Program

Finding volunteers is hard. Keeping them can be even harder. And sometimes the biggest challenge is discovering that good people are serving in the wrong places.
This session will explore how to build a volunteer culture that not only attracts people, but helps them stay engaged, take ownership, and find meaningful roles where they can succeed.
We’ll look at the common reasons volunteers burn out, disengage, or fail to follow through, and how communication, expectations, appreciation, accountability, and leadership culture can make a major difference.
You’ll also discover how AI can become a practical tool for volunteer placement by helping identify strengths, interests, experience, and availability, making it easier to match the right person with the right opportunity.
If your organization struggles to recruit volunteers, retain them, or get the right people in the right roles, this session will give you practical ideas to build a stronger, healthier, and more effective volunteer team.

Should your fair handle marketing internally or partner with an outside agency? This workshop will explore the benefits, challenges, and costs of both approaches, helping fair and event professionals determine the best fit for their organization.
Through real-world examples and open discussion, attendees will learn how factors such as budget, staffing, creative capabilities, media buying, social media management, and accountability impact marketing success. Whether you're considering an agency partnership, building an internal team, or utilizing a hybrid approach, this session will provide practical insights to help maximize your marketing investment and drive results.

Are today's college students attending your fair, and could they be tomorrow's workforce. Join a live, moderated focus group as students share their perspectives on what influences their event attendance, what they value in internships and early career opportunities, and whether they see fairs and fairgrounds as a place to build a career.
Hear authentic feedback on student motivations, barriers, and expectations, while gaining practical insights to help your organization attract future attendees, interns, and employees. Leave with ideas to strengthen outreach, create meaningful opportunities, and build a pipeline to the next generation of fair industry professionals.

Designed specifically for fairs with annual attendance under 25,000, this fast-paced networking workshop creates meaningful opportunities to connect with peers facing similar challenges and opportunities. Through a structured speed-networking format, participants will rotate through brief small-group conversations focused on sharing ideas, solving common issues, and building valuable industry relationships.

 Business Card Hand-Out

 Moderators: Jamie Jones, Jackie Kumm, Jim Logan

Your fair's reputation doesn't just ride on blue ribbons and gate receipts — it hinges on the public's confidence that every animal on your grounds is being treated right. One viral video, one concerned fairgoer's social media post, and years of goodwill can evaporate overnight. This workshop, presented by a veterinarian deeply embedded in the livestock show world, equips fair managers with the governance structures needed to proactively safeguard animal welfare and, in turn, protect the public trust that keeps your event thriving.
We'll dig into what a robust animal welfare governance framework actually looks like in practice — from written care standards and veterinary oversight protocols to heat emergency plans and unfit-to-show policies. You'll learn how to set clear expectations for exhibitors before they ever unload a trailer, empower your staff and superintendents to act decisively when welfare concerns arise, and demonstrate to your community that animal well-being isn't just a talking point — it's baked into your operational DNA.
We'll also tackle the trickier side of the equation: balancing traditional husbandry practices with evolving public expectations, engaging proactively with animal welfare advocates rather than playing defense, and turning your welfare policies into a public-facing asset rather than a behind-the-scenes afterthought. Because in today's climate, the fairs that get out in front of this conversation are the ones that earn lasting community support.
Learner Outcomes to include:

• Establish a comprehensive animal welfare governance structure for their fair or show, including defined roles, veterinary oversight authority, written care standards, and clear lines of accountability from the barn to the boardroom.
• Develop and implement proactive welfare policies — including fitness-to-show evaluations, environmental emergency protocols, and exhibitor codes of conduct — that prevent problems before they become public crises.
• Build and maintain public trust by creating transparent communication strategies that showcase their welfare commitments to fairgoers, sponsors, media, and community stakeholders in authentic, accessible ways.
• Navigate the tension between traditional livestock practices and contemporary public expectations by identifying where education, adaptation, or policy change is warranted — and how to bring exhibitors along in that conversation without alienating your base.

The award-winning Kentucky Derby Festival transforms the "Run for the Roses" into a monthlong, communitywide celebration. Powered by a dedicated network of more than 4,000 volunteers, it produces more than 70 special events — kicking off with Thunder Over Louisville, one of the nation's largest annual fireworks displays — and featuring concerts, races, sports, and parades that raise vital funds for local charities.

