Festivals & Events Learning Series
Fall 2024
Our Festivals and Events Learning Series is back! Festivals and events are an an integral part of the fabric of many communities in Canada and an important component of the tourism industry. GMIST is excited to be working with Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) again this fall to offer two more FREE learning sessions to help festival & events managers, organizers and developers as you look ahead and start planning for 2025! These 60 minute sessions with industry experts are designed to provide you with insights and helpful tools whether you are just starting out or are a well established event. You can sign up for one or both sessions at no cost to you. Sessions will also be recorded for future reference or for sharing with your colleagues.
Authentic Transformation: Elevating Your Community Festival into Tourism Draw
Thursday, October 24, 2024 11:00 AM – 12 Noon AST / 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM NST / 10:00 – 11:00 AM EST
Join us for a conversation about transforming your community festival into a thriving tourism attraction without compromising your unique identity and community values. In this discussion, we will explore strategies to enhance the appeal of your festival to a broader audience while preserving and leveraging the essence of what makes it special: its rich cultural heritage, its quirkiness, its traditions, and the collaborations within your community. By exploring examples and strategies, we will attempt to answer questions such as,
- How do we create an experience that resonates with both locals and visitors, striking a balance between growth and authenticity?
- How do we stay true to our roots while evolving to meet the demands of a tourism-driven market?
- How do we make our offering truly sustainable?
- How do we avoid becoming grant chameleons?
- How do we avoid becoming a cookie-cutter event?
This talk will provide practical tips and innovative approaches to maintain your festival’s distinctiveness and elevate it into a must-visit destination for tourists and a source of pride for locals.
Marie Zimmerman has worked for five Canadian arts festivals in music, dance, jazz, film, and literature, acting as Artistic Director, publicist, HR consultant, emergency plan architect, strategic planner, Treasurer, and Executive Director. She is one of the founding members of the Guelph Fab 5, a collective of local arts festivals. She has managed carbon measurement and reduction projects, helped festivals achieve net carbon zero and thus win national and international sustainability awards, spearheaded community engagement projects, award-winning tourism initiatives, robust risk-management strategies, and powerful creative partnerships among businesses, not-for-profits, and government bodies. She has a passion for the tourism industry as well as for sustainability, education, and arts and culture, which she brings to her new role as Interim Executive Director with RTO4 in Ontario which encompasses Huron County, Perth County, Waterloo Region and Wellington County.
Registration for this webinar is now closed. You can watch the recording HERE.
Innovate, Engage, Thrive: The Power of Technology in Events
Thursday, November 21, 2024 11:00 AM – Noon AST / 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM NST / 10:00 – 11:00 AM EST
Technology is constantly changing and with so many tools available, it can be tough to determine which ones are useful for festivals and events, whether to assist with your marketing efforts or to help make your operation run more smoothly. This webinar will focus on navigating tourism and event marketing in 2024 through utilizing digital tools, platforms, business automation and sales funnels. There will also be a discussion around cashless payment systems, digital marketing strategies, engagement and security and privacy.
This webinar will be led by Jeff Hardy, a creative content and strategic marketing specialist who hails from the heart of wine country in Niagara, Ontario. Jeff (J.R.) Hardy, BA, RGD, CDP™ is a passionate leader embracing digital strategy, design and data with a client-driven, holistic, marketing focus. Drawing from years of agency experience leading a talented creative team, Jeff (J.R.) believes that building relationships, listening and communicating with clarity are the keys to success. He is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter & producer, designer & marketer and has been a Professional Member of The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario since 1998 and is a past recipient of the Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He is officially recognized as an Internet Technology Expert by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Registration for this webinar is now closed. You can watch the recording HERE.
** Please note that you can register for one or both webinars. **
You can view our previous Festivals and Events webinars on our Experience GMIST YouTube Page!