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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — August 13, 2026 — FestForums®, the premier North American B2B conference for festival producers, organizers, and industry leaders, will return to the beachfront Mar Monte Hotel in Santa Barbara for its landmark 10th year, February 3–5, 2027. The exclusive live gathering brings together hundreds of festival professionals from around the world to learn, network, and celebrate in one idyllic location. The conference is presented by Festival Pro and produced by Pink Bows Foundation, WMT Digital, FEVO, and EventTech Systems.
This year’s theme, Firsts & Future: A Decade of Festival Unity, honors the professionals who built the festival industry as it stands today alongside the newcomers pushing it forward. The 2027 conference will tackle the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry’s next decade through curated panels and interactive workshops.
FestForums® 2027 will feature an extraordinary lineup of industry legends, innovators, and decision-makers representing the world’s most prestigious festivals. Past attendees have included representatives from SXSW, Coachella, Sundance Film Festival, Burning Man, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Global Citizen Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, Summerfest, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Ultra Music Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Outside Lands, BottleRock, Netflix Is a Joke, Stagecoach, The Governors Ball, ESSENCE Festival, and hundreds more.
Attendees will hear from Chef Adrianne Calvo, celebrity chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, on designing festival experiences audiences can’t stop talking about, alongside Kevin Lyman, founder of Vans Warped Tour, one of the most influential touring festivals in music history. Key programming will include panels on festivals from around the world, brand partnerships, ticketing, technology, sustainability, AI in festivals, safety & security, financing, and building the next generation of live events fans.
FestForums® 2027 also introduces the Showstop® Procedure course, the only internationally accredited training program for risk management at live events. Presented in partnership with the Pink Bows Foundation ahead of the conference, the course gives venue, event, and safety leaders a clear process for recognizing risks and intervening when safety is at stake during a performance.
FestForums® Awards Ceremony and Benefit Concert
FestForums® will kick off its 10th anniversary with a separately ticketed Annual Awards Ceremony and Benefit Concert on opening night, Wednesday, February 3, 2027, at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club in Santa Barbara. The evening will include a special tribute to Dave Mason, who was honored at the very first FestForums® conference. Dave Mason was feted for his Contribution to Music by esteemed actor Malcolm McDowell. Dave’s wife will be part of the celebration in February 2027.
This year’s benefit concert partners with Adam’s Angels, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit, as its official charity partner. As with every FestForums®-hosted benefit concert, proceeds will go to Adam’s Angels to support local communities in Santa Barbara.
Location and Tickets
FestForums® will be held February 3–5, 2027, at the Mar Monte Hotel in Santa Barbara, California, just steps from East Beach. Attendees can explore all Santa Barbara has to offer while networking in a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere.
The full 2027 agenda is available at festforums.com/agenda-2027, and the complete speaker lineup can be found at festforums.com/2027-speakers.
Registration for the conference and tickets to all events — including the Annual Awards Ceremony and Benefit Concert — are available at festforums.festivalpro.com.
About FestForums®
FestForums® is the premier B2B 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. For more information, visit festforums.com.
