City of Kingston to host 2026 Municipal Sponsorship Summit

The City of Kingston is proud to host the 2026 Municipal Sponsorship Summit on Feb. 24 and 25, bringing together municipal leaders, public servants, sponsorship professionals and industry experts from across the country, from Prince Edward Island to Vancouver Island. The event will bring learning, collaboration and best practices in municipal and public sector sponsorship marketing into one place. The Summit — part of the Western Sponsorship Congress® Municipal Summit series, Canada’s longest-running conference dedicated to sponsorship marketing — features keynote speakers, in-depth workshops, interactive panels and breakout sessions designed to equip attendees with practical tools and innovative strategies for expanding sponsorship, advertising and naming rights opportunities.

“The Municipal Sponsorship Summit represents an important opportunity for Kingston and staff from other municipalities to explore how strategic revenue development can support community goals, enhance public services and strengthen relationships between the public and private sectors,” said Craig Desjardins, Director, Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships for the City of Kingston. “We are honoured to welcome delegates to Kingston to share insights, network with peers and build capacity in this evolving field.”

Sessions will cover topics such as understanding the sponsorship landscape, building and valuing sponsorship inventories, leveraging data to identify prospects, negotiating agreements and managing sponsorship fulfilment within municipal settings. Summit keynotes and breakout sessions are designed for both seasoned professionals and those newer to municipal sponsorship, with opportunities for deep-dive discussion, practical takeaways and peer collaboration.

“The Municipal Sponsorship Summit provides an invaluable forum for public sector professionals to connect, learn and advance sponsorship practices that benefit communities,” said Brent Barootes, President & CEO of Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists. “We are thrilled to bring this event to Kingston, and to work with the City to support knowledge exchange and enhanced sponsorship outcomes across municipalities.”

Attendees will gain insights into current trends, case examples and actionable tools that can be applied in their own municipalities. Special thanks to WFCU Credit Union, the Better Together Breakfast Sponsor and Slush Puppie Canada, the Innovation Fuel Sponsor.

For more information on the 2026 Municipal Sponsorship Summit, including registration details and full program, please visit the summit website.