The festival began in 2015 and was conceived by longtime resident Laurie Kirby, a former entertainment lawyer. After a few years off during the pandemic, the festival has become an annual Santa Barbara event.

John Giddings (left), founder of Solo Agency, and promoter of the UK’s legendary Isle of Wight Festival, won Festival Promoter of the Year at the FestForums Awards. He received the award from Arthur Fogel (right), president of Live Nation’s global touring division. Picture by Claire Hart

KEYT News Channel 3, News Channel 12 and KKFX Fox 11 News broadcast throughout Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties.

Isle of Wight Festival promoter John Giddings won an award at the FestForums Awards in the US this week.

The three-day conference, now at the Mar Monte Hotel, brings together festival producers, organizers and industry leaders to network, collaborate, and pick up tips about events in a single location February 12-14.

The renowned promoter behind the Isle of Wight Festival, John Giddings, was named ‘Festival Promoter of the Year’ last night at the FestForums awards in Santa Barbara.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – FestForums is organizing a benefit concert on Thursday, Feb. 13 to help those displaced by the recent fires.

Matthew Modine and Sophie B. Hawkins Among Featured Speakers at Live Event Confab

When Santa Barbara comes together to help those affected by a natural disaster, it does so with style, heart, and incredible talent. Case in point: on Thursday, February 13, SOhO Restaurant & Music Club will host a benefit concert organized by the newly formed Santa Barbara South Coast Firefighter Foundation and FestForums. 

FestForums kicks off on Wednesday and runs through Friday at the Mar Monte hotel.

SANTA BARBARA, CA (CelebrityAccess) — FestForums, the annual business conference for the festival industry, announced that the iconic New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been named as the 2025 Festival of the Year.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-People who have played their shares of festivals performed during FestForums 2024 founded by Laurie Kirby

Alicia Silverstone shares her health journey at FestForums in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, CA (CelebrityAccess) — FestForums, the North American music conference for the festival industry announced plans for the seventh edition of the music industry confab, which will take place in Santa Barbara from February 15-17.

POWER FEST PANEL: The FestForums’ “What European and U.S. Music Festivals Can Learn From Each Other” featured (from Left) FestForums’ Laurie Kirby, Festival Productions’ Eugenié Jones “EJ” Encalarde, Primavera Sound’s Marta Pallarès, Roskilde Fest’s Signe Lopdrup and Goldenvoice’s Jenn Yacoubian. (Photo by Chris Jensen / FestForums)