The 2026 Black Hat Party List: Where to Go, Who's Throwing Down, and What's Worth RSVPing For

Welcome back to the season of branded lanyards, long badge lines, and the annual scramble for RSVP approvals. Black Hat USA 2026 is back at Mandalay Bay, with DEF CON 34 following right behind.

Heads up: the schedule moved this year, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the big party nights.

As always, the events around the conference are where relationships are built, drinks are spilled, and cybersecurity's coolest humans let loose (or network aggressively while pretending to have fun, both valid).

Like previous years, we're crowd-sourcing, curating, and collecting all the good stuff in one place: from Meow Wolf takeovers to poolside kickoffs to an alcohol-free speakeasy at the Mob Museum!

How to Use This Guide: We've organized events by date. Each entry includes time, location, RSVP notes, and vibe check. ;)

Pro tip: most events are invite-only or approval-based. Get that request in ASAP, and "request invite" does not mean automatic approval.

August 2, Sunday (Early Arrivals)

Shadow to Signal - Founder/Funder Mixer (Valo Security)

Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Luxury Suites, The Signature, Las Vegas
About: Founder and investor networking to open Black Hat week. Request an invite.
Note: Approval required

CISO Mastermind Dinner (Hoxhunt)

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. 
Where: Upscale restaurant, Mandalay Bay
About: A private dinner for security leaders before the conference crowds arrive. Request an invite
Note: Invite-only

August 3, Monday (Kickoff Parties)

Women in CTI Community Happy Hour (Filigran, Dataminr, VisionHeight, Feedly & Censys)

Time: 5:00 - 7:00  p.m.
Where: Register to see the address
About: A happy hour for the women in the cyber threat intelligence community, co-hosted by five sponsors. Request an invite
Note: Registration required

House of SOC (Fig & Cribl)

Time: 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Kumi, Mandalay Bay
About: Drinks and conversation for SOC practitioners and security operations folks. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Blazers, Bourbon & Bubbles Reception (Cyera)

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Penthouse Suite, Four Seasons
About: A VIP reception with bourbon, bubbles, and strip views. Cyera is hosting three events this week, and this is the opener. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

NotSoSober Party (NotSoSecure Training by Claranet CyberSecurity)

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Rí Rá Irish Pub, Mandalay Bay
About: An Irish pub party steps from the conference floor. Exactly what it sounds like. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Exaforce Meow Wolf Experience

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Meow Wolf, AREA15, 3215 Rancho Dr
About: An off-site meetup inside the immersive art complex. Expect neon, weirdness, and security people wandering through both. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

The Black Hat CISO Dinner (Scanner)

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Carbone, ARIA
About: A CISO dinner at one of the Strip's most sought-after Italian restaurants. Request an invite
Note: Invite-only

Porterhouse & Perspectives: A Security Leaders Dinner (QuickStart & SIS Cyber)

Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Bourbon Steak, Four Seasons
About: Steak and shop talk with fellow security leaders. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Black Hat CISO Soirée (Kolenko & Associates)

Time: 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Where: 1923 Prohibition Bar & Minus5 Ice Bar, Mandalay Bay
About: An executive soirée split between a speakeasy and an ice bar. Bring a jacket for the second half. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

August 4, Tuesday (Summit Day + Welcome Reception)

The Cyber Lounge: Las Vegas (Arcova)

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.(also runs Wednesday)
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: A daytime lounge and networking hub for meetings, coffee, and catching your breath between sessions. Register here
Note: Registration required

Black Hat 2026 Poolside Kickoff (Cyberhaven, GuidePoint Security, Sublime Security & Tines)

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Private Beach Bungalows, Mandalay Bay Pool
About: Four sponsors, private bungalows, and the Mandalay Bay beach. A daytime alternative to the evening circuit. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

PBC Connect (The Purple Book Community)

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00  p.m.
Where: Mandalay Bay
About: A community meetup for application and product security leaders. Request an invite.
Note: Registration required.

