Your Partner in Production.
Your Voice in the Industry.

WFEA Annual Conference
Tuesday, October 27 

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Opening Ceremonies

2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Special Performance: CrowdSource Choir

Crowdsource Choir is a participatory music experience where voices come together in real time — dissolving the barrier between performer and audience.

 

We gather to sing, to feel, and to reconnect through shared music making.

 

Join us in a harmonious celebration as we raise the collective vibration in communal flashes of magnificence.

 

Your voice belongs here.

 

 

Tuesday Opening Keynote
Deliver What Resonates

Pat Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Festival Museum

Learn about proven methods and advice to achieve specific sponsor/partner goals and objectives while providing extensive benefits and intrinsic value to festival properties and causes. Anecdotal examples and case studies will be discussed for major brands including Longines, McDonald, Humana, Cadillac, Kroger, and others.

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Round Table Sessions

4:15 - 5:30 p.m.

  • Production: Danny Nelson, Hero Event Support

• Protecting Your Event: Brad Smith, Meridian Defense

• Using AI Tools to Create Event Materials: Terri Muharsky, Teamatorium

• Grants

• Economic Impact

• Lightning Consulting with AI, 5-Minute Solutions: Joe Allan Muharsky, Teamatorium

• Quality Audio Performance

• Everything Tents: Scott Alexander, Alexander Party Rentals

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First-Timers Session

5:30 - 6:00 p.m.

 
 Opening Reception

6:30 p.m.

Presented by Visit Bellevue

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WFEA Annual Conference

Wednesday, October 28

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Wednesday Opening Keynote

8:30 a.m.

Creating Memorable Experiences Through Sponsorship

Kevin Grothe, Memphis in May

One common goal both events and sponsors have in common is to attract customers. One way to do that is to create memorable experiences. Memorable experiences do not have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, the most memorable experiences typically are sweet and simple. 

 

In this fun-filled, creative session, you will learn to strategically connect with your customers through your sponsors that will have a lasting impact and keep them coming back for more.

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Breakout Sessions

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

  
Drones at Your Event

Frank Sebastian, Lisa Courneya, Emergency Management Group

The Emergency Management Group presents  a focused overview of drone operations and counter UAS (C UAS) capabilities at special events, emphasizing safety, security, and coordinated planning. The session highlights how event organizers can responsibly use drones for situational awareness, crowd safety, and real time incident monitoring while remaining compliant with regulations. It also explains how C UAS detection technologies enhance event safety by identifying unauthorized drones early and supporting informed, coordinated response actions.

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AI and Technology Are Impacting the Need for IRL Events

Amy Maxwell, Ticket Tomato

As Ai and digital technologies increasingly shift interactions online, brands and corporations are investing in IRL (in real life) events, teams and departments to build authentic human connections. This shift is driving rapid growth and transformation in the events industry, creating new demand for experiences that prioritize engagement, community and meaningful face-to-face interaction.

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Caring for the Mind: Mental Health at Festivals and Events

Dr. Joshua Jones

Event attendees need our events more than ever – learn the importance of what we do during these polarized times.

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Why Festival and Events Are Important for the Cultural Sector

Washington State Arts Commission

The arts are more important than ever in our society today, learn why festivals and events are important, amassing large audiences outside of institutional walls.

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City Event Professionals and Insurance*

Robin Aronson, WCIA Risk Services Manager

The Washington Cities Insurance Authority is a risk pool that provides insurance coverage to participating cities and local governments in the State. Rather than selling insurance to individuals, WCIA serves cities, towns and local government organizations. Its members jointly pool resources to obtain coverage and manage risks.

*City Event Professional Track

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Why You Should Add a Fundraiser to Your Existing Event**

Deci Evans, Kind + Co

Stop leaving impact – and money – on the table.

You’ve already got the crowd, the buzz and the goodwill. This fast practical session shows event pros how to add a fundraiser on the event you already run – ticket sales, auction revenues and other proven ways to fundraise can raise you real money to help your bottom line. 

