Summer is all about vacations, barbeques, and rooftop day parties, but it's also a chance to gift yourself with a little career development.

This summer is filled with many conferences and festivals catered to women of color looking for an opportunity to exchange ideas and meet like-minded individuals when our everyday corporate settings don't allow for it. It's that chance to let your hair down and engage in dialogue on diversity inclusion while meeting the "friends in your head" that you root for online for their achievements.

However, attending a conference can be overwhelming and intimidating when over 400 women are in a room. Where do you even begin?

Related: 10 Conferences Women Should Invest In For A Successful 2018

When you have the right strategy in place networking and getting the most out of this summer's conferences can be easy. Networking has to be done differently depending on the attendees and subject matter of each event. We broke down some of the most popular events of the season and asked past attendees to share their best advice for networking at each and the best places to engage other attendees and speakers. You'll learn which spots to have dinner with someone you connected with after the conference, how to avoid long lines for a moment with a keynote or celebrity, and where to escape when you need a break from the information overload.

Click Next Page for our guide to enhancing your networking experience at 5 of this summer's biggest conferences: