The COVID-19 pandemic claimed two more victims recently — two major annual fatherhood conferences. However, both will be resurrected in an online “virtual” format.
Organizers of HomeDadCon, a gathering of at-home fathers, and Dad 2.0, a more marketing/branding oriented event, called off in-person events scheduled for this October. However, each group has decided to pivot to digital versions of their fatherhood conferences where participants can watch and listen to presentations and socialize via video conferencing.
(DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group has been a long-time sponsor and partner with both organizations putting on the conferences.)
Jonathan Heisey-Grove, president of The National At-Home Dad Network, announced July 17 via the nonprofit’s website that its board of directors voted to “postpone” the Oct. 8-10 event in Cincinnati until next year out of health and safety concerns for attendees. The conference would have been the support and advocacy group’s 25th annual affair.
It its place, the organization announced on August 6, via its Facebook page, that “DadCon@Home 2020” — a two-day online event would take its place. For $50, people could take part in a virtual social event on the night of Oct. 9 and a one-day convention Oct. 10 that would include “some exciting speakers, our board’s annual meeting (with the election of new directors), some breakout sessions, and in the evening, our DadCon@Home Social ‘wrap party’ – a chance for you guys to hang out and socialize,” the announcement reads.
The $50 fee was broken down as $35 for membership to organization and $15 for conference expenses, the statement reads. Scholarships would be available for those with financial need.
* Buy a ticket to DadCon@Home 2020 *
Dad 2.0 — billed as an event for marketers, social media leaders, blogging parents and regular dads to discuss modern fatherhood — had planned an Oct. 1-3 event in Los Angeles. On July 24, organizers announced via its blog that the event would happen online on the same dates as Dad 2.0 Digital.
“We can still have all the programming you’re used to — keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops … readings … all designed to help you become better entrepreneurs, influencers, writers, fathers, and men,” the post reads. “But we can also add options like 1:1 networking with sponsors and mentors, coordinated viewing parties, and online activities with prizes.”
Dad 2.0 celebrated its ninth annual conference in February with a Washington, D.C., event and planned to switch to smaller, more focused regional events multiple times a year, starting with the L.A. conference.
The Dad 2.0 Digital conference would cost $99 for just that event or $149 for the digital conference and a ticket to its 2021 conference. It offered no details as to whether 2021 would also be digital, in-person or when/where it would take place.
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