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"COMMOTION AT THE OCEAN"
16th ANNUAL NORTHWEST FESTIVALS & EVENTS CONFERENCE
The premier conference in the Pacific Northwest for festival & event managers, volunteers, vendors, and suppliers
MARCH 1-3, 2009
Ocean Shores, Washington
Produced by
Washington Festivals & Events Association
Oregon Festivals & Events Association
Download the 15th Annual Conference Brochure to see what we offer - watch for the 2009 program here.
The 2009 conference will feature 25 educational sessions and roundtables covering sponsorships, marketing, festival and event operations, and organizational management and leadership over the three-day run. Along with the festival and event educational focus there will be entertainment showcases where event producers can see and hear the best and newest talent from across the nation; an industry trade show where festival producers can see the latest offerings from vendors and event infrastructure providers; a unique festival-themed silent auction; and a two-state awards luncheon recognizing the top festival and event achievements in Washington and Oregon.
“The Northwest Festivals Conference is an unmatched opportunity for festival and event professionals to network, gain knowledge and hone their skills whether they are just entering the industry or have senior experience”, says Bruce Skinner, President of Washington Festivals and Events. “This is also a ‘one-stop shopping’ opportunity for vendors and suppliers – everything a festival needs for success can be found in this one conference.”
Attendees of the conference include festival & event producers, chambers of commerce, recreation and parks departments, convention and visitor bureaus, fairs and family farms, non-profit organizations, corporate sponsors, community leaders and others engaged in the planning and production of festivals & special events. Attendees do not have to be a member of either the Washington or Oregon Associations.
Preliminary Conference Schedule
Sunday, March 1st
Corporate Sponsorship Seminar
New Professional Workshop
Seaside Soiree̍ -Opening reception
Underwater Station – Hospitality Suite
Monday, March 2nd
Opening Keynote
Professional Workshops - Event Conceptualization, Fundraising for Nonprofits/Foundations, Successful Volunteer Relationships, What Sponsors Want plus more………,
Waves of Commotion – Official trade show and luncheon
Special Focus Roundtables - Sustainable Event Practices, Risk Management, Partnerships with Governmental Agencies, Special Effects and Lighting, and more
Port o Call Reception/Silent Auction
All Aboard for St. Thomas – Dinner Cruise/Auction
Tequila Bay – Hospitality Suite
Tuesday, March 3rd
WA/OR Annual State Meetings
Profession Workshops - Working with Tourism, Branding, Legal Issues, Integration of Paid/Free Acts, and more
Wonders of the Sea – State Awards Luncheon
Professional Workshops - Value of Economic Impact Studies, Best of Public Relations, Plan the Work, and Work your Plan, Advanced Management/Leadership and more….
Survivor - Closing Reception
Featuring
Kirk Hendrick - CEO Indy 500 Festival, Ira Rosen - IFEA, Bruce Skinner - Author & Bruce Skinner & Associates, Jon Stone - One Reel, Phil Megenhardt - Bold Hat Productions, Karen Powell-Birchhill Enterprises, Katie Nooshazar- Wah Chang Art & Air Faire, Claudine Oriani- AS IF Productions, Dennis Bash - US Bank, Scott Ingalls - Ingalls & Associates are among the guest speakers.
Who Should Attend the Conference?
Community Festivals - Visitors & Convention Bureaus - Chambers of Commerce - Meeting Planners - Parks & Recreation - Local Government - Vendors and Suppliers - Parades - Fairs - Tourism Industry - Hotels & Motels - Arts Organizations - Sporting Events - Volunteers - Rodeos - Association Executives - Casino Managers - Meeting Planners
Do you produce festivals or special events as part of your work? Are they part of your fundraising program? Are you a new community event producer? Do you work for an arts organization, parks department, visitors and convention bureau, chamber of commerce, or other nonprofit organization and you now find your self going crazy because you are suddenly in charge of a new festival or event? Are you an experienced producer who need to be recharged, refreshed and brought up to date on the latest trends of the industry? Then you need to attend the 2006 Northwest Festivals & Events Conference.
Immerse your self in more than 20 hours of workshops covering everything from sponsorship to parades, to public safety, food and beverage operations, merchandising, event management, volunteers and more. Learn from the best instructors from around the northwest and the country. Meet other event producers, artists, suppliers and vendors. Spend time with your colleagues and share the successes, failures, and new ideas in this thriving multibillion dollar industry.
The Marketplace Trade-show
Meet the region's major vendors and suppliers at the Tradeshow and make those all-important one-on-one connections to make sure you are getting the best goods and services available. The Tradeshow allows event industry suppliers the greatest opportunity for exposure and interaction with festival executives and decision-makers.
Silent Auction
One of the highlights of the conference is the annual Silent Auction, during which we raise money for educational programs and scholarships. You can help support WFEA and our scholarship and education programs by donating auction items with a value of $50 or greater. What would you bid on during this auction? Consider a package featuring local products, sports memorabilia, a weekend getaway package, a trip to your festival or any other creative idea you have.
Silent Auction items are a great way to market your company or event to the festival industry, get lots of visibility, and the appreciation of the conference participants. Even if you are not there, you will be represented in the Silent Auction. We will be distributing an information sheet to all attendees for review prior to the auction.
Scholarships
The WFEA Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for event professionals to earn scholarship funding for attendance at the Northwest Festivals Conference. WFEA seeks to encourage professionalism within the festival industry. In order to enable those individuals and organizations that might not otherwise be able to attend professional development seminars and conferences, the Scholarship Committee provides individual scholarships to a limited number of applicants to support the payment of registration fees.
To be eligible, recipients must demonstrate:
1. That they couldn't otherwise afford to pay the fee.
2. How they and their organization would benefit from this training.
3. That they are a first-time attendee at a WFEA conference.
4. They are current member of WFEA.
Please contact the office if you would like a scholarship application.
Information
If you want more information, would like to be on our list to receive a brochure, or need help convincing your Board of Directors to make this investment, please contact:
Scott Nagel, Executive Director, Washington Festivals & Events Association at 360-452-7019 or e-mail at: info@wfea.org
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