From Kickoff to Curtain Call: Energizing Your Event Team

Chris Breshears, Best Western Premier Boulder Falls Inn

Volunteers and staff are the heartbeat of every event. In this session, we’ll explore practical ways to motivate, appreciate, and retain your team so they stay energized and engaged from planning to wrap-up.

I’ll Take Oregon Liquor Laws for $200

Emily Zajac, Oregon Beverage Services

Think you know the ins and outs of Oregon’s liquor laws? Test your knowledge in this interactive, Jeopardy-style session designed to make OLCC rules easy to understand (and maybe even a little fun). You’ll walk away with practical know-how to keep your event compliant and your attendees happy.

No Parking on the Yellow Brick Road! Managing Event & Festival Parking Challenges

Jill Ingalls, 360 Events NW

Parking is often the least-optimized part of an event. This session explores how traffic flow, space management, and finding data points—like turnover per parking spot and average people per car—can improve your revenue, guest satisfaction and support smart parking plans. We’ll look at volunteer, VIP, and staff parking versus customer parking, when to charge for parking, how to forecast its value, and practical ways to make limited space feel bigger, faster, and easier for guests to navigate.

The Parade Playbook

Cindy Kerby, Lebanon Strawberry Festival

Parades are a highlight of many festivals, but behind the music, floats, and fun lies a world of careful coordination. This session will cover essential logistics such as staging, lineup management, traffic flow, safety, communication, applying for permits & permission, judging, and post-parade wrap-up. We’ll explore strategies for creating a smooth and engaging experience—everything from organizing participants and volunteers to thoughtfully arranging lineups so similar floats aren’t grouped together. Gain practical tools to keep your parade running seamlessly while maximizing community enjoyment and participation.

More Than the Booth Fee: Vendor Revenue Panel

moderated by Brandi Ebner, Deschutes County Fair

Vendors and attractions are a vital part of any event’s success and a key revenue stream. This panel will explore best practices for setting and auditing vendor fees, managing pay-to-play attractions, and ensuring systems that support both your event’s bottom line and your vendor partners. Hear insights from experienced organizers and suppliers on balancing transparency, compliance, and profitability while keeping vendors eager to return year after year.

Asking the Right Questions: Supplier Panel

moderated by Haley Hamilton, HBA of Marion/Polk Counties

When it comes to working with suppliers, you don’t always know what you don’t know. This panel brings together experienced suppliers to share what information they need from you, what questions you should be asking when requesting bids, and how to avoid costly miscommunications. Learn how to build stronger vendor relationships and get the most value for your event.

Brains, Heart, and Courage: Contracts That Keep You on the Right Path

Michale Jonas, Narwhal Law and Business Strategy

From vendor agreements to waivers, learn the essential contracts that give your organization the brains to plan smart, the heart to build trust, and the courage to move forward.

Websites That Wow: Smart Design for Festivals and Events

Royle Johnson, Royle Media

Your website is often the first impression potential attendees, sponsors, and vendors have of your event. In this session, we’ll explore best practices in event website design, from creating clear navigation and mobile-friendly layouts to highlighting key information like schedules, ticketing, and vendor opportunities. Learn how to build (or improve) a site that not only looks great but also drives engagement, boosts attendance, and supports your overall event goals.

Building Buzz with Micro-Influencers

Jacob Espinoza, @whatshappeningsalem

When it comes to promoting your event, you don’t always need celebrity status or big ad budgets to make an impact. Micro-influencers are local voices with small but highly engaged audiences, and they can be powerful allies in spreading the word and building authentic excitement. In this session, we’ll explore practical strategies to tap into these community voices and create a ripple effect of awareness, trust, and attendance.

Protecting the Experience: A Practical Guide to Security, Screening & Guest Operations

Mike Goff, Event Pros NW

This comprehensive session gives fair and event professionals a practical, real-world playbook for running safe, smooth, guest-friendly events. Drawing from nearly 30 years of operational experience, Mike Goff covers essential best practices in event security, gate screening, crowd management, alcohol compliance, parking operations, and guest services. Learn how to build strong pre-event plans, ensure efficient and welcoming entry points, train and deploy effective staff, coordinate with public safety, and implement the latest technology in event safety. Perfect for fairs, festivals, and large event producers seeking actionable strategies they can apply immediately.