Frequently Asked Questions

Register here: https://hopin.com/events/blue-ridge-eco-fair

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HOPIN ACCOUNT

• Select your ticket type and click the blue “Checkout” button at the bottom of the ticket list. (view screenshot)
• The system will require you to set up a Hopin account before purchasing the ticket. On the Sign Up page, enter your name, email address and password, then click the blue “Sign Up” button.* Please keep your password handy. You will need it to login the day of the event. (view screenshot)
• Enter your payment information to purchase the ticket (if you are registering for a free ticket, you will skip this step). (view screenshot)
• You will receive two emails confirming your Hopin account registration and the event registration. The event email will contain a link to add the event to your calendar.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A HOPIN ACCOUNT

• Select your ticket type and click the blue “Checkout” button at the bottom of the ticket list. (view screenshot)
• On the Sign Up page, select “Log In” at the top of the page. (view screenshot)
• Use your Hopin email address and password to login. If you do not remember your password, click the “Forgot Your Password” link to reset it. (view screenshot)
• Enter your payment information to purchase the ticket (if you are registering for a free ticket, you will skip this step). (view screenshot)
• You will receive an email confirming the registration. The email will contain a link to add the event to your calendar.

* Some users may receive a message that Hopin was unable to process their registration request. If this happens to you, please try again. It should go through the second time. 

Need more info? Access Hopin’s Knowledge Base article here.

Yes! Your name and registration are still in our system.

Visit this link to login: https://hopin.com/events/blue-ridge-eco-fair. You’ll need to use the email address and password you set up when you registered last fall. If you’ve lost your password, you can reset it using the “Forgot your password?” link in the lower left corner of the login form.

There are several ways to access the event:

• Using this link: https://hopin.com/events/blue-ridge-eco-fair
• Using the calendar link provided in your registration email.
• Using the login link in the event reminder email sent out one hour before the event.

Once you reach the main event page:

• If you are already logged in to Hopin, click the large blue button that says “Enter Event.” The event will be accessible from noon to midnight on April 25. (view screenshot)
• If you are not logged in, click the link at the top of the ticket box that says “Already Registered? Log in to access the event.” (view screenshot)
• On the sign in page, scroll down below the BREF banner and enter the Hopin account email address and password you used to register for the event. If you forgot your password, please use the “Forgot your password?” link to set a new password. (view screenshot)

You can login up to one hour before the event to familiarize yourself with the Hopin software and chat with fellow attendees.

Need more info? Access Hopin’s Knowledge Base article here. 

The Hopin platform makes the following recommendations for the best experience during the event:

• Internet Speed: recommended minimum of 5mbps download and 2mbps upload. Ideally, attendees will have 30mbps download and 10mbps upload or higher for the best quality. Test your speed here.
• Browser Specifications: Hopin works best on Chrome and Firefox. Please make sure your browser is up to date. Please only use Hopin in one browser tab and close all other tabs.
• Audio/Video: if you plan to participate in panel discussions by audio or video and are using a VPN (network) or device provided by your employer, ensure your device can access and share your camera and microphone. Please use headphones when participating on-screen. You also need to grant access to Hopin in your browser privacy settings (in Chrome, type into the URL bar: chrome://settings/content and scroll down to Permissions > Microphone and > Camera).
• Restart your computer before joining the event. This ensures that there are no other video applications holding onto audio or video for any reason.

For additional troubleshooting tips, please see this article.

Once logged in you will be taken to the reception area which includes an overview and schedule for the day, along with an event chat where you can engage in general discussion with other attendees.

You can access all event activities from the sidebar on the left side of the reception area or footer on mobile devices (view desktop screenshot | view mobile screenshot). Areas include:

• Reception: Find event information, the Event Chat, our Sponsors and the Schedule.
• Stage: the main stage hosts a series of live presentations scheduled throughout the day. Attendees can interact with each other, participate in polls, and ask the presenter questions in the stage chat. You can find the stage schedule here.
• Sessions: sessions are “rooms” where speakers can interact with attendees and answer questions during scheduled times. Once you enter a session, you may chat with the speaker in the chat tab by video by clicking the blue “Share Audio and Video” button. Up to 9 people can be on screen at once. You can find the session schedule here.
• Networking: this is a place to meet and network with your fellow attendees. When you click the “Ready” button, the system searches for another attendee who has also clicked the Ready button. If someone else is available, you will be matched instantly. The video chat will begin and last for a preset amount of time.
• Expo: the expo houses pre-recorded information booths from a variety of businesses, vendors, and presenters. You can find a list of booths here. Some vendors may be available in the booth chat to answer your questions.
• Our Help & Support Booth in the Expo area has more screenshots and resources for customer and technical support.

The Hopin platform has a variety of ways to interact with presenters, vendors, and attendees.

• Chats: chats are located on the right side of your screen (desktop) or footer (mobile). You will see several tabs at the top of the chat area, depending on which area of the site you are in. The Event chat is visible in the Reception area and can be seen site-wide. The Stage and Expo areas have their own chats which can only be seen within those areas, as well as an Event tab which allows access to the event-wide Chat. Click Stage, Booth, or Event at the top of the Chat area to toggle between these areas. Where Q&A and Polls are available, you will also see those tabs at the top of the Chat area.
• Polls: our chat moderators will add polls during each presentation to gather participant feedback on specific questions of interest related to the current topic. If you see a red dot on the poll tab, it means a new poll is live and ready for your vote.
• Q&A: Questions for presenters can be added to the Q&A during a presentation on the Stage or in a Session or Expo Booth. Participants can upvote questions they are interested in, so please check the Q&A regularly to vote for your favorites.
• Networking: the networking tab is located in the navigation bar on the left side of the screen (desktop) or footer (mobile). It is a place to meet and network with your fellow attendees. Once in the networking area, click the “Ready” button and the system will search for another attendee who has also clicked the Ready button. If someone else is available, you will be matched instantly. The video chat will begin and last for two minutes. Scroll down for help if Hopin is unable to see/access your microphone and webcam.
• Direct messaging: you can send a direct message to any person participating in the event unless they have blocked this feature in their account settings. To send a message, click the message icon (paper airplane) in the top right corner of your screen, then click “Start a Conversation.” A list of attendees will appear, or you can search for a specific person. You can also send a direct message to a person in a chat by clicking that person’s name. If someone has sent you a direct message, a red dot will appear next to the message icon. You can turn on sound notifications for messages using the bell icon next to the message icon.

If you need help after you’ve logged into the event, you can stop by our Customer Support Booth located in the Expo tab. We have live Customer Support staff to assist you in the booth chat. 

Yes! All main stage presentations and special sessions will be recorded and available for rewatch. We will send information to attendees on how to access the recordings after the event.