 

You’ll leave with proven giving mechanics, a checklist for staging a successful event, and a roadmap to launch at your very next event. You’ll create more loyal attendees, happier sponsors, free media and most importantly, new revenue.

Stop leaving impact – and money – on the table.

**Fundraising Track

 
 
Breakout Sessions

10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

  
Advocating for Culture in the Biennium Legislative Session

Manny Cawaling, Inspire Washington

What is a Biennium Legislative Session and why is Winter 2027 the most important time to advocate for festivals in Washington? Inspire Washington’s Executive Director will explain the Legislative process while outlining opportunities to advocate for sector support and your unique festival.

 

Boots on the Ground: Protecting Your Event

Mike Reichert, AxisPNW

When something goes wrong at your event, the people in matching shirts standing at the gate are your first, and sometimes only, line of defense, yet most festival organizers don't fully understand what their security team is actually trained to do, what they're allowed to do, or where the gaps are. This session breaks down what real "boots on the ground" event security looks like in 2026: how to staff it, screen for threats, layer it with technology, and build a plan that protects your guests, your staff, and the future of your event.

 

Prepping for 2027 Part I: Navigating the Business Landscape

David Doxtater, The Workshop, moderator

A panel of event industry professionals takes an honest look at the business environment heading into 2027, from inflation and global uncertainty to contingency planning and strategic decision-making. Gain practical insights and recommendations on how to lead your business through today's obstacles and position yourself for a stronger year ahead.

 

Transformative Partnerships: Elevating Festivals, Events and Brands

Cari Dixon, Washington State Fair and Event Center, Jessica Ray Hamilton, Swire Coca-Cola

Join leaders from the Washington State Event Center and Swire Coca-Cola for a dynamic conversation on how strategic partnerships can drive innovation, enhance guest experiences, and create measurable value for both event property and brand partners. This session will explore collaborative approaches to sponsorships, fan engagement, experiential marketing, and long-term relationship building that transforms festivals and events into powerful platforms for community connection and brand impact. Attendees will gain insights into successful partnership strategies, emerging trends, and real-world examples of how aligned visions can elevate both organizations and audiences alike.

 

Making Events Safer, More Accessible and Welcoming Experiences*

Tiffany Hernandez, Morgan Nyren, City of Tacoma

This session will cover accessibility, sharing resources, best practices and practical tools that attendees can take back and implement within their own events and organizations. It will also focus on organization strategies from the event management perspective and how to utilize technology tools to support planning and operations.

*City Event Professional Track

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How to Create Lasting Memories**

Shelly Tolo, Tolo Events; Amanda Korb, Blue Ink

Join us as we explore how thoughtful design, bold creativity, and collaborative innovation can transform ordinary event elements into unforgettable experiences. From AI-inspired installations and immersive photo opportunities to branded environments and surprising guest touchpoints, discover how intentional details create lasting memories.

Whether you're planning a festival, fundraiser, conference, or community celebration, you'll leave with fresh ideas, practical inspiration, and new ways to delight your guests from arrival to farewell.

**Fundraising Event Professional Track

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Networking Supplier Lunch

11:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

 

Discover the latest trends in our industry. Each table at the lunch will be hosted by a vendor/exhibitor, who will distribute materials and discuss the merits of their product with fellow table members. During the lunch, each table will be visited by all the different suppliers.

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Breakout Sessions

2:00 – 2:45 p.m.

  
Prepping for 2027 Part II: The Producer's Blueprint

David Doxtater, Kristen Rosello McVey, Katie McKellar, Janae Sherry, Ruth Eitemiller, The Workshop

A hands-on walkthrough led by Workshop Producers sharing firsthand insight and recommendations on how to plan and organize at the start of a new year. From assigning teams to events and setting expectations for recurring and new projects, to establishing archiving systems for paperwork. The session includes a review of The Workshop Workload Calendar and an inside look at the process used to get projects set up and running from day one.

