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Make the Most of Salesforce Dreamforce 2024: Main and Side Events, News and Updates

Salesforce • 17 min read

Dreamforce 2024 isn’t just any other tech conference; this is where the Salesforce Community comes alive. Whether a veteran or first-time attendee, this year it’s filled with unprecedented innovation, networking opportunities of the highest order, and ancillary activities you just can’t miss. From mainstage to fireside chat, let us be your guide for everything.

Your Guide to Dreamforce 2024

What is Dreamforce?

Dreamforce is one of the largest technology conferences globally and is an absolute must for thousands of experts who come from different genres. As Salesforce’s flagship conference, it is abuzz with a number of activities in the form of networking, workshops, partying, and even enjoying big-name musical headlining acts.

Since it first launched in 2003, Dreamforce has grown into a massive event that draws companies, technical architects, project managers, visionaries, administrators, partners, app builders, consultants, developers, and more. The global pandemic brought significant changes, with the introduction of Salesforce+ allowing the conference to go digital.

Now that in-person events are back in full swing, Dreamforce offers a hybrid experience, combining live-streamed and in-person events to reach an even larger audience. No matter how you attend, Dreamforce remains a premier learning and networking experience for everyone in the Salesforce community, drawing tens of thousands of participants each year.

The location of Dreamforce 2024

Dreamforce has been performed in San Francisco since its very inception in 2003, and the location did not change even after the 2020 event was performed remotely in its entirety. This year’s Dreamforce is also slated to be in San Francisco, with plenty of events also being streamed to Salesforce+ along with in-person attendees.The streaming platform itself is not just once-per-year events; it also offers a number of specials and original series, such as HowToDev_, Trailblazer, Ask more of AI, etc.

The date and price of Dreamforce 2024

Dreamforce is an annual event held each fall, typically in September. The Dreamforce 2024 event is scheduled to take place between September 17th and 19th, 2024.

The ticket price for Dreamforce comes in three different pricing tiers; the cost changes depending on how early you buy.

  • The discounted price for the ticket is $1,499, but the offer is limited.
  • The standard pass is sold for $1,999.
  • The last-chance access pass is priced at $2,499.
Dreamforce 2024

What is on the agenda for Dreamforce 2024?

Last year’s agenda was packed with sessions and events in a short three-day period. There are plenty of different session types that are already planned for Dreamforce 2024, including:

  • Main Keynote events: Latest product innovations, major Salesforce announcements, live demos, customer success stories, and experienced speakers.
  • Keynotes: Announcements, innovations, demos, and customer success stories on a smaller scale than the previous example – usually focused on a specific topic or industry.
  • Breakouts: Dynamic presentations followed by Q&A sessions targeting specific solutions, products, or topics.
  • Theaters: Relatively short 20-minute sessions with a highly specific topic in mind; a quick and engaging material delivery is promoted.

There are also several other types of sessions with interactive elements added to them:

  • Workshops: Expert-led hour-long interactive sessions that provide an abundance of information about a specific skill or product. Every instance of such an event has its own rules in regard to the BYOD policy – some workshops allow personal devices to be used, while others provide workstations to train on instead.
  • Roundtables: Discussions around a particular topic for like-minded attendees are often used as an opportunity to share information and network, and each roundtable is moderated by a dedicated expert in the field.
  • Certification Exams: Makes it possible to learn a specific skill or product, performed exclusively on the workstations provided by the event, and comes with a Salesforce certificate to everyone who completes the exam.
  • Hands-on Training: Specific types of workshops that also include hands-on practice and guided exercises facilitated by at least one Salesforce Expert. The average time frame for these events is 60-90 minutes, and workstations are provided for each participant.
  • Campfires: Community-led small conversation sessions around niche topics. Sometimes include post-session Q&As for better insights into the topic.

Dreamforce would also have a separate Sessions page available to all paid visitors during the event, making it easy to find specific events or products using a built-in filtering system.

Dreamforce 2024 speaker lineup

This year’s speaker lineup for Dreamforce 2024 looks incredible already, with more participants being announced in the near future. Here is who we know about for now:

  • Cristóbal Valenzuela, CEO & Co-Founder of Runway 
  • Raj Subramaniam, President, CEO, & Director of FedEx Corporation 
  • Sallie Krawcheck, CEO & Founder of Ellevest 
  • Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company
  • Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award-Winning Actor, NYT Bestselling Author & Salesforce Brand Partner 
  • David B. Kirk, Former Chief Scientist and Fellow at NVIDIA 
  • Dev Patel, Award-Winning Actor, Director, & Producer 
  • Kate Hudson, Oscar-Nominated Actress, Singer, Songwriter 
  • Daniela Amodei, President & Co-Founder of Anthropic 
  • will.i.am, Founder & CEO of FYI.AI 

Dreamforce 2024 event list

Get ready for an action-packed Dreamforce 2024! Below, find a rundown of the key events and sessions happening during the conference. Each listing includes important information such as time, location, and links for more information where applicable. 


