IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat Moves to 2021

To Our IFEA Industry Friends:

Over the last several months, the IFEA has been busy researching, educating, advocating for and supporting all those in our global industry who provide those important bonding opportunities for our respective communities, cities, state/provinces/territories, and countries, in good times and bad.

As this COVID-19 pandemic has so quickly evolved and spread around the world, our industry has been impacted particularly hard, with large mass gatherings being the first to close and, likely, the last to reopen as we continue to look ahead. And while answers are still neither clear, nor easy, we have been reminded, over and over, that it is, and will be, the power and willingness of our professional network (both locally and globally) to share, support and imagine the future together, that will get us all through this unique time in our history.

As we have done our best to provide honest and credible information and insights to all of you, the reality of the message has not been lost on us internally. Taking into account the continued information that we have been following and sharing with health and government officials; our awareness of and empathy for all of your own events and organizations, as you have had to make the very tough decisions to cancel or postpone; and the huge impact on both human and financial resources throughout ours and many other industries; the IFEA World Board of Directors has concluded that it is in the best interest of the IFEA; the health – individually and organizationally – of all those that we serve; and the focus of our finite resources moving forward, to move our 2020 IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, to 2021. This will help ensure that we continue providing the highest quality support possible, for a challenge that we cannot yet predict an end to. We're still working on all the details, so stay tuned.

While we, like all of you, are highly disappointed in making this decision for our biggest annual gathering – especially at a time when we would all welcome that time together to support, learn from, and network with our global peers who are going through the same questions, frustrations and challenges – we are committed to providing those same outlets and continued support in other formats, for as long as we are all facing this global pandemic.

We are planning for:

Enhanced online educational programming (including our CFEE Program, for those who are working on that or may desire to use the current environment to start that process);
Increased networking opportunities through participation in our online Affinity Groups – upgrading to video formats soon;
Continued access to all of our resources that you have come to rely on, including:
ie magazine
The Event Insider
The IFEA Update & Events
www.ifea.com
Our IFEA Webinar Series
Our online Event Resource Marketplace
Our Virtual Trade Show
The IFEA Job Bank
Industry Surveys
Industry Templates
Social Media Networking
COVID-19 Specific Resources
And much, much more.

For those interested in our IFEA Award Programs, please find important updates for each program, here .

WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

All of the above noted, we – like all of you – will need your ongoing and generous support now, more than ever, to ensure that we can continue to provide all of these many programs and resources on your behalf. As you are able, here is how you can help:

MAINTAIN YOUR IFEA MEMBERSHIP

If you are a current IFEA Member, please remember to renew your membership , preferably at your first-notification renewal messaging, or before, if able.

JOIN THE IFEA

If you are not a current member, but have been enjoying and participating in our weekly COVID-19 Webinar programming, please join the IFEA , so that you can help support the organization, while gaining access to our many other benefits and resources, as well.

DONATE TO THE IFEA FOUNDATION

Make a donation to our IFEA Foundation ‘Fund for the Future,’ at as generous a level as possible. Those funds are all directed to keeping our mission-specific educational programming available.

MOVE YOUR CONVENTION REGISTRATION TO 2021

I f you have already registered for our 2020 IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance , please consider moving your registration dollars ahead to 2021 , if possible. (Please contact Beth Petersen at beth@ifea.com .)

PRE-REGISTER FOR OUR 2021 CONVENTION

Register now for our 2021 IFEA Convention, Expo & Retreat, presented by Haas & Wilkerson Insurance as an Attendee and/or Expo Vendor .

Consider signing yourself or members of your team up for one or a complete series of IFEA's Educational Webinars. Whether it’s an upcoming live IFEA Webinar or a Webinar on Demand , IFEA’s Webinars are easily accessible and a valuable educational resource.

Register for our IFEA Professional Certification Program (CFEE – Certified Festival & Event Executive), sponsored by Kaliff Insurance, which will continue to be offered online, with revamps to allow for completing all elements of the program, given the new COVID-19 restrictions that effect some required components.

BECOME A SPONSOR

Support our global industry and all those who make festivals and events possible around the world, as an IFEA Sponsor . We will work with you to design a specific opportunity that will help you to reach the leadership of our industry with your own programs and services, while supporting those same leaders and organizations through this challenging time.

ADVERTISE WITH THE IFEA

Advertise in any of our high-quality, professional publications and online resources. You’ll not only keep your product front and center with IFEA’s audience of festival and event decision-makers, you’ll also be helping to enable the IFEA to continue serving the festival and event professionals in our industry through the challenges of COVID-19 and beyond.

PRE-PAY FOR IFEA PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Create a pre-paid account with the IFEA, that can be used at any time in the future for all IFEA Programs, Resources, Webinars, Memberships, Convention Attendance, Professional Certification, and more. Gift Cards can be sent on your behalf, as requested.

CREATE AN IFEA LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP

Create a permanent and named IFEA Legacy Scholarship , ensuring that the future leadership of our industry remain supported and that the named individual, group or organization is recognized in perpetuity for your/their role in our global industry.

SHARE YOUR STORY, YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR RESOURCES

Help us to provide the latest information, guidance, and creative new ideas for getting us all through the current COVID-19 challenges by writing articles for our quarterly magazine, ie: the business of international events ; offering to present a Webinar on a relevant and current COVID-19 topic; sharing your templates , new operational guidelines, planning documents, and other professionally-relevant materials with your global peers through our IFEA website; and/or offering to host/moderate/manage one of our IFEA Online Affinity Groups , helping to keep all of our professional networks active and in-touch.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Continue to support our highly-valued IFEA Sponsor Partners and Vendors , who have made their own, much-appreciated commitment to ensure the ongoing success of the IFEA and our common industry through these challenging times.

For more information on any of the above, please email Beth Petersen, Director of Member Services at beth@ifea.com and she will connect you with the appropriate staff member to assist you.

We thank everyone for your continued, highly-valued and important support through these unprecedented times. Globally, we are an ‘essential’ and resilient industry of the most creative and talented professionals that I can imagine, who will help to ensure that the world’s ‘new normal’ will never be without quality celebrations of who we are at our best! Together we will create the future for us all.

Stay safe and healthy,

Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE

President & CEO

International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA)

World Headquarters

Stay Connected:

International Festivals & Events Association

2603 W. Eastover Terrace, Boise, ID 83706 U.S.A.

P: +1-208-433-0950 F: +1-208-433-9812

About the IFEA:

The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) is The Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. With a target audience that includes all those who produce and support quality celebrations for the benefit of their respective "communities," the IFEA's primary focus is identifying and providing access to the professional resources and networks that will inspire and enable those in our industry to realize their dreams, build community and sustain success through celebration. Membership in the IFEA provides value from all directions, including invaluable contacts and cash budget savings worth many times the membership investment. The more you use them, the higher your return.