Photo Courtesy of Jakub Mosur Photography
The mega-event season is off and running in San Francisco, with Saleforce’s 13th annual Dreamforce drawing an estimated 150,000 attendees from 78 countries this week to the biggest tech event in the world. San Francisco also will host Oracle OpenWorld Oct. 25-29
According to John Reyes, executive vice president and chief sales officer of San Francisco Travel’s convention sales and services division, the city has the vibe and infrastructure to make citywide events surpass expectations.
“San Francisco is not out of the box. It’s practically a box-free environment,” Reyes says. “San Francisco is a place for innovation and disruption, from the 1849 Gold Rush to today’s technology revolution. Salesforce and Oracle demand an environment where disruption and innovation are a part of the DNA, not only of the destination but also of the people who live here.”
Talk about innovation and thinking outside the box, Salesforce has brought in the Celebrity Cruises ship, Infinity, which has been nicknamed Dream Boat, to provide housing for 1,100 attendees. The vessel dominates the waterfront skyline and is a reminder that San Francisco is a city of unlimited amenities.
Photos Courtesy of Jakub Mosur Photography
Another cool feature of Dreamforce is that a San Francisco street has been closed to create an outdoor area called Dream Park, which is adjacent to Moscone Center where the convention is headquartered along with eight hotels.
“Moscone convention center is located in a true urban environment,” Reyes said. “Convention attendees immediately experience the local vibe of the city’s energy, diversity of restaurants, hip people and unique neighborhoods and attractions.”
Unique Concert Venue
Pier 70 is being used for a benefit concert that raises money for the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Expected to generate $10 million, Thursday’s concert features Foo Fighters, The Killers and Gary Clark Jr. Unique venues are just another reason San Francisco is ideal for a mega-event such as Dreamforce or Oracle OpenWorld.
Salesforce is also asking attendees to donate one book each, or cash, to collect one million books for local Bay Area elementary and high school students.
“Each citywide has its own unique differences and planning process,” Reyes said. “Dreamforce and Oracle are different in that they are done at a much larger scale than most other citywides. From turning Moscone Center into a thriving knowledge campus to bringing in Dream Boats, Dreamforce and Oracle challenge the possibilities in San Francisco and make them into realities that work.”
