WHAT'S POPPING 2027
Schedule
Kickoff
Thursday, April 22
10:00AM–5:00PM
Add-On Workshops
Start the conference early with Thursday workshops! View the full workshop schedule here.
9:00–11:00AM Holographic Chocolate Magic with Brittany Bennett (Sprinkles & Sparkles)
9:00–11:00AM Content Creation + Managing Your Socials with Christine Ibarra (Cakepopbox)
12:00–2:00PM Simply Sweet Cake Pop & Drizzle Class with Taniesha Nemley (Simply Sweet CLT)
12:00–2:00PM Sculpting and Painting with Audi Orellana (Canvas & Crumbs)
12:00–2:00PM The Art of Poptions with Rachel Laukala (Cakepops by Rachel) and Nicole McNamara (Main Street Sweets Frisco)
3:00–5:00PM ABC’s and 123’s: Cookie Decorating Basics with Kassy Gjere (Kassy's Cookies & Sweets)
3:00–5:00PM Treat Making 101 with Ryder St. Amant (Dipped by Ryder)
3:00–5:00PM The Bloom Bar Blueprint with Kathleen Gaynor (Sugar House Sweets Idaho)
6:00-7:30PM
Pop, Shop & Mingle
Kick off What’s Popping Con 2027 with a night full of flavor, fun, and new faces! Swing by registration, grab some tasty appetizers, shop the Vendor Hall, and ease into the weekend with photo booth moments and plenty of mingling. It’s the perfect way to pop in, drop your bags, and start making sweet connections!
7:30-8:30 PM
What’s Popping Con Kickoff
Settle in as we officially kick off What’s Popping Con! In this welcome session, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to have an amazing experience and hear from last year’s Keynote Speaker Christine Ibarra (@cakepopbox) with her presentation "Think Outside the CakePopBox."
Day 1
Friday, April 23
8:00AM-5:00PM
Registration & Guest Services
Check in, grab your swag bag, and get ready to pop off! Our friendly team is here all day to help with anything you need—questions, directions, or just a little hype to kickstart your day.
8:00–9:00AM, 12:00-4:00PM
Vendor Hall Open
Step into cake pop paradise! Explore a curated collection of top-tier tools, ingredients, packaging, and must-have goodies from the industry’s best. From exclusive launches to live demos, the vendor hall is a sweet spot you’ll want to visit all day long!
As a bonus this year, vendors will be open from 8:00–9:00AM!
8:00-9:00AM
Perk Up & Pop In
Kickstart your day with a light breakfast and energizing coffee.
9:00– 9:30AM
Let’s Get Poppin’: Welcome & Orientation
Join Amy and Nate Mucha as we kick off the conference with a warm welcome, insider tips for making the most of your experience, and an overview of all the sweet fun ahead!
9:30-10:30AM
Keynote Speaker Amanda Schonberg—More Than Cake Pops: Becoming a Force in Your Community
Amanda Schonberg (Baking for Business)
Join Amanda as she discusses the community-building power of cake popping!
10:30-11:30 AM
Panel—Finding the Sweet Spot: Balancing Business and Life
This panel is moderated by Ashlyn Ponzar (Kiwi Sweets). Panelists include: Rachel Burton (Sweet Hellos), Meghan Maurer (Simply Sweets by Meghan), and Tania Saba (Treats by Tania).
11:30AM-12:00PM
Sponsor Talk
Details coming soon!
12:00-1:00PM
Munch & Mingle: Lunch Break & Sweet Shopping
Refuel with provided boxed lunches, connect with fellow cake pop creators, and explore the vendor hall for exclusive deals and must-have supplies!
1:00-4:00PM
Breakout Sessions, Demos from Vendors, + Shopping
This year, we have the same breakout sesions on both Friday and Saturday so you don't miss out on any sessions, shopping, or workshops!
