Inside Events & Festivals - February 2020 by Washington Festivals & Events Association

Inside Events and Festivals The official publication of the Washington Festivals & Events Association

See Inside: •

Adding Virtual Options to your Event or Festival

•

Festival News from Around the State and World

•

Working with Your Neighbors

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2020 WFEA Conference Schedule

•

A Glance at WFEA Member Events in March

Pictured: North Olympic Discovery Marathon June 7, 2020, Port Angeles & Sequim, WA

The Lineup Adding Virtual Options to your Event Three basic steps will help get you started in adding a virtual component to your event. Page 4

Festival News News from around the world and state Page 6

Working With Our Neighbors Ways to engage neighbors with your festival Page 9

WFEA 2020 Conference Schedule March 24-26, 2020 Red Lion, Bellevue WA Page 13

WFEA Member Events December WFEA calendar listing of events to attend around the state this month Page 18 Inside Events and Festivals February 2020 Washington Festivals & Events Association

North Olympic Discovery Marathon June 6-7, 2020

Extending the Reach of Your Festival or Event with Virtual Participants Victoria Jones Port Angeles Marathon Association

ave you ever wanted to be part of an event that you weren’t able to attend? Every year there are many patrons thinking the same thing about your event. By adding virtual options to your event or festival you can keep those patrons engaged and at the same time enhance and grow your event. A virtual event is a companion to your on-site event that patrons can still feel apart of your event without actually being there. Virtual events help participants “be part of something” even if they can’t physically be at the event when it is held. For example, for our virtual races in the Run the Peninsula race series, participants earn the same swag they would earn if they could physically be at the events this gives them the engagement and connection to the event. Three basic steps will help get you started in adding a virtual component to your event. These include setting goals, starting small and thinking long-term. 1. What are your goals? When you are ready to add a virtual component you have to think about what your goals are and what you are trying to achieve. For example, virtual races can expand your race numbers, increase your event’s exposure, or keep existing patrons engaged in a race series if they can’t be at all events. Be specific with your goals, and what you are looking to achieve. Just having a virtual event will not make it successful; as with your onsite events, a true purpose and goal will give you a theme around which to organize your virtual event. Once you determine your goal, create a way to measure your progress to determine if you were able to achieve your goal. 2. Start Small It may not work to turn your entire event virtual overnight. Pick one component that you want to test and give it a try. If you host a music festival, perhaps you select one of your headline bands and stream the performance live to remote audience members who have purchased promotional codes. Think outside of the box in ways to engage the virtual listeners, and grow over time. The virtual concert could encourage listeners to go to its social media page and have the listeners guess the next song that the band will play.

Run the Peninsula Railroad Bridge, April 25, 2020 The more that you engage your virtual audience the more it will grow. Your virtual participants don't want to just be observers, but want to be engaged. You can even consider giving an exclusive perk to the virtual patrons, something that the onsite patrons can’t even experience. 3. Think long-term Growing your virtual event is a marathon, not a sprint. It is going to take some time to see the impact of adding a virtual component to your event. By starting small it gives you the opportunity to see what is working well and additional ways that you can improve on your already existing virtual experience. After the event reach out to the virtual participants and ask for their feedback. What did they like? What would they like to see more of? Ask what they would like to see for the next event, and seek different ways that they can be engaged if they can’t get there. There are countless ways that you can make your event virtual to grow and enhance the overall experience. When implementing a virtual experience to your patrons make sure that you have a goal, start small and think long-term.

Sidebar for the article - Examples of ways to add Virtual Experiences to your Event Virtual VIP Package: Limited quantity of packages that are mailed out with event swag, event calendar, ways to participate virtually and ways to win contests.

Image below: Social media post from the Run the Peninsula - 1st Virtual Runner of 2020. It was from Port San Luis, CA. Participants are encouraged to post their races on our facebook page.

