FestForums Upcoming Santa Barbara Conference, February 15-17
FestForums Celebrates Inclusion and Diversity at its Upcoming Santa Barbara Conference, February 15-17
To be held at the Mar Monte Hotel, speakers will include Living Legend Award honoree Marty Callner, along with Dane Cook and Alicia Silverstone. Performers include Skip Martin, Mix Master Mike and DJ Darla Bea
Already confirmed to attend are leaders from Coachella, Sundance, Outside Lands, Bonnaroo, The Knitting Factory, ACL, Lollapalooza, C3 Presents, The Recording Academy, Danny Wimmer Presents, Insomniac, and many more.
Acclaimed director Marty Callner will be feted with an interview by comic Dane Cook, and actor Alicia Silverstone will present him with the FestForums® Living Legend Award. Entertainment will be supplied by Grammy winner Skip Martin (Kool & the Gang, Das Band) and other music acts at The Soho in Santa Barbara.
Combining the first look at new festival technology alongside entertainment leaders from music and film who determine the future of the industry, FestForums® will host hundreds of festivals for three days and two nights. The event is renowned for its panels, parties, live music and incomparable networking. Registration and the room block can be found on the FestForums website.
“This is an exciting time for festivals with the industry back in full force,” says FestForums® founder and owner Laurie Kirby. “I created this conference to bring the industry together to learn and network, and its continued success has exceeded my wildest dreams. But what is really the icing on the cake is the extraordinary light we shine on meaningful issues throughout our conference’s history.”
FestForums Founder Laurie Kirby
“I feel that the issue of diversity is at the core of FestForums® as both a topic and in its array of speakers,” Kirby says. “At the various events I spoke at throughout 2023, the theme kept emerging. As our population grows, minorities are taking a larger role in the festival industry, which is ironic given the time we’re in, when the fear of ‘the other’ has become so dominant in our culture. It’s important for everybody involved in our industry to understand the cultures and communities they serve and provide content that speaks to those audiences.”
Kirby adds, “And I’m thrilled to say that at FestForums® I consciously strive to have people of all backgrounds – black, brown, Asian, Hispanic and equal parts men and women speaking and attending. I’m very thoughtful about being inclusive of what our world looks like.”
Past speakers and performers have included Jeff Bridges, Dennis Quaid, Jack Johnson, Rita Coolidge, Kenny Loggins, Mary Wilson, John Fogerty, Taj Mahal, Cat Cora, Quentin Tarantino, Matthew Modine, John Sloss, Geoffrey Gilmore, The Coen Brothers, Bruce Dern, Dave Mason, T Bone Burnett, Christopher Guest, among others.
Sponsors in 2024 include Tappit, Rock Cellar, KoaCare, 42Chat, Ticketsauce, WRSTBND, Arnett, KoaCare, Cast & Crew, Axiom Print, Aloompa, conCHAIRto, OTW Safety, Rent National, Sierra Nevada, TapNGo, IPME, Sugarlands, SponsorPitch, AdmitOne and many more.
“FestForums® is truly unique in that it allows festival producers to meet one another during an exciting, fun, creative and rewarding three days,” Kirby says. “People get to experience one of the most beautiful cities in the country and they’re across the street from the beach. We have Puppypalooza this year where we’re bringing adoptable puppies in. We have a CAPS calm lounge where you can receive a massage, aromatherapy and one-on-one counseling. And we will also be giving away tickets to some of the largest festivals in North America. Between all the panels, parties and networking, you feel like you’re on a mini vacation.”
On opening night, February 15, Skip Martin will headline a special concert at The Soho in Santa Barbara. Other performers include Spencer the Gardener, Johnny Irion, Tina Schlieske, Christian Pelonis, Peter Levin, and the Tribe. There will be a special DJ mix courtesy of Mike Master Mike (official DJ of the Beastie Boys). The next night, February 16, attendees can revel at a special FestForums WisDome After Party, hosted by LoDo Studios, and sponsored by IPME and Sugarlands Distillery, with entertainment provided by DJ Darla Bea.
In addition, FestForums® attendees have a chance to attend a special concert at The Lobero by the supergroup The Immediate Family, known for their illustrious careers backing up such legendary artists such as James Taylor, Keith Richards, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Stevie Nicks, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
The Immediate Family is comprised of guitarists Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel and Steve Postell, drummer Russ Kunkel and bassist Leland Sklar. The band is currently the subject of a highly acclaimed documentary by director Denny Tedesco. The concert takes place on February 14 at the Lobero Theatre. Limited tickets are available – email Hello@FestForums.com to secure seats.
Registration for the conference and tickets for all events can be found at www.festforums.com.
About FestForums®
FestForums® is a festival conference for food, beverage, wellness, music and film festival industry leaders that takes place annually in Santa Barbara, CA. Showcasing cutting-edge technology, talent, ticketing, sponsorships, scheduling, merchandising, operations, sustainability, charitable work, innovation, and safety, FestForums brings together festivals and events of all sizes for collaboration and professional development.
310.993.4114
Hello@FestForums.com
FestForums Partner + Media Contact:
Michael Jensen