Article Contributed by L. Paul Mann
Published on 2026-02-19
photos by L. Paul Mann
As the marine layer lifted over East Beach and sunlight spilled across Santa Barbara’s coastline, FestForums 2026 quietly came to life at the Mar Monte Hotel — and by the time the final toast was raised three days later, it had once again proven why it remains the “festival about festivals.” This ninth edition carried a sharpened focus, centering its programming around Celebrating Women in the Festival Industry, while simultaneously tackling the evolving mechanics, economics, and ethics of modern live events.
From the outset, President Laurie Kirby set an intentional tone in her opening remarks, emphasizing both leadership parity and long-term sustainability in a rapidly shifting industry. A brief meditation led by Jennifer Love followed, grounding the room before discussions escalated into high-level strategy. The early sessions leaned into the human side of live production — reminding attendees that behind every spreadsheet, site map, and safety protocol is a community.
A marquee “State of the Industry” conversation featuring Denise Yamaguchi of the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival and Kevin Lyman, founder of Vans Warped Tour, moved fluidly from AI integration to a more urgent topic: equity in leadership. Lyman, a longtime FestForums fixture, later held an intimate discussion with the Van Doren family about their 30-year partnership that helped define alternative music culture. Their dialogue underscored a recurring theme of the conference — that authenticity and shared values remain the bedrock of successful brand relationships.
Panels such as “Breaking Barriers: Women in the Festival Industry” brought the year’s focus into sharp relief. Danielle Madeira and Karina Gonzalez of Wasserman shared candid insights into navigating production and agency roles in traditionally male-dominated spaces, offering practical strategies rather than platitudes. Meanwhile, hands-on workshops like “What Actually Matters (That No One Tells You) About Producing Festivals” peeled back the curtain on the unglamorous realities of logistics, scale, and risk management.
Day Two accelerated the tempo. Speed Networking, presented by Eventree, turned structured introductions into rapid-fire creative exchanges, igniting collaborations that would likely ripple far beyond Santa Barbara. The afternoon shifted gears with PuppiesPalooza — a surprisingly effective networking reset featuring catered lunch, live music, and adoptable puppies. TINCUP Whiskey added playful hospitality to the mix, proving that authentic connection often happens when formal barriers drop.
The educational backbone of the second day addressed the pillars of festival management: safety, production, technology, ticketing, partnerships, marketing, and long-term ecosystem health. Sessions presented by StubHub and Volume.com explored go-to-market engines and livestreaming as revenue extensions, while sustainability and accessibility tracks reinforced the communal responsibility of modern event producers. A keynote from Wings alum Laurence Juber bridged legendary performance with backstage logistics, grounding aspirational artistry in operational reality.
When the sun set, the conversation gave way to celebration. The Fest After Forums Music Showcase transformed the beachfront venue into an intimate club environment. The previous night’s gala at SOhO had honored legacy with icons like Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Kenny Loggins, but Thursday night pivoted toward rising voices. Keldamuzik commanded the stage with charismatic precision, blending hip-hop intensity and pop polish. Cydeways delivered a smooth California reggae-rock groove, while Jack Pavlina and Outoftheblue highlighted the conference’s commitment to emerging talent. The shift from boardroom dialogue to live performance was a powerful reminder: all strategy ultimately exists to serve those transcendent moments when the music takes over.
By Day Three, FestForums felt less like a conference and more like a think tank in full stride. Sessions such as “Starting a New Festival” and “Advanced Festival Issues” offered tactical roadmaps for both startups and established brands. A standout discussion on AI’s impact on music and film sparked nuanced debate about machine learning’s creative and commercial implications. Sustainability and financing tracks delivered sobering but necessary conversations about environmental stewardship and fiscal resilience.
As Afro-inspired rhythms carried attendees into the closing celebration, the mood was equal parts exhaustion and inspiration. Business cards had been exchanged, partnerships sparked, philosophies challenged, and new leaders amplified. If FestForums 2026 demonstrated anything, it’s that the future of festivals belongs to those willing to balance innovation with inclusion, scale with sustainability, and profit with purpose.
When the final toast echoed through the Mar Monte, it was clear that while the conference doors had closed, the real work — and the real music — was just beginning.