 

The Sponsorship Sales Process – How to Research

Cari Dixon, Washington State Fair, Ruby Garcia, Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce

Strong sponsorship sales start with finding the right partners. This session will explore the sponsorship sales process with a focus on researching potential sponsors, identifying strong brand fits, understanding partner goals, and building more meaningful conversations with prospects. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and tools they can use to strengthen their sponsorship outreach efforts.

 

Volunteers, Easy as Pie***

Chuck Denney, Tumwater Parks and Recreation Department

Volunteers are often a critical piece of event production and overall success. Learn about the three R's for effective volunteer management and engagement -- Recruitment, Retention, and Recognition. These core principles ensure that organizations not only attract the right people but also keep them motivated and valued, leading to a successful, sustainable and impactful volunteer program

***For event organizers and city event professionals

 

The Donor Experience: Designing Events People Remember and Support**

Gazala Uradnik, GFS Events, Amanda Korb, Blue Ink

Great fundraising events are not built on logistics alone. They are built on emotion, connection, and intentional guest experience. Explore how branding, storytelling, environment, and guest flow work together to influence donor engagement and generosity. Attendees will walk away with practical strategies for creating fundraising events they feel cohesive, meaningful, and memorable from the first invitation to the final paddle raise.

**Fundraising Event Professional Track

 
 
Breakout Sessions

3:00 – 3:45 p.m.

  
Leading Through Change Without Losing Your Identity

Robert Cunningham, Stages Northwest

The organizations that survive change are not the ones that react the fastest. They are the ones that stay clear about who they are while evolving how they show up.

In this leadership-focused session, the leader of Boldhat productions will introduce “The 4 Tensions Framework,” a practical and thought-provoking approach to helping festivals and events evolve without losing the identity, trust, and emotional connection that made them successful in the first place.

 

Through real-world examples and decades of industry experience, attendees will explore how successful event organizations balance relevance, creativity, operational reality, and organizational resilience while navigating constant change in the events industry.Learn how great events evolve while staying true to what makes them matter.

 

What’s After FIFA

Seattle Sports Commission

Beth Knox and the Seattle Sports Commission have brought us a number of outstanding events to the city, culminating with the best of them all, the World Cup Soccer Tournament. Here what they have in store for us in the months and years to come.

 

Harvest to Health: Incorporating Local and Regional Foods for Fairs, Farms, and Communities

Trevor Lane, Iowa State University

Turn your next fair, festival, or community event into a healthier, more profitable community hub and join this fast paced, 45 minute workshop where event producers, vendors, and USDA or Extension professionals will co design real pilot plans that put farms and agriculture on the menu. Healthy farms mean healthy food, which leads to healthy people, healthy communities, and healthy economies. Through rapid case studies, a hands on event development scope, and vendor friendly revenue hacks, you’ll leave with a one page summary, a vendor checklist, and simple evaluation metrics ready to test at your next event. Walk away energized, ready to be connected to local farms, and equipped to boost attendee health while growing vendor income and creating newsworthy opportunities for your event.

 

What Event Organizers Need From Their Cities*

Alby Allen, Ballard Music & Seafood Festival, Josh Wilkens, Seafair, and Kiah Patzkowsky, City of Seattle

A conversation focused on the interaction between event organizers and municipalities, including how event organizers and city representatives can work together to achieve common goals and improve processes, how they can adapt as events grow and city infrastructure changes, and ideas on how cities can better serve the events community.

*City Event Professionals Track

 

AI, Digital Marketing, and the Future of Events***

Josh Dirks, Project Biojnic

This session explores how AI, social media, and digital marketing are reshaping the way festivals and events attract audiences, drive engagement, and stretch limited resources. Attendees will learn practical ways to use AI for content creation, audience insights, data analysis, automation, and smarter event marketing systems. Real-world examples and actionable takeaways will help event professionals save time, reduce costs, and buld stronger connections with their communities.

