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CONTACT
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FESTIVALS, Inc.
Jody May - President/General Manager
13555 SE 36th St. Ste. 230
Bellevue, WA 98006
Phone: 425.283.5050
Fax: 425.283.5051
Email: info@biteofseattle.com |
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Festivals Inc. is a special events production company based in Seattle,
WA. The company has created, consulted and produced events around the country
since its conception in 1982, experiencing incredible growth since that
time. It all began when Alan Silverman, president, created and produced the Bite of
Seattle (still the company’s flagship event) in 1982.
An estimated 75,000 people attended the first Bite, with only 25
restaurants, which now attracts over 450,000 people in three days and
hosts over 60 restaurants. Festivals Inc. has 20 successful events under its belt since that
time, has grown from a staff of three to 13 in 22 years, and has
entertained over 10 million people in the Seattle area alone!
A native of
New York City, Silverman’s background (including 30 years in the
restaurant business) is the foundation of the company.
Festivals Inc. prides itself on “doing the impossible:” combining creative freedom and teamwork!
Putting
together an event as large as the Bite is an enormous task requiring an
overall understanding of event operations along with great attention to
detail. Festivals Inc. lays 3.5 miles of gas pipe for cooking, 15 miles of electric cable,
set up for 2,000 gallons of hot water, uses 175,000 pounds of ice that
will serve up an average of 12,000 gallons of soda pop and 365 kegs of
beer.This is all done for the 450,000 people who attend the Bite of Seattle.
This is only a small part of the overall event plan for one of
eleven events the company will produce this year.
Festivals Inc. is a leader in the food and beverage business in areas other than
festivals! 2002 marks the eleventh year of production of the Coffee Fest trade
shows. Coffee Fest has the distinction of assisting in the proliferation
of specialty coffee, gourmet teas and other related industries.
In addition to an industry-wide trade show, each Coffee Fest
features educational programming, keynote speakers, networking
opportunities and other special attractions.
Coffee Fest now resides in three permanent locations with shows in
Seattle, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Festivals Inc. is recognized as a leader in the event business.
Alan Silverman has served as chairman and helped organize ASSET (A
Seattle/King County Special Events Team), a special membership category of
the Sports and Events Council.
ASSET’s primary goal is to communicate the value of sports and
special events to the city, county and state governments, the media and
the broader community.
In order to facilitate these goals, ASSET created KEPA (King County
Event Producers Awards) to acknowledge outstanding achievements in event
production and marketing in King County.
Festivals Inc. has received four KEPA Awards since 1996, including
Best Promotional Campaign, Best Event and Sponsor of the Year.
In 2001, David Heilbrunn, Vice President and General Manager of Lifestyle Events
Inc., was awarded the Expo Group Show Manager of the Year Award for
managing Coffee Fest. Peers and exhibitors nominated award recipients for their
innovative show management style, incorporation of new technology and
their ability to overcome obstacles. Heilbrunn received a trophy and $1,000 will be donated in his name
to Coffee Kids, an international organization dedicated to improving lives
in coffee-growing regions.
Entertainment is an integral part of the events produced by Festivals Inc.
Not only does the company have experience in dealing with national
performing groups of every genre of music, but has gone the extra mile at
some events to bring entertainment to a new level.
In 1987, the Bite of Seattle brought Brigada S., the top rock band
in the Soviet Union at the time, to play at the event.
The band attracted over 15,000 people and the media went nuts!
From an event like Brewstock, a 1995 version of “Woodstock,” to
hosting a dozen nationally renowned alternative rock artists, to a
fund-raiser with Ben Vereen, Festivals Inc. provides first-rate
entertainment to its audiences every year!
Festivals Inc. understands commitment to community and demonstrates this through the
company’s support of over a dozen local charities including Northwest
Harvest, Food Lifeline, C.A.P.A (Culinary Arts Promotion Association),
Northwest Burn Foundation, Pierce County Aids Foundation, Tacoma Community
House, Books for Kids and more.
Events created by and owned by Festivals Inc.:
Events that hired Festivals Inc. to create, consult, manage and produce:
- Tall Ships Tacoma (2008)
- Kent Cornucopia Days (present)
- Kent Centennial Festival (1990)
- Earth Fair (1990) – Washington States largest Earth Day Celebration.
- SEAFAIR(1989-94) – Handled all landside activities for the Hydroplane Race,
introduced skyboxes and corporate hospitality and successfully re-built
family attendance at the festival.
- Freedom Fair (1993-95)
- Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (1986) – Started this event, still going strong today.
- World Expo in Vancouver, Canada (1986)
- Q-13 Kids Fun Fair (1995-96)
- The Great American Race (1993)
- YPO (Young Presidents Organization (1994))
- Seattle Art Museum (Sam Goes Downtown (1994)) ground breaking ceremony
- TAOS Kick Off (1988) – National launch for a new Seagram’s product.
- First Bite (1996) – Seattle Rotary Fundraiser Gala.
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