Social media contests - Win tickets for the following year's events. Q & A sessions with artists - live stream. Virtual patrons can ask questions and stay engaged

Paint & Sit Live stream - Pre-mail all the art supplies and live stream the artist instructions so that patrons can participate virtually. Backstage Pass- Live feed backstage with the artists. This is only something that can be seen by the virtual audience. Offer something that only is available virtually.

Festival News Around the World How the Coronavirus Outbreak Is Affecting Events Around the World The rapidly spreading virus is wreaking havoc on China's event and tourism industry. Should U.S.-based event organizers be concerned? Via Bizbash

Read More Here

Ballard SeafoodFest July 10-12, 2020

Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t You Be My Neighbor? Alby Allen Ballard SeafoodFest

“W

e all have neighbors. In our home life certainly, unless perhaps we live in the mountains of Montana. Some of our neighbors may work with us on projects and offer suggestions for recipes and carburetors. We may have neighbors to whom we nod cordially as we exit our doors on the way to work or shopping. Some neighbors may present long standing feuds over parking places, landscaping or poorly placed pet byproducts. Neighbors can be a state of being “neighborly” or simply a challenging act of unfortunate opinions and adjoining property lines. Needless to say, we accomplish much more with our friendly, neighborly neighbors. A common goal among neighbors is to be in a place where we all work together in that neighborly fashion and take comfort in our community. When producing a festival, the more neighbors that pitch in the better. Some may be enthusiastic, some lukewarm and some a bit wary but there is a place for everyone when it comes to shouldering the monumental effort it takes to bring a festival to a celebratory, safe and happy place in the neighborhood. Ballard SeafoodFest was created 46 years ago as a neighborhood salmon barbeque raising funds for the local Chamber of Commerce. In the early years of the neighborhood festival, hundreds of pounds of salmon were donated by a local fishing company, Trident Seafoods, the cookers and crew were provided by Ballard Oil, and as the smell of Alder smoked salmon wafted through the neighborhood, the community came together. That tradition continues today with both companies still supporting the festival. From the festival’s inception, dozens of Ballardites volunteered to spread the word, barbeque the salmon and clean up the inevitable aftermath. Ballardites love an excuse to celebrate their rich maritime industrial history, as such, local volunteers contribute more than 2,500 volunteer hours each year. This neighborhood salmon barbeque turned into a three-day festival that serves more than 2,000 pounds of salmon, 1,500 pounds of Alaskan crab and 200 kegs of beer. The event is a testament to neighbors coming together and made possible each year through the community’s unwavering support.

The festival’s footprint has grown from a bunch of lawn chairs to encompassing most of downtown Ballard, including its three city parks. As the festival’s popularity grew it was necessary to expand the hours as well. Today, the festival begins on Friday evening through Sunday evening on a weekend in July. Like most Pacific Northwest neighborhoods, present day Ballard would be virtually unrecognizable to someone involved in SeafoodFest 46 years ago. Ballard was originally settled by fishing folks and dockside enterprises, tracing their roots as largely Scandinavian. Today, fishing and industrial jobs have been overshadowed by tech industry companies and workers who probably don’t know the difference between a seiner and a gill netter. With the comingling of new and old faces, varying opinions exist on how best to utilize the neighborhood resources. Though the individual neighbors may harbor some conflicting thoughts on the day to day challenge of a neighborhood in transition, Ballard SeafoodFest unites them in an annual project that they can support. With a neighborhood of dock workers in Helly Hanson, bar owners in perennial t-shirts, tech mavens in hoodies and BMWs, it can be a challenge to get everyone unified on one project. A free community festival is a great place to start. Ballard neighbors come together each year from varying backgrounds one weekend in July to celebrate the culture, history, charm and sense of community offered in Ballard, Washington. As the festival grows, the planners work to engage all Ballardites from local businesses, property owners, Nordic community organizations, residents and the broader Seattle community.

