Whenever hubby and I want to attend an event such as a seminar or expo, we volunteer for a shift. I just volunteered for the Green Expo and really enjoyed seeing all of the exhibits. I collected a ton of freebie reusable shopping bags that will go well with couponing!!
My next function will be the Cooking and Entertainment Expo in November. I look for events in the metro section of the paper. If I see something that looks interesting, I google the event or look for contact information.
Most events have a "volunteer" link. Sometimes you can get access to give-a-ways or speakers that you wouldn't get as a paying attendee.