Dreamforce features three can’t-miss major events:

All of these headline acts will go down at the Moscone Center, which is the central hub of Dreamforce. Can’t make it in person? No problemᅳthese will be livestreamed to all ticket holders. These are the “main” events, but there are plenty of exciting side sessions and parties we’ll dive into below.

We’ve pulled out the parties because their theme is really all about relaxing and having fun, while most of the other sessions have at least some educational component.

September 16th, 2024

September 17th, 2024

September 18th, 2024

September 19th, 2024

Dreamforce 2024

Dreamforce 2024 and GRAX

We would also like to highlight the events that the GRAX team participates in, as well, so that you could come and join us:

There would also be Coffee Chats available on both September 17th and 18th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (location available after registration), as well as live demos in the Dreamforce main building at Moscone on both of these days from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Dreamforce 2024 parties

Of course, Dreamforce is far more than just a number of serious keynotes, interviews, Q&As, and so on. There are also plenty of parties hosted by either Dreamforce or its partners. The full list of such events can be found below:

September 17th, 2024

September 18th, 2024

Session planning strategy

Dreamforce offers a lot of different sessions and events to choose from, with plenty of overlaps between them. Planning and strategizing your approach to such an event is crucial in order to get the most out of this once-a-year experience:

  • Keep scheduling conflicts in mind. Dreamforce is home to many different events with a lot of overlap between most of them. However, that’s not to say that all of the events are completely gone as soon as they are over since Dreamforce offers recordings for most of these events after they have concluded. As such, it would be a good idea to prioritize sessions that you are interested in the most and catch up with the overlapping content in the streaming format afterward.
  • Balance between different event types when possible. Dreamforce provides a wide selection of event types that offer different experiences: hands-on sessions and breakouts are made for deep dives into a specific topic, keynotes are mostly about surface-level coverage and insights, etc.
  • Leave some time for networking, impromptu meetings, and other events that are difficult to plan ahead for. Schedules are great for keeping track of the necessary events, but they also often feel like a pipeline that one has to follow in order to not miss anything. This kind of priority management often leaves little room for spontaneity and general free time to relax, so leaving a few open slots in your schedule for the event just in case is always a good idea – you might even discover sessions that you did not plan to attend before.

Get your learning goals straight. Having a clear understanding of what goals you want to achieve by the end of Dreamforce would make it a lot easier to choose between different event types. For most people, following industry trends related to the professional field of the user while also improving existing skills should be the number one priority in events like these.

First-time attendee guide

It might also seem like Dreamforce is mostly for people who have already been there at least once, as well as various industry experts. The sheer number of different events and sessions might confuse plenty of newcomers, as well. If you are one such newcomer to this event, you’ll find a few useful recommendations on how to manage this massive undertaking with slightly less stress in the list below:

  • Don’t try to attend every single event that looks interesting to avoid tiring yourself out early on.
  • Keep a balance between large and small sessions: the former offers a wide coverage of multiple topics, while the latter provides a deeper look into a specific topic.
  • Take regular breaks to avoid getting overwhelmed both mentally and physically, even if it is something as simple as getting a coffee or stepping out to get a breath of fresh air.
  • Have an event map on hand and use it to avoid getting lost between events since Dreamforce is quite spread out, with most of the sessions happening outside of the main venue in Moscone.
  • Be ready for the environment to be extremely high-energy, with a lot of high-profile speakers and a generally high pace for most events.
  • Pack in accordance with the agenda of the day while not forgetting about the essentials, such as a portable charger, a notebook, a pair of comfortable shoes, etc.
  • Ask questions when possible; doesn’t matter if it is to find the next venue or to clarify the topic of a session. Dreamforce employs plenty of personnel who were hired to help visitors in any way.

