When a big blockchain conference comes to Singapore, Dubai or Bangkok, the week fills up with dozens of events that aren't in the official program: an investment fund's breakfast, a layer 2 project's talk, an exchange's late-night party. Ask people who attend and many will tell you the real work happens at these events, not on the main stage.
What is a blockchain side event
A blockchain side event is something a project, fund or community organizes around a large conference, aimed at people already in town. Nobody has to be pulled in from somewhere else, because they're already there. The formats vary: investor breakfasts, themed talks, product demos, dinners and after-parties.
Asia Web3 GO! in Singapore is a good example. It was a Token 2049 side event produced with a Singapore government agency, and it brought together 15 senior speakers and 17 startups and drew more than 1,500 registrations. What it showed is that a side event works when it gives the right people a specific reason to come to you instead of going somewhere else. Adding one more meeting to a week that is already full doesn't do that.
Why side events win with industry insiders
There are two reasons. First, the main conference is usually crowded and loud, with little room for a proper conversation. A side event is smaller, has its own theme and a selective guest list, so the meetings tend to be more useful. Second, the host controls the experience: who is invited, what the tables talk about, what people remember at the end.
The weakness is competition. When a conference week has dozens of side events, guests choose on three things: who will be there, what is different, and how easy it is to get to.
When Vietnam hosts a blockchain conference or regional guests drop by
Most of the region's big blockchain conferences are held outside Vietnam. But whenever a tech or blockchain event takes place here, or regional projects visit Ho Chi Minh City to meet the local community, someone wants a social evening. That is when a distinctive venue helps.
The usual choices are a bar, a rooftop restaurant or a private hotel room. All three work, and all three feel the same. Guests who go to conferences four or five times a year have been to plenty of drinks-in-hand parties.
What a race track adds
Infinity Racing is a three-level indoor kart track in Vincom Thao Dien, Thu Duc City. The track is 300 m long with 16 corners. It has two private event zones: Zone 1 (73 m²) for warm-up and for people waiting their turn, and Zone 2 (115 m²), a networking area for socializing and brand displays. Vincom Thao Dien gets around 20,000 to 25,000 visitors a day, so it is easy to find and has parking, and guests from out of town don't need long directions.
The advantage of holding an after-party here is that people have something to do together. Strangers who share a heat have something to talk about the moment they step off the track. A foreign guest who knows nobody in the local community gets a way in, instead of standing with a drink looking for someone to say hello to.
It suits groups who already do business together or are just getting to know each other better than a big crowd standing through speeches.
A 2.5-hour after-party
Here is a structure that works when guests are traveling over from the conference after hours.
- Welcome and registration, 15 minutes. Each guest gets a name tag with their name and social media handle.
- A short welcome in Zone 2, 10 minutes at most, to introduce the host and say what the evening is for.
- Split guests into heats, pairing people who don't know each other, a few minutes per heat.
- Socializing and food in Zone 2 while the other heats run, with results announced at the end.
Set one rule in advance: race first, drink later. Karting is driving, and nobody should drink before getting behind a wheel. The event package usually includes food and drink on site, so you can arrange for alcohol to be served only after the last heat.
What to confirm with the operator
For events with international guests, a few more questions come up.
- When guests can be received, in line with the main conference schedule, especially if some arrive late
- How first-time drivers will be kept safe, such as a briefing before the race
- Language: whether technical instructions can be given in English
- Maximum capacity for each zone and how many people can wait at once
- How payment for food and drink is handled, and what paperwork is needed
You can't answer these by guessing. You need a visit in person and a written specification. The article on the Site Visit describes how. For the October to December peak season, the operator says the best time slots usually fill 4 to 6 weeks ahead.
What it costs
The operator publishes an all-inclusive package of roughly VND 70 to 100 million (about US$2,700 to 3,800), covering kart racing, food and drink and on-site entertainment. The real budget depends on the size of the group, the number of laps and any extras. For an after-party with many guests, work the figure out for each event.
What to measure afterwards
Decide on your measures before the evening happens, such as the number of key people you met, how many conversations turned into later meetings, and how many people signed up for your watchlist. The article on event ROI can help you choose.
If you are thinking about a side evening for regional partners, see the Infinity Racing page or send a quote request with your planned date and guest count.
After a week of conference sessions, guests rarely recall a particular speech. They do remember the evening they laughed the most.