Join this session to discover how the Festival builds, inspires, and sustains its massive volunteer base.

What You’ll Learn:

• Inspiring Purpose: How to define and communicate the true value of volunteerism so supporters understand the direct impact one person can make.
• Meaningful Recognition: Creative and impactful ways to celebrate volunteer contributions across all levels of involvement.
• Long-Term Engagement: Practical strategies for using appreciation to foster loyalty and encourage year-after-year volunteer retention.

All Associate Members are invited to attend. Associate memberships are identified in one of four categories. The categories are: Entertainment; Commercial Exhibits & Concessions; Carnivals/Ride Owners/Ride Manufacturers; and Suppliers & Services. Each Associate membership shall be entitled to cast one vote for a nominee for Associate Director. The name of the person who is not a member of the Suppliers & Services category who receives the most votes shall be submitted to the IAFE Nominating Committee for consideration for the nominating report during the Business Meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

The 2026 fair season is in the books. Now it's time to look back and learn from real-world experiences.
Join safety and security experts Jeff Cotner, Matt LaSchuma, and Rick Larkin as a follow-up to the  Ask the Expert CyberSeminar held (DATE) as they revisit the strategies discussed in our Preparedness and Readiness session and share what actually happened during the 2026 fair season.
This interactive discussion will explore real incidents and challenges faced by fairs and events, how they were managed, what worked well, and what lessons were learned along the way. From weather emergencies and security concerns to communication challenges and operational adjustments, our panel will provide practical insights you can apply to strengthen your own plans.
When your fair wraps up and as you prepare for next season, you'll leave with valuable takeaways, proven response strategies, and a better understanding of how preparation translates into effective action when the unexpected occurs.
Bring your questions and join the conversation as we examine the realities of fair safety and security—and how today's experiences can help shape tomorrow's preparedness.

Every fair has a story, but is yours one your guests and employees actually want to share? In an era of rising guest expectations and a shrinking seasonal labor pool, "good enough" service is a liability.

This session pulls back the curtain on the strategic partnership between BC Johnson, Managing Partner of The BCJ Group, and the Indiana State Fair and Event Center. We will demonstrate how a purpose-driven culture—rooted in the "Bookend Effect" and professional "Guestology"—is the ultimate tool for closing the delivery gap and driving year-round vitality.

Takeaways include:

• The "Script" for Success: Integrating purpose into your onboarding so seasonal staff "own" the mission on Day 1.
• Real-World Application: Hear directly from ISFEC leadership on how they navigated the challenges of leadership alignment to bridge the gap between CEO perception and guest reality.
• The Recovery Playbook: Practical "Service Recovery" strategies to ensure your fair’s story has a happy ending, even when things go wrong.

Don't let your fair’s legacy be told by the 8% who had a bad time. Join BC Johnson and the ISFEC team to learn how to align your leaders, empower your team, and write a legacy worth telling.

Both workshops presented by Mark Shanda share three common goals:

1. Reduce anxiety by signaling that fundraising is about relationships rather than solicitation.
2. Acknowledge leadership’s mission of preserving and advancing state and county fairs.
3. Share practical, accessible strategies to expand you and your board’s role in fundraising.

Donor stewardship and advanced fundraising strategies require both investment and skills development by your board and leadership team. This session will explore the inventory of current resources that you have at your fundraising disposal and will provide additional inspiration to take your development activities to the next level.
 

Both workshops presented by Mark Shanda share three common goals:

1. Reduce anxiety by signaling that fundraising is about relationships rather than solicitation.
2. Acknowledge leadership’s mission of preserving and advancing state and county fairs.
3. Share practical, accessible strategies to expand you and your board’s role in fundraising.

When a positive drug test comes back from one of your exhibitors, what happens next can make or break your fair's credibility. This workshop, led by a licensed veterinarian with extensive experience in livestock show regulation, walks fair managers through the critical steps that follow a positive result — from notification protocols and chain-of-custody verification to disciplinary hearings and appeals processes.
We'll cut through the confusion surrounding split samples, confirmatory testing, and threshold levels, and get down to brass tacks on building a disciplinary framework that's both fair to exhibitors and protective of your show's competitive integrity. You'll learn how to establish clear, defensible policies that hold up under scrutiny, minimize your organization's legal exposure, and send a strong message that a level playing field isn't negotiable.
Whether you're dealing with a first-time violation from a 4-H kid's family or a repeat offender in the open show, this session gives you the tools and confidence to handle positive results consistently, transparently, and with the backbone your program deserves.
Learn Outcomes to include:

