Pre-Conference Workshop Wednesday, October 29 9:00 AM - 2:45 PM Developing a Marketing Plan in the Digital Era 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. The success of every event hinges on an effective plan to attract guests or ticket buyers. Learn how to use traditional and today’s tools, namely AI to bulld an effective marketing campaign. Even small event organizers can build big marketing campaigns to grow their events. John Thorburn, Boldhat Productions Melissa Jurcan, Compass One at Amazon Adaptive Strategies for Incorporating Social Media Into Your Event 10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. We’ll explore innovative approaches to leveraging social media platforms to enhance event engagement and reach. Attendees will gain practical strategies for integrating adaptive marketing techniques that respond to the digital landscape. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your event’s online presence and effectively connect with your audience. Joshua Dirks, Project Bionic Learn How to Make the Most Out of Traditional and Non-Traditional Media 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Not only do events have to continue to work with traditional media like print and broadcast, they also need to best utilize digital marketing. Hear from the Vice President of Sound Media, who works in both areas. Carrie Radcliff, Publisher, Everett Daily Herald; Eran Kennedy, Publisher, Peninsula Daily News Main Conference Wednesday, October 29 Wednesday’s Programming Presented By: Alexander Party Rentals Wednesday Keynote Presented by: AT Productions
Current Trends In Increasing Event Revenue 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Are you maximizing your event revenue? As economic challenges and escalating expenses weigh heavily on event budgets, event professionals increasingly focus on event revenue streams. Gain insight into the best practices, strategies, and current trends in our industry. Becky Genoways, Genoways Events Round Table Sessions 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Round table leaders include: First Timers Session 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. Opening Reception 5:30 – 7:30 P.M. Presented by Visit Bellevue Hosted at Mirra Includes Special Drone Show Courtesy Sky Lites Hospitality Suite – Networking After Hours 8:00 – 10:00 P.M. Main Conference Thursday, October 30 Thursday’s Programming Presented By: Grand Event Rentals Thursday Opening Session Events as Part of the Tourism Mix 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. Hear from one of the region’s top tourism experts – he is the chair of Seattle Hospitality Group (SHG), which he founded in 2002. SHG is a holding company with interests in bet in-class event management, hospitality, tourism and transportation companies in the Pacific Northwest. SHG is ranked in the top 40 of private companies in Washington. Known as an excellent employer, SHG oversees 400 employees with revenues in excess of $100 million. Howard Wright, Chairman, Seattle Hospitality Group Brad Jones, Visit Bellevue, Moderator Breakout Sessions 9:30 – 10:15 A.M. What’s Ahead for 2026 Learn what major events are in store for Seattle in 2026 and in subsequent years, as the City begins to plan for the biggest sporting event on the planet, the FIFA World Cup. Beth Knox, Seattle Sports Commission Producing Concerts in Small to Mid-sized Markets Exploring unique challenges and opportunities of producing concerts outside major cities. From booking talent and building local partnerships to marketing on a budget and creating unforgettable fan experiences, learn how to make a big impact in smaller markets. Whether you’re a seasoned promoter or just getting started, you’ll leave with practical tips and fresh ideas to elevate your shows. Kari Chance, Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts How Do We Talk to Our Customers? Let’s focus on the customer journey and discuss strategies for identifying current and future customers. Plus, learn where you can connect with them and what messaging they are looking for to take action to attend your event. Natalie Maitland, Keen Bee Consulting, Port Townsend Main Street Event Energizer: Shifting from Routine to Riveting (hands-on workshop session) Event producers are often focused on the questions of "What we are doing" and "How we are doing it." This hands-on session will explore the "why" we do events focusing on our stakeholders' needs. This will be a hands-on workshop exploring the beginning stages of The Event Canvas ™ Ira Rosen, Ira Rosen LLC 30 Ideas in 45 Minutes for Fundraising Events Fundraising Professionals Get that next great idea or ideas during this rapid session from two of the top fundraising event professionals in the industry. Shelly Tolo, Tolo Events; Deci Evans, Kind + Co Events Tips for Selling Alcohol Legally and Safely at Events, Part 1 Here’s what festival and event organizers should know about this very important subject. The WSLCB will educate you on how to have safe and legal events with alcohol. They will