Behind every major musical festival is a strong team of producers and promoters, and on November 22nd through the 24th, the masterminds behind the burgeoning music festival industry will come together in Santa Barbara, California for FestForward, an interactive business-to-business conference and networking event which will bring some of the biggest tastemakers in the music industry including Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and Alice Cooper. The conference incorporates music, film and food + wine + beer festival organizers and is set to emanate from The Fess Parker Resort. Festivals that will be represented at the conference include some of the most significant names in the music industry, including Lollapalooza, Summerfest, Global Citizen Festival, Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits and more.
(Photo : Mike Coppola / Staff)
There are numerous ticket passes available for FestForward, including affordable student-discounted passes. An all-access general admission pass for FestForward is currently available for $499, with a discounted rate of $349 for non-profit and small festival attendees. One-day passes are also available for Sunday and Monday, and can be purchased for $249 for general admission and $159 for students. An awards brunch pass is available for the Tuesday, Nov. 24 portion of the event and can be purchased for just $139 directly through the FestForward registration site on Eventbrite.
The three-day conference will feature festival producers, promoters and directors of festival brands, including big names like Robert Richards (Glastonbury Festival), Kevin Lyman (4fini, Vans Warped Tour), Mike Shea (SXSW), Elliot Lefko (AEG Live), Justine Lucas (Global Citizen Festival), celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi, who is delivering the opening keynote, and many others. In addition to the festival awards and in keeping with its theme of convergence, FestForward will also honor super-manager and producer Shep Gordon, who will be presented with a lifetime achievement award by rock legend Alice Cooper.
FestForward goes above and beyond its networking objective, as the conference will also feature helpful and fun events including industry panels, discussions, networking sessions, a 24-hour tech hackathon, wine and beer tasting, art installations, live performances in music, dance, poetry and cooking and a chance for a festival to win a $10,000 sponsorship contest.
