When Laurie Kirby founded FestForums in 2015, she was drawing on two seemingly opposite careers: law and live events. As an attorney who later went on to produce festivals, she understood both the business rigor and the creative chaos that define the festival world. What she noticed, however, was a gap.
“There was really no place for festivals to go,” Kirby said, “to network, to get professional advice, to discuss their pain points, to meet each other, to have resources available to them.” Touring conferences existed. Talent-buying summits existed. But for festivals themselves, she says, there was no equivalent gathering.
FestForums was conceived to fill that void. Now entering its ninth iteration, the three-day conference returns to Santa Barbara from February 11-13 at the Mar Monte Hotel, bringing together leaders from music, film, food, wine, wellness, and live events. After a three-year pandemic pause that nearly derailed the conference altogether, FestForums has reemerged larger and more ambitious, supported by an industry that Kirby says pushed her to bring it back.
This year, attendees can look forward to an opening night party at La Lieff followed by a benefit concert and awards ceremony at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club. Awards begin at 8 p.m., followed by live music at 9 p.m., with performances by Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Hunter Hawkins, Talking Heads keyboardist and guitarist Jerry Harrison, and Steve Miller Band bassist-guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis, along with other surprise guests.
In addition, FestForums will welcome back singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Mason — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee as a member of Traffic and a 2015 FestForums awardee — who will share stories from his life and sign copies of his memoir, Only You and I Know.
This year, FestForums has locked in more than 125 speakers who will address topics such as the future of festivals, including technology, sustainability, safety, marketing, and wellness, alongside conversations centered on leadership, social impact, and inclusion.
They’re also hosting PuppiesPalooza, a special lunchtime event where attendees can meet adoptable puppies from Paw Works shelter. Guests can cuddle them, learn about them, enjoy a feel-good break during the day, and maybe even take one home.
Kirby hopes that attendees walk away from the conference having made new connections within the festival industry and learned something new. She notes that the conference is for everyone, whether they work in the festival industry or not.
“It’s not just for people who run festivals,” says Kirby. “It’s for anyone who wants to be in the live event space, or is just live event space curious.”
For information about passes please see, festforums.com
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