Mingle Bells 2025: Where the IE's Creatives Deck the Halls and Make Connections
- John McCarthy
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Let's be honest – December networking events can feel like a chore. Forced small talk. Stale cheese cubes. That one person who corners you to pitch their startup for 20 minutes.
Mingle Bells is not that event.
This is the one night in December where the Inland Empire's marketing, advertising, and PR community actually wants to show up. Where ugly sweaters are considered power attire. Where business cards are exchanged between bites of actual good appetizers. And where "let's grab coffee in January" might actually happen.
The Details (Because Even Creatives Need Structure)
📅 Wednesday, December 17th
🕔 5:30-8:30 PM
📍 Bear Springs Hotel, Highland
💵 $25 AAF/PRSA members | $35 general public
Your registration gets you appetizers, one drink ticket, and three full hours to network without the pressure of a stuffy conference room or fluorescent lighting.
Why Mingle Bells Hits Different
Real Time to Connect
Three hours. That's 180 minutes to have actual conversations with people who understand why you spent four hours kerning a headline or why client feedback like "make it pop" makes your eye twitch. No speed networking. No forced breakout sessions. Just humans talking to humans in a festive setting.
Your People Are Here
Creative directors are nursing their fifth project revision of the day. Art directors who've mastered the art of defending their design choices. Graphic designers who know the pain of "Can you just make it bigger?" Copywriters who've written 47 versions of the same tagline. Account folks who've translated "I'll know it when I see it" into actionable creative briefs.
This is your tribe. And once a year, we all gather to remember why we love this beautifully chaotic industry.
Give Back While You Network
Bring an unwrapped toy. Make a kid's holiday brighter. Feel good about yourself while discussing Q1 campaign strategies. It's multitasking at its finest.
Ugly Sweaters Are Peak Professional Development
We're calling it: the person brave enough to wear the most outrageous holiday sweater is also the person confident enough to pitch the wildest creative concept in the room. Test this theory. Wear the sweater.
How to Maximize Your Mingle Bells Experience
Before the event:
Load up on business cards (yes, people still use them)
Find that unwrapped toy
Dig out your most festive attire
Clear your mind of client revisions and impossible deadlines
During the event:
Ask people about their 2026 goals (you might find your next collaborator)
Stay for the full three hours (the best conversations happen after 7 PM)
Actually exchange contact info with people you click with
Embrace the holiday chaos
After the event:
Follow up with those "let's collaborate" conversations
Connect on LinkedIn before you forget their names
Start planning for next year's even better ugly sweater
What We're Not Doing at Mingle Bells
❌ Rushing through business card exchanges like we're speed dating
❌ Talking about AI replacing creatives (we have 11 months for that anxiety)
❌ Pretending we have our 2025 strategies figured out
❌ Judging anyone who arrives in full holiday costume
❌ Leaving before we've made at least three genuine connections
The Fine Print (But Make It Festive)
What's included:
Appetizers throughout the evening (not sad cheese cubes, we promise)
One drink ticket to get your night started
A festive atmosphere that doesn't feel like a corporate obligation
The warm fuzzy feeling of supporting our toy drive
Networking that doesn't make you want to fake a phone call
What to bring:
Business cards
An unwrapped toy for a child in need
Your holiday spirit (mandatory)
An open mind for new connections
Let's Talk About Why This Matters
The end of the year is brutal. Clients want everything delivered before the holidays. Budgets are being finalized. Teams are exhausted. And somewhere between the year-end reports and holiday parties, we forget why we got into this industry in the first place.
Mingle Bells is the reset button.
It's the reminder that behind every campaign, every design, every strategy deck, there are actual humans trying to make cool work happen. And once a year, we get to celebrate that together – no pitches, no presentations, just people who get it.
Plus, it's infinitely better than another Zoom happy hour.
Ready to Jingle and Mingle?
Mark your calendar. Register now. Find that ugly sweater. Grab a toy. And get ready for the one December networking event that's actually worth leaving your desk for.
Wednesday, December 17th | 5:30-8:30 PM | Bear Springs Hotel, Highland
The Inland Empire's creative community is gathering. The only question is: will you be there?
Questions? Want to know about parking? Wondering if your holiday sweater is too much? (Spoiler: it's not.) Contact us at HelloJohnMcCarthy@Gmail.com.
See you under the mistletoe (the networking kind).
– Your friends at the Inland Empire Chapter, American Advertising Federation
P.S. – Already registered? Forward this to that creative colleague who needs a break from client revisions. They'll thank you later.
Comments