***For event organizers and fundraising event professionals

 
 
Breakout Sessions

4:00 – 4:45 p.m.

  
Reduce and Reuse, Sustainable Strategies

Eddie Redman, Grand Event Rentals

This session will examine case studies of successful sustainable events and their suppliers and vendors. We will take a look at what works and what doesn’t.

 

Beyond the Event: Turning Rural Festivals into Community Growth Engines

Amy McGuffin, Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce

Festivals and events are often seen as one-day celebrations, but in rural communities, they can be powerful tools for economic development, tourism, downtown activation, business support, and community connection. This session will explore how rural event coordinators can think beyond the event itself and build festivals that create lasting value before, during, and after event day. Attendees will walk away with practical strategies for identifying community goals, engaging local businesses, strengthening partnerships, measuring impact, and telling the story of why their events matter.

 

Beyond the Bandaid - why you need medical at your next event

Claire Ruddenklau, Michael Johnson, Adventure Medics

Join us for a conversation on all things event medicine. We will go over Washington rules and regulations, how to find the right medical provider, and what questions to ask them, and how to seamlessly integrate medical services into your event. Plot twist - most events don't need an ambulance.

 

Why Cities Should Fund Events*

Cities fund special events for a variety of reasons which include driving local economic growth, fostering social cohesion and enhancing their regional identity. Municipal investments in festivals, markets and celebrations improve the overall quality of life in your community and put your city on the map. In this session, we’ll cover the economic and tourism benefits, community and cultural impacts and long-term City branding and investment.

*City Event Professional Track

 

How Events Can Drive Social and Economic Change***

Fancy Vargas, ELEVATE PR Management

Redefining Impact explores how community-centered event design can drive real social and economic change. Drawing from her work curating over 175 artists and building partnerships with institutions like the Bellevue Arts Museum and Hyatt Regency, our speaker will share actionable frameworks for integrating impact strategy into festivals and public programs. 

***For event organizers and fundraising event professionals

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WFEA Awards Dinner and Auction

5:15 p.m.

Help us recognize the best in our industry, as we welcome new inductees into the WFEA Hall of Fame presented by Grant Event Rentals, the State’s Volunteer of the Year presented by Stages Northwest and the winners of the Summit Awards, presented by Honey Bucket.

 

Also recognized will be the next graduates of the WFEA Certification Program presented by Ticket Tomato, the Event of the Year Presented by Alexander Party Rentals, the Large Market Event Organizer of the year sponsored by Cort Party Rentals and the Event Supporter of the Year sponsored by AXIS PNW, the Small Market Event Organizer of the year sponsored by Green Latrine, and the Rising Star Award sponsored by Bellevue Lighting.

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WFEA Annual Conference
Thursday, October 29

 
 
Thursday Opening Keynote

8:30 a.m.

Non-Artificial Intelligence: Human Thriving in an AI-Driven World

Kevin Joyce, En-Joy Productions

How do humans stay at the helm in our relationship with AI? What are the uniquely human capacities that we need to cultivate and strengthen – the ones that AI cannot, and should not, replace? This session will spark critical conversations that go to the heart of complex issues of AI adoption – maintaining ethics, empathy and critical thinking.

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Breakout Sessions

9:15 – 10:00 a.m.

  
Revenue Unlocked: AI-Powered Strategies to Supercharge Your Food, Beverage and Merch Sales

Brenton Webster, Fastbar; Joe Allan Muharsky, Teamatorium

Today's event-goers expect speed, convenience, and choice. Events that deliver are seeing per-head revenue climb in ways that weren't possible a few years ago. AI has quietly become a key differentiator between a good F&B operation and a great one.

 

Brenton Webster, CEO of FastBar Technologies, and Joe Allan Muharsky, an AI practitioner and former Microsoft and Google engineer, will share field-tested strategies that have helped 400+ events over the last year grow their food, beverage, and merch revenue. You'll see how AI-driven menu pricing and smarter data are reshaping what's possible at the bar and the merch tent, and how to avoid the hidden pitfalls that quietly drain profits.

