History of FestForums

The Premiere Conference for the Festival Industry in North America started in 2015. We have tackled issues ranging from ticketing, sponsorship, talent buying, programming, sustainability, safety, marketing and more with panels, contests, keynotes and case studies. FestForums has been held in Santa Barbara, NYC and San Francisco. Live music, film premieres, cooking demos and wine tastings are also our trademark entertainment!

Highlights have included Tito himself pouring Tito’s Vodka, an Alice Cooper impersonator (with Alice Cooper there), Jack Johnson teaching us about sustainability, Dennis Quaid photobombs, and Quentin Tarantino lauding his favorite actor Bruce Dern as well as our annual James Beard Celebrity Chef dinner!

“A wonderful environment for experienced festival professionals to share news, flesh out ideas and explore market trends.”

— Danny Hayes | CEO, Danny Wimmer Presents

FestForums in Photos

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“FestForums annual event us one of the most exciting events we have each year in Santa Barbara. It recognizes and honors those who infuse our community with enthusiasm for artistic endeavor and cultural awareness. The conference shines a light on our diverse cultures and artistic achievements and in doing so succeeds in illuminating the vibrant fabric that is America.”

— Michael McDonald,
5 time Grammy award winner, Hall of Fame Recording Artist, and FestForums Advisory Board Member