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^th Annual Conference, which will be held from September 19-21, 2022 at the McAllen Convention Center.  With over 3,000 members globally, organizers are expecting attendees from not only Texas, including 29 U.S. states and 10 countries around the world. This is the first time since 2011 that the convention has been hosted in Texas and is the first in-person conference for the international organization in three years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s conference theme is “Metamorphosis. Off-Balance. On Purpose.” and organizers are hoping that convention attendees will walk away transformed, inspired and “changed for the better” by the informative, entertaining and educational sessions, that all serve to give festival and event producers, and the professional peers suppliers and host cities who support them, the tools and resources to ensure the most creative, safe and sustainable events possible, for their respective communities and countries. The IFEA also recognizes and celebrates the success of those in their industry through a variety of awards that will be given out during the convention, including the ‘IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Insurance Pinnacle Awards,’ the “IFEA World Festival & Event City Awards,’ the ‘IFEA Volunteer of the Year Award,’ and induction into the ‘IFEA Hall of Fame.’

“I am so excited to welcome festival and event industry leaders from all over the world to the wonderful city of McAllen, where they can celebrate and experience a rich and vibrant culture that is a part of all of the events we host here in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley,” said City of McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos.

Aside from local McAllen festivals and events, such as McAllen Holiday Parade, Quinta Mazatlán Monarch Festival, and the McAllen Marathon that will be part of the convention experience, festival and event representatives from around the country and the world will be here, as well, including the Tournament of Roses; Kentucky Derby Festival; (Indianapolis) 500 Festival; Philadelphia Flower Festival; Rotterdam (The Netherlands) Festivals; National Cherry Blossom Festival and Parade; Sun Fest; Jinju (South Korea) Lantern Festival; Memphis in May Festival; Fiesta San Antonio; Des Moines Arts Festival; Portland Rose Festival; Beale Street Music Festival; and the Fiesta Bowl, to name a few. Representatives from as close as McAllen to as far away as from Australia; Brazil; Canada; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; South Africa; Taiwan; and Thailand, will also be attending the convention.

“Thanks to IFEA, our member organizations have been able to not only learn from the best of the best, but also, share ideas and make contacts that will help them in planning and managing their festivals and events into premier productions that their communities can be proud of,” said Joe Vera, Assistant City Manager for the City of McAllen and IFEA World Board Member.  

“The festivals and events that are celebrated around the world reflect the best of our cities, our people and our values.  Aside from being economic generators for our cities, festivals and events bring families, friends and strangers together.  The presentations and sessions at the annual IFEA conference give us the tools, knowledge and ideas to do that even better.  I encourage festivals and events, as well as vendors from throughout the Rio Grande Valley, Texas and the United States and Mexico to come be a part of this special conference taking place right here in McAllen this year,” Vera concluded.

The convention also features three advanced education days (September 16-19) for those who are interested in pursuing their Certified Festival & Event Executive (CFEE) professional certification. More information can be found at www.ifea.com.  

Some of the internationally recognized speakers presenting at this year’s IFEA convention include opening keynote speaker Dan Thurmon,  founder and president of Motivation Works, a positive change and peak performance expert and author of  ‘Off Balance On Purpose’ and ‘Success In Action’; Catherine Turp, creative director of Moment Factory, who will give a presentation on “Visualizing the Future: How Multimedia Installations are Transforming Cities and Events”; and closing keynote speaker David Eads, executive director and CEO of the famed Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

Additionally, event and festival vendors are invited to participate in the conference’s trade show, which is expected to feature vendors and suppliers from around the country.

According to the organization, the impact of festivals and special events on the communities they serve is multifaceted. Their power to be an economic engine, generating direct spending by unique visitors and the redistribution of that wealth through the community, is well-documented.  Events of all sizes, from small community gatherings to mega-festivals, infuse new dollars into the economy, generate jobs and create significant tax revenues.  

An excellent case in point, in 2021, the City of McAllen hosted 803 events which had an economic impact of $87.5 million to the local economy.

Festivals and events also share the unique ability to create social capital, such as community pride, destination brand awareness, media activity and stakeholder engagement. While social capital is difficult to track and measure, it is equally as difficult to replace in building a vibrant sense of place.  According to Schmader, communities become known for the festivals and events they host. 

Event sponsors include: Haas & Wilkerson Insurance; City of McAllen; McAllen Chamber of Commerce/Visit McAllen; McAllen Parks & Recreation; McAllen Convention Center; Quinta Mazatlán; Kaliff Insurance; Saffire; Eventeny; DFEST; Atomic; Fabulous Inflatables/Dynamic Displays; Big Events Inc.; Elsburg Studios; Emamo IFEA Foundation; Lubbock Arts Alliance; Texas Festivals and Events Association.

Opportunities to attend the three-day convention are still available.  Visit www.ifea.com to register today and to see a complete schedule of the sessions offered.  For more information, please contact Steve Schmader at [email protected].

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