The best way to generate excitement about an event you are holding, or even one you are attending, is to use video content. Be sure to create short, newsy clips of the event in order to give the viewer a sneak peek into what the event is like. Don’t forget to explicitly invite people to come so they don’t think it is exclusive. Post regularly on your social media channels so that people who are not there are able to feel part of the action.
The video below is a good example of a promotional video for a video marketing conference. It really makes you want to attend and shows the benefits of being part of the event. Personally I think it should have been a bit shorter. I believe 90 seconds is long enough to get the message across.