NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
3 May 2004

FESTIVAL LEADERS TO EXPLORE SPONSORSHIPS

Harrisburg, PA—Special Event professionals from throughout the Nation will be in Harrisburg tomorrow for a special conference being presented by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced.

The conference will focus on event sponsorship and marketing, and is being held at the Crown Plaza Hotel at Second and Chestnut Streets beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Reed said the IFEA Sponsorship Conference will feature noted Columbia University Professor and publisher Sylvia Allen, one of the foremost sponsorship professionals in the nation. Additional presenters include Tom Kwiatek, IFEA Regional Director and the former Executive Director of Bethlehem, PA’s ‘Musikfest’ celebration, and Valerie Lagauskas, Sunoco Welcome America Development Manager. Corporate marketing representatives from a variety of companies will also be on hand to address conferees on successful sponsorship deals and what companies are looking for in today’s marketing environment.

The Mayor said the International Festival Association is the primary trade association for the special events and festivals industry worldwide, and includes members from such notable events as the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Indianapolis 500 Festival, the Fiesta Bowl, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and many more, including the city’s own American Musicfest and Kipona Celebration.

Registration for the Conference gets underway at 8:30 a.m. at the Crown Plaza, and sessions are expected to run until 4:00 p.m. The cost for IFEA members is $40 per person, and $50 for non-IFEA members. Membership discounts are applied to any organization choosing to join IFEA prior to or on the day of the event.

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