cover all types of licenses permits, ways to obtain and sell alcohol, and relationships with alcohol industry members at events. Beth Lehmann, Kalynn Gubbe, WSLCB Breakout Sessions 10:30 – 11:15 A.M. The Ten Most Important Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Event Revenue Are you 100 per cent efficient in capturing your event revenue? The keys to maximizing efficiency and accountability are people, products and process. Whether you’re just starting out in the industry, or you’ve been involved for years, this session will help keep you ahead of the curve. Becky Genoways, Genoways Event Management, Rockford, Illinois Tips for Selling Alcohol Legally and Safely at Events, Part 2 Continued from 9:30 session. City Event Professionals Fundraising Professionals Beth Lehmann, Kalynn Gubbe, WSLCB Show Me the Equity – A Two-Part Series A Special Two Hour Session Equity Programs in a Divisive Climate In today’s polarized climate, what does it really take to build unity while pushing equity forward? This dynamic panel will unpack the barriers that often keep communities out of the room and spotlight fresh, practical ways to create spaces where everyone feels welcome. Attendees will walk away with real insights and inspiration to make inclusion more than just a goal—it’s the standard. Karen Foster, KF Curates; Aaron Shook, Columbia Hospitality, Deci Evans, Kind + Co. What’s the point of this meeting? Your event is 12 weeks away and you’ve assembled a great team…so where are the results? Managing teams can be a frustrating endeavor, but in this session we’ll develop a culture of accountability, give you the tools needed for a productive team meeting, and refine the skills to put them to use! Robert Cunningham, Stages Northwest Best Practices for City Event Production City Event Professionals Mark Hendrickson, David Wells, Chuck Denney Working With Your City on Cost Recovery, Permitting, Barricades, etc. Parade Event Professionals Ashley Young, City of Tacoma 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. Breakout Sessions 2:00 – 2:45 P.M. The Power Duo: How Marketing and Selling Festival Sponsorships Drive Success We’ll explore the power of combining marketing and sales strategies to create a unified approach to festival sponsorship. By blending creative marketing techniques with effective sales tactics, event organizers can maximize their sponsor relationships, drive greater value, and elevate the overall event experience. Learn how aligning these two critical components can lead to stronger partnerships, increased revenue, and long-term success for your festivals. Let’s rethink sponsorship: when marketing and selling go hand in hand, success follows. Phil Megenhardt, John Thorburn, Bold Hat Productions Revenue Accelerator: Proven Tactics to Skyrocket Your Merchandise Sales Join Ellen and Tom for an insider’s guide to unlocking untapped merchandise revenues at your events. Ellen Simeonoff, Kodiak Crab Festival; Tom Stebbins, Vision Marketing; Cari Dixon, Washington State Fair Show Me the Equity – A Two-Part Series A Special Two Hour Session Future Strategies for Inclusive Events Building on the first conversation, this panel will move from context to action—highlighting practical strategies to advance equity in event planning. Experts, including voices such as Wendy Tyner and Miguel Guillen, will share insights on new federal grant guidelines, evolving industry practices, and tested approaches for staging inclusive events. Participants will gain tangible tools to break down barriers, inspire diverse participation, and design events that foster unity and belonging. Karen Foster, KF Curates; Aaron Shook, Columbia Hospitality, Deci Evans, Kind + Co. Burnout: Real and Preventable Learn about workplace and career burnout, its effect on people and organizations, and how you can harness the concept of resiliency to prevent and reverse burnout. Dr. Joshua Jones, Providence How to Stage Multiple Large-Scale Annual Events Fundraising Professionals From celebrity golf tournaments, to Lake Coeur d’Alene concerts, to a big city road race, to sold-out Zags basketball games - - here’s how Spokane’s Community Cancer Fund puts on some of the region’s biggest events each year. Director Jon Neill shares the secret ingredients for putting on four major charity events each year. Jon Neill, Spokane Community Cancer Fund How to Streamline Your Processes City Event Professionals Sean Douglas, City of Vancouver Grants for Your Parade Parade Event Professionals Bob Greenspun, Lake City Seafair Summer Parade; Victoria Jones, North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Port Angeles Breakout Sessions 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Intellectual Properties Best Practices Every event involves intellectual property, whether it’s the name of a festival, the licensing for music that’s performed, or pictures of vendor artwork that’s displayed on your website All of these and other pieces of IP – and whether they’re misused or not protected by their owners – have important implications for