WAYS TO ENGAGE NEIGHBORS ACT LOCALLY - SeafoodFest is a community festival. As such, it offers a priority for involvement from our neighbors, local artists and restaurants. Arts and crafts sold at the festival are curated with a priority to be hand made by local artists. The local preference also applies to food booths. The festival supports nonprofits with reduced rates and works with local businesses to give them maximum exposure. MEETINGS - Bring ‘em in! Regular festival planning meetings year round are essential. Ad Hoc meetings for those who may merit or desire special attention are also important functions. All comments have some value. With respect to time and resources, the planning committee meets often and inclusively. The committee takes a proactive approach to all issues that arise and ensure they are dealt with swiftly and with a kind and positive attitude. Local restaurants are included as meeting locations to support the local businesses and keep in the spirit of “breaking bread with the neighbors.” SPONSORSHIP – Ballard SeafoodFest is a free community festival because of generous sponsors. It is the obvious way to help a festival operate, cash or in-kind. Sponsors take time to cultivate but less time

to keep in the fold if givenattention, recognition and all the salmon they can eat. The Executive Director of the Ballard Alliance contacts the sponsors personally and directly to express the neighborhood’s appreciation. This personal touch keeps the neighborly feel when asking for money to support the neighborhood. VOLUNTEERING- This is at the core of what makes Ballard SeafoodFest successful. Longtime residents and newcomers often love to pitch in and be a part of the festival. Ballard neighbors are always looking for a way to connect with their community and give back, the festival gives them and outlet and a connection to the neighborhood. Many corporations use volunteering as a team building. HR departments look to sign up staff to events by the dozen to fulfill community volunteer opportunities. This works well for a beer garden that needs large crews to serve adult festival goers, as well as serving salmon to festival goers of all ages. Local businesses love to volunteer via team participation and get to work with their coworkers on a fun and celebratory event. We encourage volunteers to wear branded shirts, to represent their business or organization. This demonstrates to attendees the large swath of support from the local and broader Seattle community. It takes a fishing village after all.

SHARE A SENSE OF PORPOISE - Sorry, fishy puns are the norm when planning a seafood festival. While celebrating the Ballard culture and local history, some neighbors need more incentive. Negotiations with locals and businesses sometimes take a sharp turn for the positive when we explain that we are a nonprofit organization and the revenues from the festival are put back into the Ballard community through the projects and programs administered by the Ballard Alliance, formerly known as the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. Using funds from SeafoodFest, the Ballard Alliance manages neighborhood projects such as: from creating a national marketing presence to sidewalk cleaning, neighborhood advocacy to funding a mental health outreach worker. Many neighbors light up at the prospect of doing good for the neighborhood and SeafoodFest becomes their avenue for service. WAS THAT YOUR DOG ON MY LAWN? - The festival committee receives complaints from shop owners who don’t like crowds… Well, festival crowds perhaps. Residents may not always see the value of

a festival that draws 75,000 people to the neighborhood core, as parking is a challenge and the sounds of a music stage or the smell of barbeque may not be their cup of tea. To mitigate negative impacts in the surrounding neighborhoods the committee does their best to address issues immediately and to keep open lines of communication throughout the year with local business owners and residents. Best time to start is immediately after the festival is over. It takes a village of dedicated staff, committee members, sponsors, volunteers and the occasional cranky neighbor to pull off any festival and make it better each year. So, love thy neighbor? Heck yes. And help them celebrate their Ballard neighbors and neighborhood through a free community festival! Ballard SeafoodFest takes place in the, you guessed it, Ballard neighborhood of Seattle on the second weekend of July. Won’t you be our neighbor?