• Implement a step-by-step response protocol for managing positive drug test results, from initial notification through final disposition, ensuring procedural integrity at every stage.
• Develop a tiered disciplinary framework that accounts for the severity of the violation, the exhibitor's history, and the substance involved, while remaining legally defensible and consistently applied.
• Identify and mitigate organizational risk by establishing clear written policies, proper documentation practices, and due process safeguards that protect the fair from liability and reputational harm.
• Communicate effectively with exhibitors, families, and stakeholders during the disciplinary process, balancing transparency and confidentiality to maintain public trust in the show's competitive integrity.

This course will provide an overview of the role fairs play in agricultural education, how to develop an agricultural education program at your fair, how to incorporate STEM into agricultural education, and how to be innovative in educating your fairgoers about agriculture.
This is a required course of the Institute of Fair Management — all Convention delegates are welcome.

What is the true job of a governing board? How can board and staff members effectively fulfill this job? This symposium focuses on the principles of effective group leadership that help boards define and focus their work while empowering and energizing staff to complete delegated work. Featuring integrated models for achieving systematic, comprehensive clarity of roles and accountabilities. The presenter will address effective delegation, the board's role and responsibilities, board composition and structure, the conduct of board members (including conflict of interest), the relationship between the board and the chief executive, and how to re-motivate and keep board members engaged.
*An additional registration fee is required for this course. Please note that seating is limited, and on-site registration is NOT available.
This is a required for-credit course of the Institute of Fair Management — all Convention delegates welcome.

Prepare to dive into the dynamic world of fair information technology at the #106 IFM Information Technology course. This session will take you on a journey through the latest advancements and best practices in this vital domain. This course promises to be a treasure trove of insights. From recent updates on technology utilization and security to the intricacies of database management and software resources, the course will explore aspects of fair IT management. Uniquely, the course will also provide attendees with an overview of how to develop a secure IT infrastructure — a critical skill in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.
This is a required course of the Institute of Fair Management — all Convention delegates are welcome.

Protecting your eventgoers, staff, and volunteers has never been more important. The IAFE, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Neel of Technical Solutions International, presents the CPP workshop to help fairs understand enteric pathogens such as E. coli and to provide guidance on controlling traffic flow across all animal areas (not just petting zoos), creating proper signage, installing hand-washing stations, and establishing specific cleaning protocols. The risk management information and tools provided in CPP can be easily adapted to develop pandemic plans.
What CPP Offers You:
• Introduction to enteric pathogens — what they are, their impact on fairs, and what's at stake
• Understanding enteric pathogens — some microbiology!
• Analyzing your facility — everyone brings maps and diagrams of their fairs, and time is spent analyzing the flow
• Improving operational procedures — signage, handwashing, waste management, etc.
• Site evaluation exercises — each attendee works with the presenters to examine their facilities and develop ideas/plans
• Record-keeping
• Creating the Consumer Protection Plan
Following the workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to consult one-on-one with the presenters to review their facilities' site plans. These site reviews will be conducted in December via Zoom or Teams. All participants must complete the site review to receive a course completion certificate.
*An additional registration fee is required for this course.
Please note that seating is limited, and on-site registration is NOT available.
This is a required course of the Institute of Fair Management — all Convention delegates are welcome.

**ELECTIVE COURSE** Not required for IFM Graduation

This course will help you understand how to apply basic marketing concepts to the specific area of year-round facility use (non-fair) and how to market your facilities year-round. The course material applies to all delegates whose fair operates year-round facilities for rental to others.

This is an optional, for-credit course for the Institute of Fair Management — all Convention delegates are welcome.

Grandstand Sessions are small-group, interactive discussions focused on a specific topic or challenge. With fewer than 24 participants, these sessions are designed for attendees to share how they approached and solved real-world problems, rather than listening to a traditional presentation. A moderator will help guide the conversation, but everyone in the room is part of the discussion—and no one is expected to have all the answers.
Sessions are first-come, first-served, with several scheduled throughout the convention. Additional sessions may be added on-site when a conversation needs more time, a topic draws strong interest, or a popular session deserves another round.