1:00PM PIVOT! PIVOT! PIVOT!: Growing in an Oversaturated Market (Lesli Perez, Peretzels Treats)
1:45PM Ship Happens: How to Ship Cake Pops Successfully (Jessica Spence, Cake Ball-erina)
2:30PM Building a Memorable Brand that Pops (Nate Mucha & Leah Day, Each+Every)
3:15PM Let’s Get Social: Live Q&A with the Pop Pros (Rachel Laukala, Cakepops by Rachel; Nicole McNamara, Main Street Sweets Frisco; Bridjet Pinson, Poppin Delights; Ryder St. Amant, Dipped by Ryder)
1:30–3:30PM
Add-On Workshops
You can view all descriptions and details on the Workshops page here.
Make It Pop! Photography & Presentation for Cake Pops & Treats with Precious Simons (Baked by Precious)
Beyond the Bake: Using Tiktok Live To Grow Your Brand with Ashley O'Loughlin (Fancy Pops Bakery)
From Invitation to a Cake Pop Set with Christina Perdue (Chrissy's Pop Shop)
4:00-5:00PM
The Art of Meaningful Cake Pops: Creating Pops That Tell a Story
Malaak Damra (Dip’d Desserts)
In this session, Malaak will share how shifting her focus from simply creating beautiful treats to creating meaningful ones transformed the way she approached design. We’ll explore how to find inspiration in everyday life, personal experiences, and the communities we serve, and how those stories can become the foundation for memorable creations.
She’ll also discuss how cake pop tools have made the technical side of cake popping more accessible than ever, giving decorators more freedom to focus on creativity, storytelling, and connection!
5:00-5:15PM
Wrap-Up
Amy and Nate Mucha will close out our first day at What's Popping Con!
5:15-8:30PM
Dinner on your own in Downtown Kent
There are so many delicious restaurants within walking distance of the Conference Center! Check out Main Street Kent's website for some great poptions: MainStreetKent.org.
8:30-10:00PM
Poppin’ After Hours: Cake Pop Karaoke
Head back to the Conference Center for a night of karaoke, laughs, and late-night popper fun! This after-hours hangout is all about singing your heart out, relaxing with friends, and enjoying drinks from the cash bar.
Day 2
Saturday, April 24
8:00AM-5:00PM
Registration & Guest Services
Check in, grab your swag bag, and get ready to pop off! Our friendly team is here all day to help with anything you need—questions, directions, or just a little hype to kickstart your day.
8:00–9:00PM, 12:00-4:00PM
Vendor Hall Open
Step into cake pop paradise! Explore a curated collection of top-tier tools, ingredients, packaging, and must-have goodies from the industry’s best. From exclusive launches to live demos, the vendor hall is a sweet spot you’ll want to visit all day long!
As a bonus this year, vendors will be open from 8:00–9:00AM!
8:00-9:00AM
Perk Up & Pop In
Kickstart your day with a light breakfast and energizing coffee.
9:00–9:30AM
Let’s Get Poppin’: Welcome & Recap
Settle in with your morning coffee and join Amy and Nate for a relaxed kickoff to Day Two! We’ll take a quick look back at the highlights from an unforgettable Day One, celebrate a few sweet moments, and give you the scoop on what’s in store today.
9:30-10:30AM
Hobby to Business: Planning the Leap
Monica Archondo & Louis DiMeglio (Sugar Strategist)
Love making cake pops but not sure how to turn your passion into a profitable business? Whether you're dreaming of taking your first order or building a business that can support your goals, this session is your roadmap.
Monica and Louis will cover everything from choosing the right business structure, permits, licenses, cottage food laws, and insurance, to researching your market, identifying your ideal customer, and creating a business plan that actually works.
They'll also dive into the day-to-day realities of running a successful cake pop business including developing a profitable menu, sourcing reliable suppliers, building an efficient production workflow, pricing for profit, managing inventory, and designing packaging that enhances your brand and customer experience.
This session will give you practical, real-world advice, actionable tools, and the confidence to take the next step whether that's selling your first cake pop or scaling to the next level.
