Recruitment fair? Necessity or...?

My university is hosting a consultancy fair and few big names will be there, some of which I was hoping to apply with for work and hopefully join them on completion of my degree. However, the date coincides with something I have already planned and I would find it awful if I didn't make it to my previously planned engagement, which does not effect my future career in any way, though.
So, should I cancel my previous engagement or should I just miss the fair? Is it really a necessity to be there if I want to apply with these companies? Will they give preference to people they meet at the fair when sending out interview invitations?
Thank you for your comments.

 

I don't think these career fairs add a ton of value. From my end, there's so many people that it's hard to keep straight who I actually meet, and frankly, half the time I'm probably thinking about the work I have to make up later, just to talk to some clueless/pretentious/etc. kids I'll probably never see again.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 

Some of the people I know who work in this industry also suggested to me that career fairs don't account for much as everyone still has to apply via "normal" route and many of those who go to career fairs don't get invited for interviews. But, my classmates are all making it into such big thing that to avoid showing up is equal to blowing up all your chances of every getting an interview. Some of them are waking up early just to make sure they get their place online via the university web site before its all booked out. I don't know what to think anymore.

 

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