organizations that stage events. This seminar will help you understand how to spot those issues, protect your rights, and avoid IP misuses that cause headaches and costs. Winfield Martin, Perkins Coie The Pursuit of Great Financial Governance In an era of rising costs and unpredictable funding, small festivals must stretch every dollar further—without losing their heart and soul. This no-nonsense session shares real-world strategies to stabilize your event’s finances, from adapting big-festival tactics on a shoestring budget to making strategic choices that protect your bottom line. Discover how to leverage overlooked resources, optimize existing partnerships, and turn constraints into creative opportunities—all while preserving what makes your event special. Leave with practical, immediately usable approaches to navigate uncertainty and keep your festival financially viable for the long haul." Jon Stone, Jon Stone Consulting Why We Sponsor What We Do 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. Donya Alward, First Fed; Howie Ruddell, Ruddell Auto Here’s Inside Secrets: Best Practices for Festival and Event Ticketing After working with long-term client partnerships, processing millions in ticket sales, and analyzing markets, Ticket Tomato has discovered trends, techniques and processes that will help you to create a high-performing ticket portal for you event. Discover how to maximize your features; optimize your pricing; the timing of sales and promotions; the best time to create an on-sale date; fee strategies; best practices for messaging and communication; repeat customers, and more. Amy Maxwell, Ticket Tomato Working Effectively with City Departments City Event Professionals Events bring communities to life, but behind every successful festival, parade, or street fair are city staff working across departments to make it happen. This session brings together members of Tacoma’s Special Event Permit Review Committee to share insights on how their team collaborates to support events while balancing public safety, mobility, and community impact. Whitney Park, Pierce Transit Sgt. Jason Mills, Tacoma Police Department Ricky Clousing, City of Tacoma, Public Works- Transportation Division Shari Hart, City of Tacoma, Community and Economic Development Ashley Young- Tacoma Venues & Events Getting Floats for Your Parade Parade Event Professionals Kaitlyn Fudally, Sequim Irrigation Festival Breakout Sessions 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Everything You Need to Know About Volunteers Volunteers are essential for the success of events and festivals, offering significant economic and social benefits. Volunteering enhances both economic development and social cohesion, making it indispensable for event planning and community engagement. Effective volunteer programs require intentional recruitment, clear role descriptions, training, recognition, and conflict management. The Four R’s—recruit, reward, retain, and relationships—are key to a sustainable program. Trevor Lane, WSU Community and Economic Development How to Keep Your Sponsors Coming Back Discover how to shift from transactional sponsorships to transformational partnerships that deliver long-term value for both your organization and your sponsors. This session will explore strategies to deepen engagement, co-create meaningful experiences, and communicate impact year-round. Learn what took the Fair from single-event sponsorships to transformational multi-year and multi-event partnerships. Cari Dixon, Washington State Fair All the Mistakes I Made If running an event was easy, everyone would do it. The mistakes I made along the way were painful, but mistakes condition you to think quick on your feet and come up with solutions to strengthen your next event. Remember that mistakes will happen – it’s how you deal with them that is the measuring stick. Craig Cooke, Pacific Rim Talent All Things Music: From Hip Hop to Classical This session will discuss the new world of booking entertainment, including the best time to book artists and the importance of taking care of them. Learn from some of the top music festival producers in the State! Stephen Ruffo, Bellevue Wintergrass, Erika Olsen, Winthrop Rhythm and Blues; Emilie Baker, Olympic Music Festival So You Want to Hold a Fundraising Event Fundraising Professionals Here’s what you can do outside of that traditional gala, including golf, runs, festival of Trees, and yes, a duck race. Jerry Allen, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Gail Ralston, Olympic Medical Center Foundation, Deci Evans, Kind & Co. How to Get Sponsors For Your Parade Parade Event Professionals Leslie Robertson, Port Angeles Fourth of July Parade, Kari Chance, Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts, Donya Alward, First Fed WFEA Awards Dinner and Auction 5:15 PM 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 Event of the Organizer sponsored by Cort Party Rentals and the Event Supporter of the Year sponsored by Morgan Sound, the Event Producer of the Year sponsored by Green Latrine, and