It's a Season for Change, Fun and Rediscovery

I love the "back to the school" season. It starts with hints of fall weather, the not-so- subtle retail nudges of pumpkins and Halloween, and then soaking up the Labor Day weekend with family and friends. School starts and kids have a more "regular routine" and maybe your pool, mall or Starbucks is a bit quieter. You get to rediscover your fall wardrobe, anticipate when the leaves will change color, and look forward to the holiday season.

For as much as I’ll complain about the busy event season by November, it brings me a sense of nostalgia for fall programs to get kicked off. After all the planning, designing and consulting, to see the live meeting come to life is a sense of accomplishment, and despite the long hours, a bit of joy.

The Potomac Chapter of MPI is excited to partner with the Capital Chapter of PCMA again this year for an Oktoberfest celebration on Monday, September 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Penn Social. It’s the perfect opportunity to visit with industry colleagues, make new connections, and toast to the fall season.  

Oktoberfest began with a royal wedding on October 12, 1810 where Crown Prince Ludwig invited the locals to participate in the festivities. Over time, Oktoberfest has included horse races, an agricultural showcase, carousel rides and a celebration of beer. In 2015, the 182nd Oktoberfest in Munich boasts the largest festival in the world. Similar to the planning involved for the Munich event, the joint PCMA CC and PMPI team have been creating the experience for Oktoberfest locally with support from Visit Indy, Visit Milwaukee, Greater Madison CVB, and Penn Social.

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms." – Joe Fox, You’ve Got Mail

Even if you’re not like Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s characters in "You’ve Got Mail," and love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, I hope the fall season brings you successful meetings, new connections and joy. Let us support you in Writing the Next Chapter of your personal story: Get involved with a committee, join us at Oktoberfest, and learn something new at our Educational Experiences on the afternoons of October 7 and November 12.

Cheers to the fall!

Kindly,

Amy O’Malley, CMP
President 2015-2016, Potomac Chapter of MPI