Go back to list of postsDreamforce 2026 Side Events: Your Guide to Networking Beyond the Main Stage
Last modified: August 11, 2026
Dreamforce 2026 runs September 15–17 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, and a Dreamforce conference pass already gets you the keynotes, breakouts, Welcome Reception, and Dreamfest. But some of the most useful conversations of the week happen at events that aren't part of that pass at all — sponsor happy hours, community kickoff parties, and breakfasts organized independently by partners, consulting firms, and Trailblazer groups. These require their own registration or ticket, separate from your conference badge.
This guide covers five confirmed Dreamforce 2026 side events that fall into that category, verified with a specific date, time, and venue at the time of writing. None of them are run by Salesforce, and none are included with your conference pass — so if you want in, you'll need to RSVP or register for each one individually.
Last checked: August 7, 2026. Dreamforce is about five weeks out, and several other partner events are already circulating without full date or venue confirmation yet. We've noted those separately below rather than guessing at details.
What Counts as a Ticketed Side Event?
Not every Dreamforce side event works the same way. Some — like the official Welcome Reception and Dreamfest — come bundled with your conference pass automatically. Others are organized entirely outside Salesforce's own programming, by media companies, consulting partners, and community groups, and getting in means registering separately, sometimes for free and sometimes for a fee.
The five events below all fall into that second category: independently organized, and requiring their own RSVP or ticket regardless of whether you're carrying a Dreamforce badge.
5 Dreamforce 2026 Side Events That Need Their Own Ticket
1. BlazerFest 2026 Kick-Off Party
Category: Independent, community-organized — separate RSVP required
BlazerFest is run by Party Blazers, a Trailblazer-led nonprofit, and is billed as the leading Salesforce community networking event of Dreamforce week. According to the official event page, it takes place on Monday, September 14, from 5:00–10:00 p.m. at Southside Spirit House — a short walk from Moscone Center. It's structured as a pitch-free evening of networking, food, drinks, and charity, and takes place the night before the conference officially opens.
- Venue: Southside Spirit House, near Moscone Center
- Distance: Roughly a 6-minute walk from Moscone Center
- Registration: Required via the official event page
- Price: Not listed at the time of writing — check the registration page for current details
2. SF Ben After Party
Category: Independent, media-organized — separate RSVP required
Salesforce Ben, an independent Salesforce media outlet, has run its own Dreamforce after party since 2016. For 2026, it's scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, from 7:00 p.m. until late, at The Grand Nightclub. It's described as an evening of networking, music, and celebration for professionals and partners across the Salesforce ecosystem — and like the other events here, a Dreamforce badge alone won't get you in.
- Venue: The Grand Nightclub, San Francisco
- Registration: Required — check current RSVP status on the official guide
- Price: Not listed at the time of writing
3. SF Ben x AutoRABIT Breakfast
Category: Independent, sponsor-organized — separate RSVP required
Salesforce Ben and AutoRABIT are co-hosting a networking breakfast on Wednesday, September 16, from 8:00–10:00 a.m., at LongHouse. It's positioned as a way to start a busy conference day with a meal and an expert-led discussion, alongside a chance to connect with other ecosystem professionals before the day's sessions begin.
- Venue: LongHouse, San Francisco
- Registration: Required through the official Salesforce Ben events guide
- Price: Not listed at the time of writing
4. SF Ben x Copado Midday Session
Category: Independent, sponsor-organized — separate RSVP required
The same venue hosts a second SF Ben event later the same day: a midday session with Copado on Wednesday, September 16, from 12:00–2:00 p.m., also at LongHouse. It's framed as a break from the conference floor, with complimentary refreshments and a short educational session mixed into the networking time.
- Venue: LongHouse, San Francisco
- Registration: Required through the official Salesforce Ben events guide
- Price: Not listed at the time of writing
5. Foundations Happy Hour
Category: Independent, sponsor-organized — separate RSVP required
Fíonta, a Salesforce consulting partner focused on mission-driven organizations, is co-hosting a happy hour for attendees working with foundations and nonprofits on Wednesday, September 16, from 4:00–6:00 p.m., at Rooh. It's timed to wrap up before Dreamfest begins that same evening, and it's aimed specifically at the philanthropic and nonprofit side of the Salesforce ecosystem.