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 24-26, 2020 RED LION, BELLEVUE WA

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE PRE- CONFERENCE WORKSHOP

2020 WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

(Requires Separate Entry)

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020 9:00 AM–3:45 PM NON-SPONSORSHIP REVENUE PROGRAMS/PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTION NON-DUES INCOME: EXPLORE WAYS TO GROW THE BOTTOM LINE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH MERCHANDISE, PROMOTIONS AND NON-TRADITIONAL FUNDRAISING Mike Berry, Secretary of Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet

What started as a way to generate community support for Kentucky Derby Festival by creating a plastic lapel pin has turned into a million-dollar program involving collectors, event admissions and grand prizes. Place your bet that these promotions might work for you, too. MUSIC AND YOUR EVENT Ken Deans, COO, Flaregun

Who, What, When & Where: Know your audience. Hear from a seasoned veteran in producing live events, who consults and performs operations management annually around the world to many festivals and companies including Coachella, Stagecoach, BottleRock, Thunder on the Ohil and the World’s largest grossing multi-day event, Desert Trip. NON SPONSORSHIP REVENUE

4:00 - 5:45 PM AFFINITY SESSIONS AND ROUND TABLE SESSIONS These sessions are held for professionals on a specific topic. Held in a roundtable setting, attendees can pick their topic and ask questions in an informal setting. It’s a great opportunity to get to know people in your area of expertise. HEALTHY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE EVENTS Jared Loranger, Fizz Events Northwest; Tom Anderson, And Events, Patty Swedberg, Raise the Bar, Victoria Jones, North Olympic Discovery Marathon

ARTS FESTIVALS Miguel Guillen, Karen Hanan - Washington State Arts Commission Learn about your Washington State Arts Commission’s programming and funding opportunities, and where they might intersect with your festivals and events.

SPONSORSHIP Melissa Jurcan, CSEP – Director of Marketing & Experience, Compass Group

MARITIME EVENTS Carol Riley, Olympia Harbor Days; Chris Moore, Executive Director, Washington Trust

Bruce Skinner, Washington Festivals and Events Association

As the former CEO of the International Festivals and Events Association, Bruce Skinner got to know many of the world’s top event organizers and was often the first person to hear about their new ideas. He’ll present the ones that will help your bottom line.

CULTURAL EVENTS

HOW TO PRODUCE AN AMAZING LIVE EVENT THAT MAKES EVERYBODY TALK

MUSIC

David Doxtater, The Workshop

Live events exist in the marketing space, and are a blend of creativity that touch both the physical and digital world (often referred to as “experiential marketing.”) Behind every delectable bite of finger food and every stunning electrical display, there is thought, creativity and ingenuity happening on the back end to pull it all together. The leader of The Workshop will explain what goes into making an event a great one that makes everybody talk.

Putter Bert, President/CEO of KidsQuest Children's Museum

PARKS AND RECREATION EVENTS Mark Hendrickson, Kent Parks and Recreation Department; Chuck Denney, Tumwater Parks and Recreation

Jon Stone, CEA Partners

VENDOR AND SUPPLIERS Eddie Redman, Grand Event Rentals, Tim Medved, U-Cool

ASSET David Doxtater, The Workshop

MONETIZING YOUR TICKETING SYSTEM Ryan Kitz, Afton, LLC & Afton Tickets, Inc.

(REQUIRES SEPARATE REGISTRATION) *THESE PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS WILL QUALIFY FOR CERTIFIED LIVE EVENT PLANNER (CLEP) CREDIT

WORKING WITH VENDORS Scott Nagel, Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival

4:00 - 5:45 PM OPENING SESSION 8:00 - 11:00 PM HOSPITALITY SUITE SPONSORED BY WESTERN DISPLAY FIREWORKS

MARCH 24-26, 2020 RED LION HOTEL IN BELLEVUE, WA: REGISTER AT WFEA.ORG

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 8:00 – 9:00 AM OPENING KEYNOTE: DEAL OR NO DEAL: FINDING SOLUTIONS WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE

goers. With thousands of people joining The Recycled Arts Festival with “going green” on the mind, there are just a few more steps that can be recognized to reduce and reuse on a broader scale to make this festival going experience even better.*

Mike Berry, Secretary of Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet

Finding Solutions When Problems Arise: It is easier to come up with a plan to address a major issue when you’re not on a media deadline, your cell phone is not ringing and people aren’t staring at you! Hear some real life examples of when one of America’s largest civic celebrations got it right (and sometimes wrong!) and learn how a little preparation can make life easier in a crisis. 9:00 – 10:00 AM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS THE FUTURE OF SPONSORSHIP Paula Beadle, Caravel Marketing

Paula Beadle, a results-driven leader, will share industry trends and best practices in the areas of sponsorship sales, valuation, activation, and emerging categories. She has an established record of increasing revenue and improving performance for organizations including Seafair, Seattle Center, Special Olympics, University of Washington and the Washington State Fair.

