WFEA Spring Conference:
‘Stronger Through Association’
April 27-28, 2022, Hotel Windrow, Ellensburg, WA
For $143.50 Rate, Call in and reference the dates and the conference or rate code WFEA22.
Hotel Windrow
509.962.8000
Hotel Windrow
502 N. Main St
Ellensburg, WA 98926
More Than Ever, Event Organizers Need to Exchange Ideas on How to Best Produce Events Coming Out of COVID-19
Wednesday, April 27
Pre Conference Workshop
*REQUIRES SEPARATE REGISTRATION
9:00 – 2:45 p.m.
Special Event Sponsorship – How to Sell and Fulfill in 2022
These pre-conference sessions will qualify for Washington Certified Festival and Event credit. Learn how these event professionals have sold sponsorship in large and small markets.
- Outstanding events sell sponsorship
- Sponsorship marketing plan
- The Keys to Successful Sales
- Researching Potential Partners
- Benefit Packages
- Creativity
- The Keys to Successful Sales
- Sponsorship Fulfillment
- How to Keep Sponsors Coming Back
John Thorburn, Boldhat Productions
Paula Beadle, Caravel Marketing
Bruce Skinner, WFEA
3:00 – 3:50 p.m.
Keynote: Post Pandemic Playbook: Practical Strategies for Marketing Your Events
We’ve all become pros on marketing our event to our local community, but what steps can you take to bring guests from outside your geographic region? Attracting an out-of-town audience is good for your event and great for economic reasons for your city. Hear tips and tricks that you can implement into your marketing mix.
John Thorburn, WFEA President, Boldhat Productions
Meredith McIlmoyle, Anacortes Arts Festival
Amy McGuffin & Matt Anderson, Kittitas Chamber of Commerce
4:00 – 5:45 p.m.
Round Tables
These sessions are held for professionals on a specific topic. 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. You will have the opportunity to visit three of these tables during this time period.
- Event Operations and Logistics
- Event Suppliers
- Fundraising Events
- Marketing & Communications
- Sponsorship
- Large Scale Events
- Municipalities
- Non-Profit Organizations
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Opening Reception and Trade Show
Thursday, April 28
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Tools to Help Navigate Alcohol at Events
Come meet with the WSLCB and learn everything you needed to know about selling alcohol at your events. It isn’t as hard as you think it is and this session will help answer any questions you might have about alcohol and events. We will also cover working with manufacturers, nonprofits, liquor caterers and promoters.
Beth Lehman, Diana DeShaye, Washington State Liquor Control Board
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Keynote:
Power, Planning, Passion: Ensuring You Have Control and Success After All The Challenges
This one’s for you. Not your board, council, commission or community, but you the executive and event organizers..senior or junior..who is charged with making something special happen for all of them. We’ve come through tough times and sometimes it takes refocusing to remind ourselves of just what our role has become.
In a nutshell it is your job to be in charge of all of it – staff and volunteers included – to have a serious plan to guide you. Powell will help you take the time to refocus on your role as a creator, designer and executor, and will explain how critical it is to have a road map to help you stay on target and get things done.
Karen Powell, Birchhill Enterprises
10:15 – 11:15
Breakout Sessions
A New Look at Best Practices Coming Out of COVID
COVID has allowed us to take a new look at our events, as we know that we’ll being doing them differently, even when the coronavirus entirely disappears. This session will address the new technologies, hiring staff, recruiting volunteers, and starting from Ground Zero financially. It’s time to get rid of ‘we’ve always done it that way.’
Eric Corning, Seattle Seafair
Scott Nagel, Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival, Port Angeles and Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival
Festival Production – Planning Through Execution
Know how to map out and plan your event, so staff and suppliers are all on the same page. The more detail you put into planning your event, the smoother it will run. Provide suppliers with what they need to make it as easy for them as possible.
Michael Prebezac, Event Management Services
Making the Pivot
We’ve all have been blindsided at the last minute by directives, no-shows and other challenges, which necessitates last minute changes. Here how Tom Stebbins, the producer of the Spokane and Boise Golf Show, has learned the art of the pivot, especially during COVID.
Tom Stebbins, Vision Marketing
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Bringing Your Community Together Post-COVID
Collaborating with your City officials, Parks and Recreation Departments and other entities has become more important than ever. Learn how to bring everyone together as you plan your 2022 and beyond events.
Peggy Doering, Spokane Valleyfest
Booking Entertainment
There have been numerous changes made for booking entertainers during the last two years – learn what changes have been made and what is important to look out for as events come back this spring and summer.
Jon Stone, Gigs 4U
Erika Olsen, Winthrop Rhythm and Blues
12:30 – 2:00
The Wow Factor
With COVID hopefully coming to an end, there will be many events that will be produced for the public in the months ahead, all clamoring for an audience.
Learn how two event professionals create programing and develop marketing plans that separate themselves from the clutter, and why that is so important.
Terry Morgan, Borealis Festival of Light
George Sharp, Thurston County Economic and Development Council
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Tourism Marketing Through Events
Many Chambers and Visitors Bureaus have used events to put in heads and beds. Hear what they have done to accomplish that.
Amy McGuffin & Matt Anderson, Kittitas Chamber of Commerce, George Sharp, Thurston County Economic Development
Working With Your Suppliers
Work with some of the state’s best on how to how to find tables and tents, refrigeration, stages and other key items that you need to stage your event.
Eddie Redman, Grand Event Rentals
Tim Medved, U-Cool Refrigeration
Anthony Zavada, Stages Northwest
3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
Closing keynote
Special Grants Available for Festival and Events Organizers
Learn about the grants that organizers can receive, including a $3.5 million fund that has been approved to be distributed to the State’s festival and events.
Miguel Guillen, Washington State Arts Commission
Bruce Skinner, Washington Festivals and Events Association Executive Director