10:30-11:30AM
Panel—More Ways to Make Dough: Diversifying Your Cake Pop Business
This panel is moderated by Rachel Laukala (Cakepops by Rachel). Panelists include: Michelle Tretola (Beaumont Sweets and Treats), Shannon Hockenberry (Dip and Duo), and Brittany Loiler (Dipped by Britt).
11:30AM-12:00PM
Sponsor Talk
Details coming soon!
12:00-1:00PM
Munch & Mingle: Lunch Break & Sweet Shopping
Refuel with provided boxed lunches, connect with fellow cake pop creators, and explore the vendor hall for exclusive deals and must-have supplies!
1:00-4:00PM
Breakout Sessions, Demos from Vendors, + Shopping
This year, we have the same breakout sesions on both Friday and Saturday so you don't miss out on any sessions, shopping, or workshops!
1:00PM PIVOT! PIVOT! PIVOT!: Growing in an Oversaturated Market (Lesli Perez, Peretzels Treats)
1:45PM Ship Happens: How to Ship Cake Pops Successfully (Jessica Spence, Cake Ball-erina)
2:30PM Building a Memorable Brand that Pops (Nate Mucha & Leah Day, Each+Every)
3:15PM Let’s Get Social: Live Q&A with the Pop Pros (Rachel Laukala, Cakepops by Rachel; Nicole McNamara, Main Street Sweets Frisco; Bridjet Pinson, Poppin Delights; Ryder St. Amant, Dipped by Ryder)
1:30–3:30PM
Add-On Workshops
You can view all descriptions and details on the Workshops page here.
From Canva to Cake Pop: Design It, Print It & Pop It! with Meghan Maurer (Simply Sweets by Meghan) & Laura Amoroso (Laura Pops)
Practice Before you Pipe: Template Techniques with Megan Gillbert (Bayou Bakes)
4:00-4:45PM
Make Your Business Pop: Marketing That Gets You Noticed
Details coming soon!
4:45-5:15PM
Wrap-Up
Amy and Nate Mucha will close out our final day at What's Popping Con by announcing raffle winners and Pop Off Competition winners.
5:15-8:30PM
Dinner on your own in Downtown Kent
There are so many delicious restaurants within walking distance of the Conference Center! Check out Main Street Kent's website for some great poptions: MainStreetKent.org.
8:30-10:00PM
Poppin’ After Hours: Bell Tower Brewing
Bell Tower Brewing
310 Park Ave, Kent, OH 44240
Unwind after a jam-packed day with delicious food and sweet company at one of our favorite local spots: Bell Tower Brewing!
310 Park Ave, Kent, OH 44240
Unwind after a jam-packed day with delicious food and sweet company at one of our favorite local spots: Bell Tower Brewing!
Thursday, April 22–Saturday, April 24
Add-On Workshops
$95 per Class
Start the conference early on April 22 with Add-On Workshops! Workshops will take place at a few different locations this year, all within a short walking distance of the Conference Center.
Sunday Brunch
Keep the conference fun going for an extra day by joining us for brunch at Daisy Pops from 9–11AM on Sunday, April 25.
Enjoy a delicious catered brunch, and get a behind-the-scenes tour of Daisy Pops, a commercial cake pop bakery.
REGISTRATION OPENS SEPT 1 · WHAT'S POPPING 2027 ·REGISTRATION OPENS SEPT 1 · WHAT'S POPPING 2027 ·REGISTRATION OPENS SEPT 1 · WHAT'S POPPING 2027 ·REGISTRATION OPENS SEPT 1 · WHAT'S POPPING 2027 ·
Keynote
Amanda Shonberg
Baking for Business
SPONSORSHIP
Interested in becoming a What's Popping sponsor? Visit the link below for a full list of sponsorship opportunities.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 WHAT'S POPPING SPONSORS
A conference for cake pop beginners, bakers, and everyone in between.
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