10:15 – 11:15 AM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS LET’S MAKE A DEAL Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival

Just like the popular game show, sponsorship activation can be a game of negotiation, strategy and choices. Should you keep providing the benefits you offer to a sponsor or entice them to trade for what’s behind Door Number Two? PROGRAMMING THE FUTURE WATERFRONT PARK WITH CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES Heidi Hughes, Friends of the Waterfront

IS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT?

Heidi Hughes, Executive Director of Friends of Waterfront Seattle, the City's nonprofit partner helping to help build the park and operate the future public spaces in partnership with Seattle Parks & Recreation, will discuss how the future park will be a year round gathering place for Seattle and the region. Like other signature parks around the country, Seattle’s future Waterfront Park will be a platform for community programming and a variety of cultural, educational and recreational activities.

Susan Watchie, Watchie Insurance Group Joe Mullens, Principal at Safety Northwest

HOW TO TAKE YOUR EVENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Please join us for a discussion on workplace violence insurance and how your organization can protect itself against this hazard. Watchie Insurance Group outlines prevention, crisis management and insurance indemnification that protects your event against a threat of, or an actual assailant attack whether it be at a fair, festival and/ or any other public venue insured. We will tell you how it differs from your general liability policy as well as go over things to think about if a loss should happen. There is immediate primary coverage to respond to your directors, officers, employees, volunteers and patrons and of foremost magnitude: any victim or survivor. Question and Answer period will follow.

Morgan Marum, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Hoopfest

Hoopfest is the largest three on three basketball tournament in the world, bringing 250,000 spectators annually to Spokane and generating $48 million in economic impact. Hear how they have grown it over the years and how you can do the same with your event. MAXIMIZING YOUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROFITS Shelby De Lappe, Trudi Webster, Festivals, Inc.

The increased number of food and beverage events in the region creates an ongoing increased level of competition that currently challenges all major festivals and events to step up their game. Join MANAGING TECHNOLOGY Trudi Webster (Media Director) and Shelby De Lappe (Vendor Eric Corning, Seattle Seafair Relations Manager) to hear how the combination of strong vendor Special events large and small can often utilize similar best practices relationships, social media delivery, new concepts, and staying on to ensure a successful event. Take a look at traditional best practices top of current trends, can assist to maximize food and beverage and how technology can help and hinder your efforts to organize profits. events. BUILDING A BETTER FESTIVAL – WASTE AUDIT STRATEGIES TO IDENTIFY FUTURE PROGRESS Meg Johnson, Waste Connections of Washington

The annual Recycled Arts Festival is one of the largest public gatherings in Clark County, WA. As a method to further their waste reductions goals, a waste audit was performed on all solid waste generated from the two-day festival. Methods of collection and source separation will be discussed as well as the importance of partnership across vendors, volunteers, organizers, and festival

MARCH 24-26, 2020 RED LION HOTEL IN BELLEVUE, WA: REGISTER AT WFEA.ORG

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE studies, what they do for your organization, and how this can answer those LTAC grant questions required by the State. 3:00 – 4:00 PM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS TOURISM AND EVENTS Amy McGuffin, Kittitas Chamber of Commerce, Britnee Christen, National Lentil Festival, Pullman

The Kittitas Chamber of Commerce is very successful at coordinating small to large events in Central Washington. The use of lodging tax funding has been a driving force to implement the operations and promotions of events. Learn how you can adapt their ideas to your area. 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM NETWORK SUPPLIER LUNCH BUILDING CONNECTIONS – EXPO SPEED DATING Discover the latest trends in our industry with many top event suppliers and producers. Each table at the lunch will be hosted by a vendor/exhibitor, who will distribute material sand discuss the merits of their product with fellow table members. During the four course lunch, each table will be visited by 12 different suppliers, who will discuss 12 different topics.

