Weekends Are No Longer Off-Limits for Business Events


Man with baby at a conference.

Skift Take

Weekend business events have shed their taboo status, emerging as an opportunity that can enrich, rather than intrude upon, family time.

Weekends and holidays were once considered untouchable for business events due to concerns about disrupting family and personal time. However, the shift to remote work has changed this.

“We live in a blended society where what was taboo is no longer taboo. The days of you can’t have meetings over the weekend are over,” said Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI).

Blurring the Lines 

Many who work remotely report working on the weekend. The traditional Monday-to-Friday schedule is a thing of the past. “Remote work has blurred the lines between work and home life. This makes weekends just as viable for business events as weekdays. For many professionals, the question isn’t, ‘Should I work on a weekend?’ It’s ‘How do I integrate my work and personal life in a way that makes sense?’” said Debbie Garcia, CEO of Virsitour.

Debbie Garcia and her family in New York City, where she was attending a conference.

"As an event professional and a mother, I’ve seen firsthand how work and family are no longer separate worlds — they coexist. I’ve brought my family to conferences, turning business trips into shared experiences,” said Garcia. “With remote work reshaping our schedules, weekend events aren’t intruding on family time — they’re evolving to include it."

One spring break, she brought her family along to a conference she was attending in New York. “From visiting family, catching a Broadway show, and exploring museums, it made the experience more valuable, both professionally and personally,” she said. “More and more attendees are doing the same, transforming conferences into family-inclusive experiences.”

Weekend Meetings Are a Break for Some

“We’re seeing a shift where even dates like Presidents’ Day weekend are being considered for events. So many people are working from home and getting away to attend a weekend event is getting away from the office,” said Dominguez.

The rise of blending business with leisure  has fueled weekend meetings. Attendees increasingly extend their trips, arriving early or staying late to explore destinations with their families. Weekend conferences allow participants to spend quality time with loved ones while fulfilling professional commitments. 

To accommodate this demand, many organizers are incorporating family-friendly programming, such as children’s activities, enabling parents to attend meetings while their children are cared for.

Shifts in Scheduling Norms

Compression of dates is also fueling this trend. A surge in postponed events during the pandemic forced many to reconsider traditional scheduling norms. Surprisingly, events held on weekends or holidays maintained strong attendance, debunking fears of participant drop-off.

“Coming out of the pandemic, groups needed to meet, and they took chances on dates and patterns and what they found was it wasn't detrimental to attendance no output,” said Dominguez.

A key to whether weekend meetings will be successful is knowing your audience. “When I planned medical meetings, it was preferred to have meetings over the weekend so that the physicians could attend to their patients during the week,” said Melinda Burdette, a meeting and event architect. “That is not to say that we did not prioritize family time as we typically had spouse and child programming during the day and the evening events were also typically family friendly.”

Price is a factor. “Sometimes, associations or others shy away from weekends or holidays to take advantage of discounted pricing. Plus, there is often more availability during the week versus a weekend,” said Burdette. “If you are flexible on timing, talking to target hotels about where they have gaps in occupancy and space rental can sometimes result in even steeper discounts.”

It’s always a good idea to hear from your attendees. “If you have never held meetings over weekends and are considering it, you should poll your target audience to see if they would support it,” said Burdette.

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