MFEA is Growing Through Phases … one at a time

Much has happened with your Minnesota Festivals and Events Association..

It began with the long-range planning sessions facilitated by Kent Gustafson at the University of Minnesota’s Tourism Center in St. Paul.

Our mission, we believe, truly reflects our organization’s purpose: "To support the people who organize Minnesota’s festivals and events." To do that, the board has spent time with the "vision" for MFEA, preparing it for healthy growth.

Phase One

With excellent response to a statewide member survey to a random sampling of festivals, conducted by MFEA board secretary Jeanne Zwart and her colleagues at Minnesota State University, Mankato, we’ve spent several months on the re-branding of MFEA based on information many of you gave us. Using the quantitative information – numbers and percentages – about your views of MFEA and its characteristics we have moved forward. We followed up with regional focus groups to gather qualitative information – values and attitudes related to festivals, events, and community celebrations – to give us more direction from members and non-members in our communities.

Phase Two

We have a new logo and a new brand image. We hope you like what we’ve done with the graphic image --a revitalized, forward-looking attitude.
There is a continuous improvement process for the Certificate in Festival Management (CFM) course and its collateral materials. The 5-week online course took place February 5 through April 7, 2007. October 4-6 and 11-13, 2007, the traditional course will take place on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus, now incorporating a new text book  format. Kent Gustafson’s goal for CFM is to make it the premier credential for all festival managers in this state. Contact him at 612-625-8274 or e-mail him at kgustaf@umn.edu for more information.

Phase Three

This involves a radical redesign of the MFEA Website – a work in progress – that promises to bring tangible benefits to your community festivals and events:
• Event guide listings and informational links to your sites that will get your stories out there on the Internet where people look for great places to go and things to do
• Photography and supporting articles featuring a rotation of member festivals and events
• Members Only interactive features to improve networking and information flow between festival and event colleagues
• Members Only sections for vendor contacts, equipment rentals and purchases, and supply sourcing
• Members Only how-to-do-it features for educational updating/training for your event managers, staffers and volunteers

Phase Four

To promote MFEA as the organization for ALL festivals and events - for planners and suppliers.

Some of these ambitious initiatives are benefits of your membership in MFEA and we need your support to carry them out successfully. Help us help you by renewing your membership status with the organization. By joining now, you can help us help you advance the excellence of festivals and community events that make our Minnesota lifestyle so enjoyable.

For 2007 (through December 31, 2007)- membership in MFEA is Free

Contact us today with your information!