 

Whether your festival serves a few hundred or a few hundred thousand attendees, you'll leave with practical, data-driven insights to fuel your next revenue jump.

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Future Strategies for Inclusive Events

Deci Evans, Kind + Co. Events, moderator

Events have made a lot of progress towards making their events more inclusive, but many still need to make their organizations more diverse. Here’s ideas on how to do that.

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The Contract Clauses That Will Matter the Most in 2026-2027

Chris Riffle, Silver Ridge Law

Contracts are often signed quickly in a rush to secure venues, vendors, sponsors, and government approvals — but a handful of overlooked or undervalued clauses can determine who bears the financial and legal risk when things go wrong. This presentation will focus on the contract provisions that matter most for festivals, nonprofits, and live event organizers in the coming year, including indemnity, insurance, cancellation, force majeure, cybersecurity, and liability allocation provisions. Attendees will learn how these clauses are evolving in response to recent litigation, economic pressures, extreme weather events, and emerging operational risks, and will leave with practical strategies for negotiating stronger and more protective agreements.

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Overcoming the Rising Costs for Festivals and Events

Victoria Jones, North Olympic Discovery Marathon; Jon Stone, Jon Stone Consulting

As event costs continue to climb, organizers are feeling the pressure to do more with less. This session will explore practical strategies for trimming overhead, maximizing your budget, and keeping your events vibrant and successful—without sacrificing quality or attendee experience.

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Connecting City Departments, Agencies, Stakeholders, and Managing the Permitting Pipeline*

Sean Douglas, City of Vancouver

Successful event permitting depends on strong coordination between city departments, public safety agencies, community stakeholders, and event organizers. Without a centralized process, communication gaps, duplicated efforts, and conflicting requirements can delay approvals and create unnecessary challenges.

 

This session explores practical strategies and technology solutions for creating a collaborative permitting process that connects all parties involved. Participants will learn how to streamline communication, improve transparency, eliminate organizational silos, and establish a clear permitting pipeline from application through event execution.

 

Topics include centralized permitting systems, cross-department collaboration, stakeholder engagement, workflow management, and best practices for keeping city departments, supporting agencies, impacted stakeholders, and event organizers aligned throughout the planning process. Attendees will leave with actionable tools and processes to improve efficiency, enhance collaboration, and deliver successful, well-coordinated events.

*City Event Professional Track

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How to Launch an Amazing Event on a Limited Budget**

Christy Smith and Jaycie Wakefield, United Way of Clallam County

Learn how to approach every event with the understanding that your primary mission is to invest resources back into the community, which requires event organizers to be extremely mindful of every dollar spent. 

Discover how to be very creative in how you structure sponsorship opportunities and partnerships to offset event costs while still delivering a high-quality guest experience. Rather than relying solely on traditional cash sponsorships, you can intentionally develop sponsorship packages that attract in-kind partners for venues, photography, décor, catering elements, printing, entertainment, and other event components. 

**Fundraising Event Professionals Track

 
 
Breakout Sessions

10:15 – 11:00 a.m.

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A Special AI Session On How to Get Claude To Work For You

Joe Allan Muharsky, Teamatorium

This will be a two-hour class that will get Claude to actually do work for you, not just answer questions. You’ll learn how to ask in a way that gets the right answer the first time, save your reference material once so you stop re-explaining yourself in every conversation, and hand off whole tasks to Claude while you’re in another meeting. You’ll leave with a handful of prompts you’ll keep using and one task already running on its own by the time you finish.

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Success by Design: Professional Project Planning 101

Robert Cunningham, Stages Northwest; Danny Nelson, Hero Event Support

This planning heavy overview dips it toes into Commercial Project Engineering and Critical Path Scheduling. We’ll talk about maximizing your staff, partners, and vendors through minimum team requirements, proactive 3x budgeting, prioritized scheduling, definitions/durations/delegation, mitigating liabilities and finishing strong.