Black Hat Welcome Reception (Official)

Time: 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Business Hall, Mandalay Bay
About: The official kickoff to the Business Hall. Open to registered attendees. Details here

Horizon3.ai Happy Hour (Horizon3.ai, AWS & Brinqa)

Time: 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: Drinks and networking straight after the Welcome Reception, in the same building. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

The AI & Data Security Collective Dinner (Cyberhaven)

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Carbone Riviera, Bellagio
About: A dinner for AI and data security leaders. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Off the Record in the Vinyl Room (Beazley Security)

Time: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: Vinyl Room, 63rd Floor, Mandalay Bay
About: Records, cocktails, and conversation 63 floors above the Strip. Register here
Note: RSVP required

Omega Mart After Hours (Aikido, AWS & Tailscale)

Time: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: Meow Wolf - Omega Mart, AREA15, 3215 Rancho Dr
About: A full takeover of Omega Mart with food, drinks, an optional scavenger hunt, and open access to explore the strangest supermarket in Vegas. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

PWN THE POT (Intigriti)

Time: 6:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Where: Fontainebleau, 2777 S Las Vegas Blvd
About: An evening event from the bug bounty platform at the north Strip's newest resort. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Sober Speakeasy (Sober in Cyber)

Time: 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave
About: The alcohol-free favorite returns, back at the Mob Museum with music, food, and conversation in a historic downtown venue. Register here
Note: Registration required

GuidePoint’s Black Hat Party

Time: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Swingers, The Crazy Golf Club, Mandalay Bay
About: Mini-golf, drinks, and networking without leaving the conference hotel. Request an invite Note: RSVP required.

Cloudflare After Dark

Time: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Minus5 Ice Bar & 1923 Speakeasy, Mandalay Bay
About: After-hours networking across an ice bar and a prohibition-era speakeasy. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

550 Feet Above Vegas: SecOps Sunset Social (Monad, BlinkOps, Hydrolix & The Cybersecurity Pulse)

Time: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: High Roller, The LINQ
About: A one-hour sunset ride on the world's tallest observation wheel with SecOps peers. Timing is tight, so plan your evening around it. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Clip n' Sip: Barbershop Speakeasy Happy Hour (Intel 471 & Analyst1)

Time: 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: The Barbershop, The Cosmopolitan
About: Whiskey and threat intel behind a barbershop front. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Hacker Summer Camp Kickoff (RM Cyber)

Time: 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Where: Play Playground, Luxor
About: Food, drinks, and games with cybersecurity leaders at the Luxor's adult playground. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Agentic Cloud Security Cocktail Party (AWS & Copperhelm)

Time: 8:15 - 10:30 p.m.
Where: S Bar, Mandalay Bay
About: Cocktails and cloud security conversation to close out Tuesday night. Request an invite Note: Approval required.

The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere (Scanner)

Time: 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.(also runs Wednesday)
Where: The Sphere, 255 Sands Ave
About: A premium suite at The Sphere, hosted by Scanner. Tuesday link here, Wednesday link here
Note: Approval required, limited capacity

August 5, Wednesday (Biggest Party Night)

Dark Lab: The Signal Hunt (Bitsight)

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Where: W Las Vegas (formerly the Delano)
About: A daytime interactive experience from Bitsight. Register here
Note: Registration required

Rare World Whiskey Tour (AegisAI Security)

Time: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Where: Waldorf Astori
‍About: (Pappy Van Winkle anyone?). Register here 
Note: Approval required

Wine Tasting at Black Hat 2026 (Bitsight)

Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: W Las Vegas
About: A guided wine tasting to ease out of the Briefings day one. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

PlexTrac Happy Hour

Time: 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: PlexTrac Parlor, Mandalay Bay Suites
About: Drinks and conversation in PlexTrac's private suite. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Executive Security Exchange (TierPoint & Corero)

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Montecristo Cigar Bar, Caesars Palace
About: Executive networking over cigars and cocktails. Register here
Note: RSVP required

Lockstep // Black Hat 2026

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Register to see the address
About: The multi-sponsor mega-event returns with fourteen sponsors, including Cyberhaven, Vanta, Twingate, Upwind Security, and Craft Ventures. Full venue buyout, curated experiences, and one of the toughest doors of the week. Request an invite
Note: Registration is subject to approval by the hosts

Neat & Secure Reception: Fine Spirits & AI-Driven Insights (Cyera)

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Penthouse Suite, Four Seasons
About: Fine spirits tasting with security peers, back in the Four Seasons penthouse. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Wurst Security Party (DryRun Security, Monad, Redpoint Security, Cimento.ai & Cloud Security Partners)

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Hofbräuhaus, 4510 Paradise Rd
About: Beer steins, pretzels, and appsec people at the Vegas outpost of the Munich original. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Agentville After Party (Cyera)

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Eyecandy Lounge, Mandalay Bay
About: Cyera's third and biggest event of the week, an open-format after party in the middle of Mandalay Bay. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

The Wheelhouse & High Roller Experience (Eclypsium)

Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Wheelhouse & High Roller at The LINQ, 3545 S Las Vegas Blvd
About: A private reception with rides on the High Roller. Transportation from Mandalay Bay is provided. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

THREATCON1 Party in Vegas (VulnCheck & Zafran)

Time: 6:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Register to see the address
About: A threat-intel-flavored party from two vuln-focused vendors. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

BlackHat After Dark: Humans vs. AI (Securin, BlackCloak, Straiker, Chainguard & Schellman)

Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club, The LINQ
About: A comedy night pitting human comedians against the machines. Request an invite Note: RSVP required.