the Rising Star Award sponsored by Bellevue Lighting. Hospitality Suite – Networking After Hours 8:00 – 10:00 P.M. Friday, October 31 Friday’s Programming Presented By: Green Latrine Portable Toilets Friday Opening Session Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y (millennials), Gen Z and now Gen A: Trends in the World of Event Marketing 8:15 – 9:00 a.m. This session will break down the influence different generations have on hospitality and what this will mean for the world of Events. The landscape of food & beverage has changed dramatically in the few years since the pandemic. We will explore growing trends in the event and food & beverage landscapes, acknowledge some of the challenges we are facing in a rapidly shifting market, and get excited about the future. We will discuss trends that will impact your businesses success, both in the near-term and long-term, identify customer expectations, and understand potential pitfalls in a changing landscape. Aaron Shook, Columbia Hospitality Breakout Sessions 9:15 – 10:00 a.m. The Latest Issues for Event Company Owners and Leaders -- and How to Deal With Them This advanced session sill cover new State rules about exempt salary employees, insurance issues, accounting/payroll/timesheet systems, HR practices, contracts and personnel policies, plus strategies during a gloomy economy and other issues. It will cover how WFEA event leaders think about building a company and their business, whether for-profit, non-profit or B-Corp. David Doxtater, The Workshop; Gazala Uradnik, GFS Events Practical AI 101 : A Beginner’s Guide to Everyday AI Demystify artificial intelligence in this accessible session designed for beginners curious about incorporating AI into their daily lives. Joe Allan Muharsky introduces the major AI platforms, demonstrates fundamental techniques, and shares simple tricks that require minimal technical expertise. Discover how AI can assist with everyday tasks, from personal productivity to professional applications including (but not limited to) event planning, creative work and administrative support. Joe Muharsky, Teamatorium Production & Planning for Live Music Events Learn how to empower your event team with a flexible, scalable, digital dashboard. 1. Run of Show- planning and preparation 2. Load In / Load Out - scheduling multiple vendors 3. Contingency Planning - controlling variable expenses. You will improve communication, accountability, and transparency, with low cost software, and start to measure progress, prepare for contingencies, with a powerful event dashboard. Chris Ortolano and Robert Cunningham, Event Stages Northwest; Cari Dixon, Washington State Fair; Will Lewis, Point Source So You Want To Put On a Fireworks Show: How to Put a Good Value Into the Sky A primer on how to stage a fireworks show, this session will explore the details of adding firworks to benefit your event. Learn what is possible, and most importantly, what is necessary. Brent Pavlicek, Western Display Fireworks Crafting Stories that Transform the Power of Storytelling in Events Fundraising Professionals In the competitive landscape of events, it is crucial to infuse your organization's story into every element of the event. This presentation will guide those who plan nonprofit events on how to seamlessly integrate their organization's mission into all aspects of an event, ensuring a cohesive and impactful experience for attendees. From the cocktail hour to the dinner program and beyond, every detail should resonate with the core values and objectives of the client. Participants will learn practical strategies for embedding messaging into various aspects of the program which will maximize guest engagement. Discover how to turn every moment of your event into a powerful reflection of your mission, leaving a lasting impression on your supporters and driving your cause forward. Gazala Uradnik, GFS Events How to Buy and Track Ads from Various Advertising Outlets Ad buys: Print vs Digital vs Broadcast/OTT How to Analyze Ad Proposals (CPC/Impressions/Reach&Frequency, etc.) Setting up UTM tracking on ads Jessica Wiersma, Black Ball Transport, Inc. Why Festivals and Events are Important to the Cultural Sector Learn how festivals and events are very important to the creative economy, and how ArtsWa has and will continue to help the sector. Karen Hanan, Washington State Arts Commission Breakout Sessions 10:15 – 11:00 a.m. The Art of Collecting Data to Give Your Event Value Learn how you can collect data using geo-fencing, which can be used to determine the economic impact of your event. Armed with this information, policymakers and stakeholders are better prepared to support events. Sean Coleman, Lincoln Park BMX; Brad Jones, Visit Bellevue Practical AI 201: Responsible AI Take your AI skills to the next level with this advanced, hands-on demonstration led by Joe Allan Muharsky. Building on concepts from his published article, this session explores sophisticated AI applications specifically for complex event scenarios. Through real-time demonstrations and