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Tips For Selling Alcohol Legally and Safely at Events: Part One

Beth Lehman, Washington State Liquor Control Board

Here’s what festival event organizers should know about this very important subject as they develop their food and beverage plans. The WSLCB Licensing and Enforcement divisions will educate you on how to have safe and legal events with alcohol, the deepest dive yet at a WFEA conference on this important subject. They will cover all types of licensing, ways to obtain and sell alcohol, and relationships with alcohol industry members at events.

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Why We Sponsor What We Do**

Jerry Allen, Seven Cedars Resort and Casino; Donya Alward, First Fed

Too many times we look at sponsorship through our event’s eyes, instead of through the eyes of our sponsors. Learn how you can increase your sponsorship revenues by learning what drives the needs of your prospective partners.

**Also for Fundraising Event Professionals

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Building a Better LTAC - Transparency, Strategy, and Successful Funding*

Jeff Ozimek & Emily Hasche, City of Poulsbo

The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) awards lodging tax funds to eligible organizations and agencies that promote tourism and support tourism-related facilities and events. This presentation will first outline what LTAC is, who is eligible to apply for funding, and what lodging tax funds can be used for including citing relevant examples. Following this, the City of Poulsbo will highlight its ongoing efforts to make its LTAC process more transparent, better manage increasing funding requests within a limited budget, strategically steward reserve funds, and strengthen communication between applicants, LTAC representatives, and City Council. 

*City Event Professional Track

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Beyond the Logo: Building Your Event Brand***

Amanda Korb, BLUE INK; Melissa Jurcan, Agency M/Compass One

How to define your story and bring it to life through every attendee touchpoint.

 

Branding is more than a logo or a color palette—it's the story your community experiences every time they interact with your organization and event. Before you design a sign, post on social media, create a sponsor packet, or welcome your first guest, you need to define the foundation of your brand. What is your story? What do you stand for? What makes your festival or event uniquely yours? Most importantly, how do you want people to feel when they leave? In this engaging and highly interactive session, you'll learn how to uncover your event's story and transform it into a cohesive brand experience that comes to life from the very first save-the-date through the final farewell. Explore how your mission, values, messaging, visual identity, collateral, signage, sponsorships, programming, volunteer engagement, and event environment can work together to tell one authentic story. Through real-world examples, creative inspiration, hands-on activities, and a few surprises along the way, you'll discover a practical framework for building a brand that guides every decision you make—not just your marketing. Whether you're launching a new event or refreshing a long-standing community tradition, you'll leave with fresh ideas, actionable tools, and a new perspective on how intentional branding creates stronger experiences, deeper community connections, and events that people remember long after they're over. Because the most memorable events don't just happen—they tell a story. And the best stories are the ones people get to experience.

***For general event organizers and fundraising event professionals

 
  
Breakout Sessions

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

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How to Seek Grants For Non and For-Profit Organizations

Wendy Tyner, Tyner and Associates

The seminar will include where to find grants for general operations, education, programs, production, capital and capacity building and economic development

It will also cover current trends in grant writing and grant management, how to craft a clear, compelling, and competitive proposal and strategies on how to increase your chances of funding success

As a bonus, participants will receive a comprehensive grant resource guide featuring government, corporate and foundation grants. 

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Tips for Selling Alcohol: Part Two**

Beth Lehman, Washington State Liquor Control Board

This session will concentrate on indoor fundraising events and cover the do’s and don’ts while conducting an auction gala.

**Fundraising Event Professionals

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Ask Me Anything*

Ashley Young, City of Tacoma

Join this open “Ask Me Anything’ session with city staff designed specifically for event organizers. This is your opportunity to ask questions, get clarity on community challenges, and better understand how to work effectively with municipal departments involved in event planning and production. Whether you are producing your first event or managing a large-scale activation, bring your questions and learn directly from the people who help make events happen.

*City Event Professional Track