- Venue: Rooh, near Moscone Center
- Audience: Foundation and nonprofit-sector attendees
- Registration: Required through the official event listing
- Price: Not listed at the time of writing
Other Ticketed Events to Watch For
A handful of additional partner events — including a Napa Valley winery tour from Operatus, a product event from Odaseva, a kickoff party from Sweep, and a morning workout session hosted by Tribal — were listed on Salesforce Ben's events guide at the time of writing, but without a confirmed date, time, or venue attached. Since the accuracy of a date matters more than the length of this list, we've left them out of the entries above until those details are confirmed. Check the official guide directly if any of those sound relevant to you.
Salesforce Ben's official Dreamforce parties and events guide is the most reliable place to track new confirmations as they're added in the coming weeks.
Dreamforce 2026 Ticketed Side-Event Schedule at a Glance
| Date | Time | Event | Venue | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mon, Sept 14 | 5:00–10:00 PM | BlazerFest 2026 Kick-Off Party | Southside Spirit House | Required |
Tue, Sept 15 | 7:00 PM–late | SF Ben After Party | The Grand Nightclub | Required |
Wed, Sept 16 | 8:00–10:00 AM | SF Ben x AutoRABIT Breakfast | LongHouse | Required |
Wed, Sept 16 | 12:00–2:00 PM | SF Ben x Copado Session | LongHouse | Required |
Wed, Sept 16 | 4:00–6:00 PM | Foundations Happy Hour | Rooh | Required |
Getting Around: Practical San Francisco Logistics
All five events cluster in or near San Francisco's SoMa district, within a short distance of Moscone Center:
- Southside Spirit House, The Grand Nightclub, LongHouse, and Rooh are all a manageable walk or quick rideshare from Moscone, typical of most Dreamforce partner venues.
- SoMa restaurants and bars fill up fast during Dreamforce week. If you're planning to grab a meal near one of these venues, build in extra time or book ahead.
- BART and Muni connect easily to Moscone via the Powell Street and Montgomery Street stations, and rideshare surge pricing is common during peak conference hours — leave extra time if you're moving between multiple events in one evening.
Preparing to Network: What to Bring
Five separately ticketed events in one week means five different rooms full of new people — and if you're relying on paper cards, you'll run out before the second one starts. It also means the details of who you met where get harder to keep straight the more events you attend.
A digital business card solves both problems at once. Instead of restocking paper cards between BlazerFest and the SF Ben After Party, you share a link or QR code that always reflects your current details. With KADO, you can also attach a quick note to each new contact right after you meet them — "met at the AutoRABIT breakfast, works on data governance" — so the context is still there when you follow up in the next day or two, instead of trying to reconstruct five different rooms from memory.
If you're heading to Dreamforce 2026, it's worth setting up your free digital business card with KADO before you land, so you're ready for whichever event kicks off your week.
A Final Note on Accuracy
Details for independently organized side events — prices, RSVP status, even whether an event is still happening as planned — tend to shift in the final weeks before a conference this size. Everything confirmed in this guide reflects official event listings as of August 7, 2026. Always confirm registration status directly on the original event page before finalizing your schedule, especially since none of these events are covered by your Dreamforce conference pass.
Further Reading
- Dreamforce 2026: Everything You Need to Know — the main event guide, covering keynotes, themes, and what to prepare before you go
- Best Ai4 2026 Side Events & Networking Meetups
- The Ultimate Checklist: What To Bring To a Networking Event
- Professional Networking Guide: Build Connections and Boost Leads
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Dreamforce conference pass to attend these side events?
No. All five events in this guide are organized independently of Salesforce and require their own separate registration or ticket — a Dreamforce badge doesn't grant access to any of them, and attending doesn't require one either.
Are any of these Dreamforce side events free?
Pricing wasn't published for any of the five events at the time of writing. Some Dreamforce side events are free with RSVP, while others charge a fee or require an invitation — check each event's registration page for current pricing.
When should I register for Dreamforce side events?
As early as possible. Popular events like BlazerFest and the SF Ben After Party have historically filled up well before the conference starts, so registering as soon as you confirm your Dreamforce travel plans is the safest approach.
Where can I find more Dreamforce 2026 side events?
Salesforce Ben's official Dreamforce parties and events guide is updated continuously in the weeks leading up to the conference and is the most reliable source for newly confirmed events.
What should I bring to a Dreamforce side event?
A charged phone with a digital business card set up in advance — like a KADO card — covers most situations across a week of independently organized events, without the friction of running out of paper cards partway through.