audience-directed challenges, participants will discover how to leverage AI for in-depth research, content creation, advanced planning and data visualization that can transform their event operations and attendee experiences. Joe Allan Muharsky, Teamatorium, Amy Maxwell, Ticket Tomato Thinking Outside the Box Hear from Dr. Annie Sidro, the foremost authority on the planet about the World of Mardi Gras-Carnival. Nice Mardi Gras is the oldest and one of the largest events in the world, starting in 1294. Learn what they do each year to upgrade their event. Dr. Annie Sidro, Carnival in Nice Increasing Your Food and Beverage Revenue It takes a village: local Merchants have helped Ballard SeafoodFest Beer Sales grow by 500% over a decade. Also, festival seafood sales are up by 120%. Learn more about local beer, barbeque and revenue opportunities; time to belly up!" Alby Allen, Ballard Seafoodfest Protecting Your Event: Public Safety Planning, Regulations, and Compliance City Event Professionals Ensuring public safety at permitted events requires close collaboration between permitting jurisdictions and event organizers. This session will explore how industry best practices and regulatory compliance intersect in the planning and execution of special events. Frank Sebastian of Emergency Management Group and Ashley Young from the City of Tacoma will present proven processes and practical strategies that support successful coordination between event organizers and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs). Their insights will highlight how proactive planning and shared responsibility contribute to safe and well-managed mass gatherings. With public safety as a top priority in today's event landscape, this session will include an open forum for discussion-inviting participants to share experiences and explore how AHJs and organizers are working together in 2025 to protect attendees and ensure regulatory alignment. Frank Sebastian, Emergency Management Group - Washington, Ashley Young, City of Tacoma Non-Profits are Businesses Too - How to Choose the Best Banking Partner for Your Nonprofit Needs Fundraising Professionals This talk covers:
Kristi Ellefson, WaFd Here’s How SB 5814 Will Affect Event Organizers SB 5814 passed during the last legislative session and will take effect on October 1. Learn how festival and events will be impacted by new items that will now be subject to retail sales tax, including digital advertising, custom website development, remote software access, security services, temporary staffing and live presentations. Audrey Fan, Fan Strategies Breakout Sessions 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals Through Event Initiatives In this session we will go through cause and effects of climate change, and then examine what we can do one step at a time to change the world throughout our industry. Eddie Redman, Grand Event Rentals Protecting Your Event: Use of Small Unmanned Aircraft System (Drones) This session offers in-depth training on utilizing drones (sUAS) to improve safety and security at special events. Attendees will gain insights into effective drone deployment for crowd monitoring, emergency response, and overall event planning and management. The curriculum covers both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Frank Sebastian, Emergency Management Group; Lisa Courneya, Incident Commander and Air Operations Director Revenue Accelerator: Proven Tactics to Skyrocket Your Food, Beverage and Merch Sales Join Brenton Webster, CEO of FastBar Technologies, for an insider's guide to unlocking untapped revenue at your events. With nearly two decades of experience in events and technology, Brenton will share actionable strategies that have helped over 300 events in the past year alone, boost their food, beverage, and merchandise sales. Discover how to sidestep common pitfalls that can cost events hundreds of thousands dollars in lost revenue and learn practical, battle-tested techniques that could double your earnings. Don't miss this chance to elevate your event's sales performance and walk away Brenton Webster, CEO of FastBar Technologies Protecting Your Event: Emerging Threats for the Outdoor Event Industry Active shooters, vehicles used as weapons, weather and drones are all threats to our events. Learn how to best mitigate them. Mike Reichert, AXIS PNW Sponsorship Reimagined: Cutting Edge Strategies for Growth Get ready for a high-energy, deep dive into sponsorship marketing with industry veteran Paula Beadle. Discover how the sponsorship landscape has evolved and continues to shift at rapid speed. Paula will share the latest industry tends while delivering actionable insights and real-world strategies you can implement immediately to drive growth. Come prepared with your toughest questions – Paula is ready to share the insider knowledge that will keep you on the cutting edge. Paula Beadle, Sponsorship Marketing Association Community Notification, Policies & Practices City Event Professionals Kiah Patzkowsky, City of Seattle; Ashley Young, City of Tacoma |
