I've been to many conferences, and it was by far one of the best ones I've attended in my career. At most of the conferences I've attended, the men outnumber the women 4 to 1, so it was refreshing to see so many women gathered in one place. In addition, most of the musicians attending were independent artists. The highlight for me was meeting, in person, other independent artists I had either heard about or corresponded with on-line. It felt like I was at camp, and I was on a high for several days following the conference.
Some musicians think music conferences in general are a waste of time.
I've heard more than one musician say that the only way to get in is to know someone, and if you do get invited to showcase, no one comes to your show. I've been to five music conferences in my career and have found them to be a great way to become more visible, break into a market, make excellent contacts and, at the very least, get a gig that I may not have normally gotten. First, you need to pick your conference. There are many from which to choose, and they pretty much run the gamut on what they provide. Many offer showcasing opportunities and still others, like The Indie Music Forum are strictly educational.