Festival and event management

Our course is offered online over a six-week period. Each week focuses on an essential part of festival and event management. Professionals with expertise and experience in the field teach each section of the course.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Create a business plan for a festival or event of their own choosing.
• Create and execute marketing strategies that highlight what makes an event unique and enhance the image of the event.
• Maximize revenue through effective management and sponsorship.
• Boost the recruitment, management, and retention of staff and volunteers.
• Identify appropriate approaches to undertake various types of evaluation.

Course participants can apply for a Certificate of Completion by actively participating in the course, completing the Timely Topic, completing all assignments,  and submitting a business plan for a festival or event of their own choosing by a pre-designated deadline. 

Six Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) are available to students who complete the full course.

A Timely Topic is a one-week deep dive into a current trend or an emerging issue for festivals and events. It can be taken in combination with the full course or on its own. One Continuing Education Credit (CEU) is available to students who complete the Timely Topic.

The Timely Topic for the 2020 and 2021 course offerings is estimating the economic impact of festivals and events. The session will help participants understand the ins and outs of documenting the economic impact of their event. The course will cover the basics of economic impact analysis, the special challenges festivals and events face, tips and templates for effectively gathering the “right” information and examples of economic impact projects from festivals large and small. Having an effective plan to highlight the economic contribution of your event can save you time and money when you need to show the economic impact of your hard work.

About the instructor

Brigid Tuck conducts research for Extension’s Economic Impact Analysis program that she helped launch in early 2009. Under the program, Brigid studies the economic contribution that businesses and industries make in Minnesota. She’s examined a number of tourism issues through the years including the role of Minnesota Vikings training camp, the importance of curling on the Iron Range, the value of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth and the economics of county fairs. She has presented at numerous tourism conferences, teaching tourism professionals the core principles of economic analysis.

Students completing the full course can earn up to six CEUs (continuing education credits). Students completing only the Timely Topic part of the course are eligible to earn up to one CEU.