PLANNING FOR SEATTLE’S FUTURE MAJOR EVENTS Ralph Morton, Seattle Sports Commission

Seattle is experiencing a true sports renaissance, with an opportunity to seize the world’s stage in hosting impactful events in the coming decade. Be a part of seizing the momentum and elevating Seattle’s sports and event industry, because the region has to lean in to make it happen. CREATING FINANCIAL NARRATIVE

1:45 – 2:45 PM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING

Jon Stone, CEA Partners; Susan Den

Festival received an estimated $100,000 of earned media in 2018, including a segment on King5 News.

Andy Fife, Cultural Policy & Strategy Specialist

Every report begins as a unique story in draft form, yet we tend not to think about our financial documents in narrative terms. How you populate and present your numbers determines the nature of the George Sharp, Thurston Economic Development Council This session is both for you as a professional and for your festival or story and influences the perception of the recipient. Session event. You will learn ideas on how to be seen as leader and expert in components include: How to read a financial statement, How to refine a chart of accounts, Meaningful forecasting made easy your field and community, as well as how to have your festival or event standout from the 1,000’s of festivals taking place annually. Learn how the National Lentil Festival was in the New York and L.A. THE IMPORTANCE OF BOARD GOVERNANCE Times in its second year of existence in 1990 and how the Tiny Town RE-BOARDING: UNLOCKING THE POWERS OF ORGANIZATIONAL of Bucoda, Washington and their first year Boo-Coda Spook-Tacular GOVERNANCE Whatever the shape or size of your organization, there is likely some group that comes together to make big decisions and set policy. Whether they are a board of directors, board of trustees, an WORKING WITH THE MEDIA ownership group, an advisory council or otherwise, odds are they Lisa Samuelson, Erika Olsen, Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival aren’t optimized. And however glaring the need for change, it is WHAT BRANDS ARE LOOKING FOR IN A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP never quite obvious just how to pursue it. In this session by Seattle consultant Andy Fife, we will talk about the peculiar challenges and Kristi Ellefson, Delta Dental opportunities of a Learn what sponsors are looking for from the first approach to the board, how to final recap report from the senior manager for public relations and build consensus brand of Delta Dental. around the areas of greatest need, LOW COST ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORTS and how to go Scott Nagel, Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival, Port Angeles about making The need for information about the economic impact and lasting positive demographics of the audiences of festivals and events has never change. been greater. Festival management is serious business, but sometimes it’s difficult to persuade government, sponsors, and business that a festival contributes to the economic vitality of your community. Learn the basics of economic impact and demographic

MARCH 24-26, 2020 RED LION HOTEL IN BELLEVUE, WA: REGISTER AT WFEA.ORG

WFEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE 4:15 – 5:00 PM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS SO YOU WANT TO PUT ON A FESTIVAL – HOW MUCH CAN YOU AFFORD TO LOSE?

achieving their goals. Many event organizers still enter meetings wanting to strictly to fund their events, and overlook this all important step.

Ken Deans, COO, Flaregun

ASK THE EXPERTS

Building a festival is a long term investment – you need a very long runway, and nerves of steel. Often the ride isn’t easy. Hear from a seasoned veteran in producing live events who has played a big part in the management operations for Coachella, one of the largest festivals in the world. He’ll take you through a step-by-step journey through the logistics of the evolution of the world’s most recognized music festival. Ken was also part of the management team that brought musical artists Men at Work, The Split Enz,, and the Divynals to the forefront of the U.S. music scene, and a partner of the group responsible for the explosion of the Seattle music scene, including Alice in Chains, Mother Love Bone, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

Bruce Skinner, WFEA Executive Director; David Doxtater, the Workshop

5:45 PM WFEA RECOGNITION DINNER Help us recognize the best of our industry, as welcome new inductees into the WFEA Hall of Fame, the State’s Volunteer of the Year, and the winners of the Summit Awards, which embodies the best of the festival and events industry. 8:00 - 11:00 PM HOSPITALITY SUITE Sponsored by Western Display Fireworks

Continue learning and networking with some of the industry’s leading experts. WFEA board members will be available to answer any questions that you might have.

