Festivals create bonds within communities

New Ulm

hosts state conference

on festivals

BY RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--Festival organizers from throughout the state gathered for the Minnesota Festivals & Events Association's 12th Annual Conference at the Holiday Inn for two days of workshop sessions ending at noon today.

John Edman, director of Minnesota's Office of Tourism, told MFEA attendees that tourism has economic impact on the state's economy and festivals play an important role in creating that flow of funds.

"Tourism contributes $8.3 billion to our state economy," he said, "and tourism in Minnesota has grown at above the rate of inflation. The fourth most popular destination for residents is festivals."

That's why his Office of Tourism is placing heavy emphasis on heritage cultural tourism, he said. "We've already started planning our strategic marketing plan for 2002, and heritage cultural tourism is going to be a big part of it. All agencies involved have committed to promoting heritage cultural tourism."

Edman announced plans for a series of meetings around the state in which he plans "to do more listening than talking. I want to hear what you like, and what you don't like about the tourism office. I want to have your input because festivals and events are really at the heart of what we do."

Edman also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award plaque to Leo Berg for his role as founder and president of MFEA.

Earlier in the day, Robert H. Lavenda, professor of Anthropology at St. Cloud State University, talked about why festivals remain popular in small Minnesota communities.

His research has shown that it's a growing, rather than diminishing trend, with more than 250 communities having some sort of festival.

What's the reason?

While there are a number of individually celebrated events, like Christmas and Memorial Day, only festivals stop time and involve the entire community in small towns, he said.

"Not even school sports involves everybody; only festivals do this," Lavenda explained. "These events become time references; the memories people build up at festivals are the only community memories."

Lavenda told festival organizers a festival also answers the question of how a place where people sleep is transformed into a community. "There are lots of ways people become members of a community, raising kids, attending certain churches, being employed, but it's the festival that, in its own quiet way, pulls people into a feeling of community.

"Because there are no vows that, yes, I'm a member of this community, sign here, this sense of belonging (created by festivals) is important to people. Many times what festivals do is create an illusion of community."

However, Lavenda said this remains an illusion because some groups just aren't there. Farmers, for instance, often are not represented in festivals; other groups missing are young people over 16 and migrant workers.

The festival allows people to think about the past in a concrete way, he said. "Festivals create a body of memories, and they are the only time when everyone's doing the same thing. It's a very big way of creating a sense of belonging."

Meanwhile, International Festival & Events Association Vice President Scott Nagel of Seattle took on some of the tougher questions Thursday afternoon.

"It's important to know what makes your customers happy," Nagel said. "Know the facts, not just feelings."

He stressed the importance of knowing what makes participants return each year, and if not, why they don't.

"It's always more expensive to get new customers than it is to keep the ones you have," Nagel said.

Journal staff writer Fritz Busch contributed to this story.