hosting the conference. After it was clear that the “idea” of such a conference was intriguing to so many, more members of the community stepped up to volunteer their time to be a part of our efforts and we began to create committees to manage the planning and execution of tasks as the conference idea grew in size and depth. Our Board is now strong with representation from women in a number of different fields with varying perspectives. Our Board Members volunteer their time each month to actively participate in the communications, development, and planning of both this year’s conference and the organization as a whole. Read more about our Board.
How can men be involved with the conference? We welcome men to attend the conference, apply to become Breakout Session Speakers, Volunteer, Sponsor, and/or apply to be an Exhibitor in our Marketplace. Any man who supports women is a man we want in our orbit - women aren’t in this alone!
How can I get involved with The Maine Women’s Conference? There are a number of ways to help with planning the day-of event and with the organization overall. We would love to have you get involved! We are currently seeking volunteers to assist on committees, during the event planning process, and on the day of the event. Follow the links below to be redirected to more information about each opportunity.
Become a Board Member or Committee Member
Submit a proposal to be a Breakout Session Speaker
Volunteer (please email info@themainewomenscnference.org if you are interested in becoming a volunteer!)
Apply to be an Exhibitor in our Experience Hall
Where can I find The Maine Women’s Conference on social media? We are active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - we’d love to see you there to join our community and participate in the conversation! Our hashtag is #MEWC, and we’ll be using #MEWC2020 to talk about this year’s conference.
I have additional questions. Who should I reach out to? We would love to hear from you! Please email info@themainewomensconference.org if you have additional questions.