Affiliate marketing runs on relationships, and relationships are still built face to face. For a Chinese brand entering the West, one well-planned trip to the right event can do more than months of cold emails: dozens of publisher meetings, a clear view of the market and partners who now know who you are.
Here is our guide to the affiliate events that matter most, what each one is best for and how to get the most out of them. It covers Affiliate Summit West and East in the US, PI LIVE Europe and Affilifest in the UK, CJU and iPX from two of the biggest affiliate platforms, and PartnerBoost EVOLVE in Shenzhen, where Western publishers meet Chinese brands.
The events at a glance
| Event | Where | When | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliate Summit West | Las Vegas, US | 26–28 January 2027 | The biggest US affiliate audience in one place |
| Affiliate Summit East | New York, US | 26–27 July 2027 | East Coast publishers, content and ecommerce |
| PI LIVE Europe | London, UK | 19–21 October 2026 | European brands, agencies and partnership leaders |
| Affilifest | Margate and Manchester, UK | June (Margate) and September (Manchester) | UK publishers and affiliate managers, informal networking |
| CJU | Santa Barbara, US (2026) | September | CJ’s brands, publishers and agencies |
| iPX | Austin, US (2026) | June | impact.com’s community, product roadmap and partnerships strategy |
| PartnerBoost EVOLVE | Shenzhen, China | March and August (2026) | Western publishers meeting Chinese brands |
Dates were correct at the time of writing. Always check the organiser’s website before booking.
Affiliate Summit West (Las Vegas)
Affiliate Summit West is the largest affiliate marketing event in the US calendar. The 2027 edition runs from 26 to 28 January at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, with organisers expecting more than 7,000 attendees and over 300 exhibitors. The audience spans affiliates, advertisers, ecommerce sellers, networks and technology partners, and the programme covers ecommerce, lead generation, tracking and attribution, media buying and brand strategy.
Why go: if the US is your target market, this is the most efficient way to meet a large share of the ecosystem in three days. The organisers report more than 8,000 meetings at the 2026 event.
Tip: the scale can be overwhelming. Book meetings before you arrive and focus on the publisher types that fit your category.
Affiliate Summit East (New York)
Affiliate Summit East is the smaller, East Coast sister event. The 2027 edition takes place on 26 and 27 July at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, bringing together more than 4,500 advertisers, publishers, affiliates and ecommerce sellers. It has dedicated programming for content publishers, lead generation, affiliates and ecommerce sellers, plus an expo hall and meeting lounges.
Why go: New York is home to many of the big editorial and content commerce publishers, making this a strong event for brands that want premium review and buying-guide coverage.
PI LIVE Europe (London)
PI LIVE Europe calls itself Europe’s festival for partnership marketing. The 2026 edition runs from 19 to 21 October in London, with more than 2,500 attendees and over 100 speakers. Registered companies include major brands such as Vodafone, Dyson, LEGO, Samsung and TikTok. The event mixes keynotes, workshops, hosted meetings and networking, and sits alongside the Global Performance Marketing Awards.
Why go: it is the most senior gathering of the UK and European partnership industry, making it ideal for understanding the market and meeting agencies, networks and large publishers.
Affilifest (Margate and Manchester)
Affilifest brings a festival atmosphere to UK affiliate marketing, with roundtables and panels alongside roller disco, arcade games and networking on a Big Wheel. The main event took place on 3 and 4 June 2026 at Dreamland in Margate, attracting more than 1,300 attendees and 500 brands. Affilifest North followed on 10 September 2026 at Freight Island in Manchester.
Why go: it is one of the most relaxed ways to meet UK publishers and affiliate managers, and tickets are free for brands, retailers and eligible publishers.
CJU (CJ’s annual conference)
CJU is the annual conference run by CJ, one of the longest-established affiliate networks. The 2026 edition, its 25th anniversary, took place from 14 to 17 September at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in California, bringing together more than 1,000 marketers from brands, publishers and agencies. The programme covered brand-led, social-led and AI-led commerce, with more than 3,000 one-to-one meetings between brands, publishers and agencies, plus the CJ Excellence Awards. Attendance is by application.
Why go: if your programme runs on CJ, or you are considering it, CJU gives you direct access to CJ’s team and its most active publishers.
iPX (impact.com’s Partnerships Experience)
iPX is impact.com’s annual event for its community of brands, creators, publishers and agencies. The 2026 edition ran from 9 to 11 June in Austin, Texas, with more than 1,000 leaders attending. Themes included AI-driven partnerships, creator and commerce partnerships, and impact.com’s product roadmap.
Why go: for brands using impact.com, iPX is the best place to learn what the platform can do next and meet its partner community.
PartnerBoost EVOLVE (Shenzhen)
PartnerBoost EVOLVE flips the usual direction of travel. Instead of Chinese brands flying West, it brings Western publishers, networks and agencies to Shenzhen to meet Chinese brands face to face.
In 2026 PartnerBoost ran two editions. The March summit drew more than 3,000 attendees from over 2,500 brands, plus around 100,000 livestream viewers, and a session with CNET’s Director of Commerce drew a standing-room-only crowd. The three-day Summer Summit from 26 to 28 August attracted more than 2,500 attendees and over 2,000 brands, with Amazon, Walmart, Google, TikTok and Tencent listed among its strategic partners.
Why go: for Western publishers, it is the most direct route to decision-makers at leading Chinese brands. For Chinese brands, it is a chance to meet Western publishers without leaving China.
How Chinese brands can get the most from these events
- Pick events by market. Focus on Affiliate Summit for the US, and PI LIVE and Affilifest for the UK and Europe. Choose CJU or iPX if you use, or are choosing, those platforms.
- Book meetings before you travel. The best publishers fill their diaries weeks ahead. Most events offer meeting-booking tools; use them early.
- Bring a Western-ready pitch. A one-page brand story, product samples, commission terms and proof of performance from other markets. See what Western publishers look for before they promote a new brand.
- Bring someone who speaks the market. Fluent, confident conversations make a real difference to how publishers see a new brand.
- Follow up within a week. Most event value is lost after the event. Send a short, personal follow-up with your partner kit and a clear next step.
How Red Thread helps
Partner events are one of our three pillars. We bring Western publishers to events in China, help Chinese brands attend and exhibit at Western events, and arrange curated brand–publisher meetings so the time you spend travelling turns into live partnerships. See our China-Focused Partner Events or get in touch to plan your next event.
Join us in China: every March and August we take Western publishers and creators to China’s largest partnership events. See our China partner events.
FAQs
What is the biggest affiliate marketing conference?
In the US, Affiliate Summit West is one of the largest, with more than 7,000 attendees expected for its January 2027 edition in Las Vegas. In Europe, PI LIVE Europe in London is the leading partnership marketing event.
Are affiliate marketing events worth it for new brands?
Yes, if you prepare. Pre-booked meetings, a clear pitch and quick follow-up can turn a two- or three-day event into a pipeline of publisher partnerships that would take months to build remotely.
Are there affiliate events in China for Western publishers?
Yes. PartnerBoost EVOLVE in Shenzhen is designed for global publishers, networks and agencies to meet Chinese brands in person. Red Thread also organises China-focused partner events and introductions.