Networking tips

Networking has always been one of the most valuable opportunities in events such as Dreamforce. However, the event itself only lasts for a short time, and coming in unprepared could lead to plenty of missed opportunities. In this context, we can recommend a number of tips to make the most out of your networking capabilities at Dreamforce:

  • Research all of the networking events beforehand. In Dreamforce, there are multiple categories of such events – Happy Hours, group meetings based on specific topics, and so on. Plan ahead to make sure that you can get to all of the events that seem interesting to you, and do not be afraid to exchange contact information with other attendees, as well.
  • Download the Salesforce Events App. It is a great source of information for each of the sessions at Dreamforce, including not only schedules and locations but also attendee lists and even online discussions before the events themselves.
  • Prepare to network and be as genuine as possible. Authenticity is the key factor in creating lasting connections, so make sure to listen to others while also being prepared to share your own experiences and insights in specific fields.
  • Analyze Community Groups. Dreamforce provides a large selection of Community Groups based on specific interests, topics, roles, industries, etc. Expanding your network and sharing relevant experiences in a specific field is much easier in the company of individuals who are also interested in the same topic.

Make sure to follow up. In most cases, sending a follow-up message within 24 hours is a good idea to remind the person about your conversation while expressing an interest in staying in touch. This is a good start for a work relationship with plenty of potential for future collaborations when done right.

Dreamforce 2024 accommodations

Due to its immense popularity, Dreamforce attracts thousands of people to the city of San Francisco, meaning that the accommodation cost is going to be a rather troublesome topic for the unprepared crowd. Booking as early as possible is highly recommended for both monetary and convenience reasons, as prices tend to rise closer to the date of the Dreamforce. Free cancellation is also a good parameter to have in your accommodation, just in case anything happens to you between the booking date and the event.

The public transport is bound to be busy for all three days of the Dreamforce, and planning your walking route ahead of time is also a good idea, so keep the location of all the events you’re interested in when looking for accommodation. 

A number of standard recommendations when it comes to accommodations:

  • Official accommodations made possible by Dreamforce with agreements in place for multiple hotels are a great way to stay for the duration of the event, but they are often quite expensive.
  • Hotel comparison websites are your new best friend if the official accommodations are not suitable for you for some reason – resources such as hotels.com, booking.com, Expedia, and Kayak are all possible options, but they are also highly likely to be even more expensive than the official Dreamforce hotels.
  • There are plenty of alternatives outside of hotels, as well, with sites such as Vrbo, FlipKey, and Airbnb being a great help in finding anything from a private room to a whole property – a great option for someone traveling as a group.
  • Hostels are also a doable alternative for a fraction of the price, with plenty of hostels being located minutes away from the main Dreamforce location.
  • Booking a cheaper hotel or other accommodation outside of town is also an option, and the BART system should be able to deliver you to the main Dreamforce location within half an hour’s time in most cases.

Post-Dreamforce action plan

Dreamforce can be a treasure trove of information and experiences, but being able to translate your experiences into working use cases once you’re back on the job can be rather difficult. Here is what you can do to simplify this process:

  • Keep your engagement with the Salesforce community at a certain level, even after the event is complete. Staying up-to-date with various news and recent developments in the community is enough of an advantage in itself, and you can also keep your network of connections active that way.
  • Make sure to follow up with your new and old connections from Dreamforce, with calls and meetings being potential gateways towards partnerships and collaborations, when applicable. It is important to remember that none of this is mandatory, and you can just continue the conversation on a private level, as well.
  • Review your notes and experiences as soon as possible. Making sure that you have gathered key insights and takeaways from event-related experiences would make them a lot easier to expand upon and implement in the future.
  • Research opportunities to implement the information you’ve earned at Dreamforce into your workflows, be it new tools, technologies, or even strategies. It is always a good idea to create a pilot for all the changes and try it out at a smaller scale before deploying it company-wide, though.
  • Share information with colleagues, with a report or a presentation being the best possible option for highlighting various insights and events that you have been at.

Conclusion

Planning your experience at Dreamforce can be exhausting and exciting at the same time. The event itself is rapidly approaching, so the time frame for planning and preparation is getting smaller and smaller. We hope that this article can help you in planning this entire trip, from general session schedules to accommodations, networking tips, a time management guide, and so on.

This kind of opportunity only comes once a year at best, so proper planning and time management are essential to getting the most out of your Dreamforce 2024 experience.

While you’re at it, don’t miss an opportunity to chat with us! Kick-off Dreamforce at our happy hour on the 16th, join Lunch & Learn and Dinner & Discover events on both the 17th and the 18th, or book a meeting or a live demo of GRAX. This should leave plenty of opportunities for you to come join us, share experiences, establish valuable connections, and have fun!

Dreamforce 2024

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