2026 WFEA
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Hosted at the
Marriott Bellevue
October 27-29, 2026
"The WFEA Conference is a wonderful experience and opportunity to recharge your battery and find inspiration to be your best. The speakers are some of the best and most successful in our industry. I always leave energized and with pages of notes of new ideas to help the communities and festivals and events I support."
George Sharp,
Rural Program Manager Thurston Economic Development Council
Elevate Your Event: Insights and Innovation at the Northwest's Premier Festival Gathering
Join the largest collection of festival organizers, community non-profits, and industry suppliers in the Pacific Northwest this October 27-29 at the Marriott Bellevue. The Washington Festivals and Events Association is committed to advancing the special events industry through professional education, powerful networking, and innovative revenue development. Whether your focus is on streamlining vendor management, maximizing charity auctions, or dramatically increasing your sponsorship capacity, this conference is designed to equip you with actionable strategies. Come connect with peers, discover fresh ideas, and gain the inspiration needed to drive both cultural and economic impact in your community.
Keynote Speaker Spotlights:
Kevin Grothe,
Memphis in May International Festival
Pat Armstrong,
Kentucky Derby Museum
Why Join WFEA?
Annual Conference
The premier multi-day gathering for the Pacific Northwest festival and event industry. Members receive exclusive registration discounts to access elite keynote sessions, hands-on operations roundtables, and a B2B vendor marketplace designed to elevate your event’s professional execution and revenue potential.
Library Books
Gain access to the specialized WFEA playbook series—including The Complete Guide to Sponsorship, Producing Complex Events, and Growing Your Non-Sponsorship Revenue. This comprehensive resource library features deep-dive operational articles and strategies written by veteran Northwest planners to streamline your production workflows.
Awards & Certification
Establish professional credibility and celebrate regional industry success. Members gain exclusive pathways to earn the Certified Lead Event Professional (CLEP) accreditation and nominate peers for prestigious awards—including Summit Awards, Event of the Year, Organizer of the Year, Rising Star, Volunteer of the Year, and Event Supporter—plus the regional Hall of Fame.
Regional Seminars
Hyper-local, highly accessible single-day training sessions held throughout the state. These intense workshops drill down into the specific logistics that regional planners face, such as crowd management, local safety regulations, municipal permitting, and regional funding strategies.
Become A Member Today
Membership in WFEA is designed to be ultra-affordable. For only a few dollars per month you become part of the collective voice of the festivals and events industry in our state, you receive timely notices and updates on opportunities and trends affecting our businesses, and you become entitled to major discounts to a multitude of relevant educational and marketing opportunities throughout the calendar year. These discounts alone more than offset the price of your annual membership.