Mythos Manor (FireMon, Fortinet & Illumio)

Time: 7:00-9:30 p.m.
Where: Oddyssey Manor, AREA15
About: An immersive evening built around discovery, connection, and the policies that determine what is reachable, trusted, and enforced. Request Invite.
Note: Approval required; request an invite

Seed to Speed: Cybersecurity Startup Showcase (CISO Ventures & Friends)

Time: 7:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Where: Four Seasons (register to see details)
About: A startup showcase and networking night for founders, investors, and CISOs. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Legends of Cyber (Armadin & iCOUNTER)

Time: 8:00 - 12:00 AM
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: A late-night party at the House of Blues. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

AfterFuse at Black Hat (eSentire, Infoblox, Crash Override, Island & Intaso)

Time: 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: The other late-night House of Blues party, running the same hours. Wednesday night at HOB will be busy. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Texas Hold Em Tournament (AegisAI Security)

Time: 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Where: Waldorf Astoria
About: A late-night poker tournament for the card players in the crowd. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

August 6, Thursday (Closing Day + DEF CON Bridge)

The Black Hat Breakfast (Hubscale, Squared Circle, Norwest, Sysdig, Fin Capital & Cloud Security Alliance)

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: A morning networking breakfast for founders, investors, and security executives to open the final day. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

Black Hat "Lock It Down" Networking Reception (YL Ventures, Minimus & partners)

Time: 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Prohibition 1923 & Minus5 Ice Bar, Mandalay Bay
About: The vetted executive reception returns with eleven co-hosts, including YL Ventures, Minimus, MIGGO, and Stellar Cyber. Request an invite
Note: This is a vetted private event

NoiseFest (GreyNoise)

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: House of Blues, Mandalay Bay
About: GreyNoise's annual party, with live music at the House of Blues. Request an inviteNote: RSVP required

It's All Fun & Games (Semgrep)

Time: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Level Up, MGM Grand
About: Arcade games, drinks, and networking at MGM's gaming lounge. Request an invite Note: RSVP required.

HACKasan 2026 (Pentera)

Time: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Hakkasan Nightclub, MGM Grand
About: The nightclub takeover returns for another year. Expect a packed floor, loud music, and full production. Request an invite
Note: RSVP required

DEF CON 34 (Community Events, August 6-9)

DEF CON 34 runs August 6-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall. This year's theme is "Agency."

EFF Benefit Poker Tournament

Time: 12:00 - 3:00  p.m., Friday, August 7
Where: Horseshoe Poker Room, 3645 S Las Vegas Blvd
About: Charity poker benefiting the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Your buy-in is paired with a donation to support EFF's work on online privacy and free expression. More information
Note: Seating is limited, reserve early

Hackers Unplugged + SwagFest (Intigriti)

Time: 6:30 - 9:30  p.m. Friday, August 7
Where: Play Playground, Luxor
About: Intigriti's DEF CON edition, with games and swag. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

EFF Tech Trivia Night

Time: Saturday, August 8
Where: DEF CON, Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall
About: Trivia on digital security, online rights, and internet culture from EFF's team of technologists. Winning teams take home the Tech Trivia Trophy and EFF swag. More info

VulnCheck's Exclusive Cocktail Party

Time: 6:00 - 9:00  p.m., Saturday, August 8
Where: Register to see the address
About: Cocktails with the VulnCheck team during DEF CON weekend. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Surface & PhantomSec DEF CON Villa Party

Time: 6:30 p.m.- 11:00  p.m., Saturday, August 8
Where: Register to see the address
About: A private villa party for the DEF CON crowd. Request an invite
Note: Approval required

Queercon Community Lounge

Time: Throughout DEF CON 34
Where: Queercon Community Lounge, Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall
About: Queercon returns as a DEF CON community with a lounge, badges, puzzle challenges, and meetups for the LGBTQIA+ hacker community. Follow queercon.org for the schedule.

Note: Event times and details are based on available listings as of July 2026. Check each RSVP link for the most up-to-date information!

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