9:45 – 10:45 AM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS POWERING AN EVENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA Joshua Dircks

The last 10 years have seen a seismic shift in how consumers receive their news and information. This change has left many legacy events and brands flatfooted and struggling to find answers. However, this shift is actually a massive opportunity for the experiential marketing world which includes events and festivals. Join us for an interactive learning session about the best practices for harnessing the power of social media for your event and festival. HOW TO WORK WITH VENDORS Carol Riley, Harbor Days, Olympia

There are many types of booth vendors and exhibitors – Arts & Crafts, Commercial, Food, and Non-Profit for most festivals and many events. How do you find new vendors? What is the best assortment and layout? What are the pros and cons of a juried vs non-juried selection process? What is your registration process? Share experiences with indoor vs outdoor vending, booth fees vs commissions, add-ons and other offerings. What are your expectations, communication and setup challenges, and overnight security issues? Should WFEA be supporting a members only active list of booth vendors used and recommended by current members only?

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020 8:30 – 9:30 AM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS DISASTER MANAGEMENT PART 1 OF 2: Continued in Next Session Robert Mitchell, Director of Community Disaster Medicine, Liz Purdy, Bellingham Seafeast Executive Director; Lynn Sterbenz, City of Bellingham Emergency Manager.

Collaborative Disaster Response for Festivals and Events: In light of the Active Violence Events in Las Vegas and Gilroy, we'll take a look at how we embraced the disaster planning process from the ground up using Bellingham SeaFeast 2019 as a case study. Join us as we outline the [who, what, why, when, where and how for] building blocks to create a plan. BUILDING A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN John Thorburn, Boldhat Productions

The success of every event hinges on an effective plan to attract guests or ticket buyers. Learn how to develop a comprehensive marketing and communications plan and build your own playbook to increase engagement and grow attendance. LOOKING AT COMPANIES AS PARTNERS INSTEAD OF “SPONSORS” Melissa Jurcan, CSEP – Director of Marketing + Experience, Compass Group

PERFECTING YOUR PROPERTY'S ELEVATOR PITCH Andrew Scott, Manager of Business Development, Seattle Dragons

Sports properties are the producers of some of the best events that go along with their product on the playing field. Learn how you can perfect the elevator/sales pitch for your property through compelling storytelling, content and data when considering prospects in the discovery phase. Also discover how the XFL is remembering its past, reimagining its future. 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CLOSING KEYNOTE “ACTIVE ASSAILANT” TRAINING City of Seattle Police Department

It saddens us that training sessions like this are a necessary part of doing business, and hope you never need to use these skills. However, preparing now could save lives. In the wake of the Gilroy Garlic Festival incident, we present this training without conflicting programming as WFEA believes this is so important that every member should attend. The Seattle Police Department presents a leading edge session which will outline strategies and cover best practices to help all individuals working at festivals and events of any size. Attendees will learn how to protect themselves, their staff, and their patrons from potentially deadly acts of gun violence.

It can never be stressed enough that event organizers need to look through the eyes of the sponsors, and that we need to look first at

MARCH 24-26, 2020 RED LION HOTEL IN BELLEVUE, WA: REGISTER AT WFEA.ORG

March WFEA Member Events At A Glance March 7, Lacey Lacey Cultural Celebration March 14, Puyallup Puyallup Paddy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Party March 14 - March 15, Seattle Irish Festival Seattle

March 22, Seattle Seattleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s French Fest: A Celebration of French-Speaking Cultures

Click Here To View The Full 2020 Calendar Magazine

Washington Festivals & Events Association 1015 Georgiana St. Port Angeles, WA 98362 www.wfea.org