Two conferences. Two weekends. One team on the road, showing up for college programmers across the Northeast and Southeast. Here’s what happened at APCA Northeast in Albany and NACA Winston-Salem.
Jeff and I attended the APCA Northeast regional conference in Albany, NY from October 1st to October 3rd. Throughout the weekend, we had 6 showcasing acts and 3 educational sessions. There were even a few dance celebrations in the cooperative buying meetings thanks to a few 5 of 7 booking blocks formed for Degy acts that the buyers confirmed for upcoming semesters. And yes, Jeff can even dance in a sling.
The educational sessions we gave were met with high energy from students who were engaged and open to discussion around different event topics. We discussed best practices when booking acts, proper follow up procedures following conferences, how to communicate with agents/artists, marketing strategies, how to choose the right venue for your events, and tips for surveying your campus communities.
Showcasing acts included: Eric Dittelman, Devon Braxton, Andrew Della Volpe, FREE DAPS, Jeff Klein, and Sammy Anzer.
I attended the NACA Winston Salem Conference from October 8th to October 10th in Winston Salem, NC at the Benton Convention Center. The weekend started at the associates and professional staff welcome reception on Thursday Night. Friday morning, Degy treated schools to coffee at the local coffee shop Viva Barista Cafe. The Fall menu was fabulous, but my personal highlight/recommendation would be the Campfire Smores Latte. Following coffee, I set up the Degy booth in marketplace. Then we had an educational session that we presented all about the basics of booking and best practices to implement when booking entertainment for campus events. We then Degy artist Eric Dittelman’s showcase on the MainStage where there was duck tape, Spiderman, and a mind reading all involved. Eric spent the entire marketplace session reading minds and guessing the name of many student’s first crush. How he does it? We may never know…
Saturday kicked off with two back to back educational sessions. One about picking the right venue for your campus events, and one all about major events and what each step of the process looks like when bringing national level talent to campus from the research and offers to advancing, marketing plans and day of show meetings.
We then had party rock cover band Isn’t It Always? From New Jersey showcase which was a ton of fun. They played a wide range of songs from Ride by Twenty One Pilots, to Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, and Tame Impala. Everyone in the room was singing along. The finale of the showcase was ALL THAT! - Degy’s clogging group that were runner ups on the first season of America’s Got Talent. The floor was literally shaking from their high energy clogging. It was SO entertaining, and we can’t wait for schools to bring them back for family weekends, homecomings, and more. We already have Southeast dates getting put on the calendar for each of these acts which is a sign of a great conference.
What is APCA Northeast Regional?
APCA Northeast Regional is a regional conference where college programmers and performing arts presenters gather to watch showcases, attend educational sessions, and hold cooperative buying meetings. Degy attended the 2026 event in Albany, NY, October 1 to 3.
What is NACA Winston-Salem?
NACA Winston-Salem is a regional conference hosted by the National Association for Campus Activities at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC. It brings together campus programmers and entertainment industry professionals from the Southeast. Degy attended October 8 to 10, 2026.
What are booking blocks and why do they matter?
Booking blocks are cooperative arrangements where multiple colleges in a region coordinate to book the same act for nearby dates. This lowers routing costs and makes acts more affordable for each school. At APCA Albany, five of seven booking blocks formed for Degy acts were confirmed by buyers for upcoming semesters.
What happens at a college showcase?
Showcases give programmers a live look at an act, usually in a short set of around ten minutes. Buyers assess audience fit, energy, and whether the act would work for their campus. Strong showcases often drive traffic to agent booths and lead to booking conversations.
What educational sessions did Degy present?
At APCA Albany, Degy covered best practices for booking acts, post-conference follow-up, communicating with agents and artists, marketing strategies, venue selection, and campus surveying. At NACA Winston-Salem, sessions covered the basics of booking and best practices, choosing the right venue, and the full process for bringing national-level talent to campus.
Which Degy acts showcased at these conferences?
At APCA Albany, Degy showcased Eric Dittelman, Devon Braxton, Andrew Della Volpe, FREE DAPS, Jeff Klein, and Sammy Anzer. At NACA Winston-Salem, acts included Eric Dittelman, Isn’t It Always?, and ALL THAT!, Degy’s clogging group and America’s Got Talent runner-ups.
Why do college programmers value clogging and interactive acts like ALL THAT!?
Interactive and high-energy acts create memorable moments that work well for family weekends, homecomings, and other campus traditions. Their visual energy and audience participation translate well from showcase to campus.
What is a Southeast date and why does it matter after a conference?
Southeast dates are campus bookings in the southeastern U.S. that come together after a conference, often through follow-up with buyers met at the event. Strong conference momentum shows up as dates added to the calendar soon after the show.
What’s the best way for campus programmers to follow up after attending a conference?
Follow up within a few days while momentum is high. Share the acts you saw, confirm dates and budgets, reach out to co-op partners, and document what you learned at each showcase. Quick, specific follow-up turns conference interest into confirmed bookings.
Why is coffee and informal outreach valuable at college conferences?
Informal moments like a coffee service give programmers a relaxed setting to build relationships with the Degy team outside the booth and showcase schedule. These conversations often lead to deeper discussions about upcoming campus plans.