Need a place to recharge during Convention?
Exclusive to Century Club members, the Century Club Member Lounge offers a comfortable space to relax, catch up on emails, return phone calls, connect with colleagues, or simply take a break from the Convention hustle. Enjoy light refreshments while you work, network, or unwind.
Not a Century Club member? Stop by the lounge to learn how your annual membership helps support the future of fairs and expositions through education, scholarships, and leadership development and join today!

A Story Worth Telling Begins with the Wagons & Whiskey Fundraiser!
Join us Sunday, November 29, at the Kentucky Derby Museum for an unforgettable evening supporting the IAFE Education Foundation. This special event is the perfect way to entertain staff, board members, and clients while investing in a mission that helps establish and support educational, charitable, and literacy activities that enhance and advance agricultural fairs, expositions, and shows.
Choose the experience that fits your story:

• Individual Ticket – $160 (general admission, includes museum access, buffet reception, and bar service)
• *Reserved Seating – $175 (Includes museum access, buffet reception and bar service, reserved seating for the auction and access to the VIP Lounge and bourbon tasting)
• *VIP Table for 10 – $1,700 (Includes museum access, buffet reception and bar service, a reserved table, table signage, table host, VIP Lounge Access and bourbon tasting)

*VIP Table and Reserved Seating guests will enjoy access to our VIP Lounge, featuring a surprise menu item and an exclusive bourbon tasting experience.
Gather your guests, celebrate our industry, and be part of a story that continues to shape the future of fairs and expositions around the world.

Need a place to recharge during Convention?
Exclusive to Century Club members, the Century Club Member Lounge offers a comfortable space to relax, catch up on emails, return phone calls, connect with colleagues, or simply take a break from the Convention hustle. Enjoy light refreshments while you work, network, or unwind.
Not a Century Club member? Stop by the lounge to learn how your annual membership helps support the future of fairs and expositions through education, scholarships, and leadership development and join today!

Grandstand Sessions are small-group, interactive discussions focused on a specific topic or challenge. With fewer than 24 participants, these sessions are designed for attendees to share how they approached and solved real-world problems, rather than listening to a traditional presentation. A moderator will help guide the conversation, but everyone in the room is part of the discussion—and no one is expected to have all the answers.
Sessions are first-come, first-served, with several scheduled throughout the convention. Additional sessions may be added on-site when a conversation needs more time, a topic draws strong interest, or a popular session deserves another round.

Continue the excitement of the IAFE Convention & Trade Show with an afternoon of entertainment and networking. Enjoy performances from some featured entertainers, showcasing the talent, energy, and creativity that make fairs unforgettable. It's the perfect way to connect with colleagues and experience world-class entertainment in action. 

Need a place to recharge during Convention?
Exclusive to Century Club members, the Century Club Member Lounge offers a comfortable space to relax, catch up on emails, return phone calls, connect with colleagues, or simply take a break from the Convention hustle. Enjoy light refreshments while you work, network, or unwind.
Not a Century Club member? Stop by the lounge to learn how your annual membership helps support the future of fairs and expositions through education, scholarships, and leadership development and join today!

We are waiting on final details to open registration. We will notify everyone when the option becomes available.
Get a behind the scenes tour of the KFC Yum! Center, home to the University of Louisville Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams and additionally hosts over 30 major national events a year. Hear about everything that goes into managing the venue including booking strategy and overcoming challenges, production capabilities, premium offerings and sponsorships.
We will depart the Convention Center at 8:30 am to walk to the KFC Yum! Center. It is an 8 minute walk, .3 miles.

We are waiting on final details to open registration. We will notify everyone when the option becomes available.
Laboratory Tour - See the Science in Action
Join us for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of our drug testing facility. We'll walk you through every step—from the moment a sample arrives to the final review of results.
What You'll Experience:

• Receiving & Accessioning – How samples are logged and prepared with strict chain-of-custody protocols.
• Aliquoting – How we precisely divide samples while maintaining specimen integrity.
• Extraction – Techniques used to isolate target compounds from complex biological matrices.
• Mass Spectrometry Analysis – Advanced instrumentation that identifies substances at incredibly low concentrations.
• Data Review – How scientists interpret results and deliver defensible, accurate reports.

Keeneland Racetrack Tour
Enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the legendary Keeneland Racetrack. Explore the grounds while learning about the rich history of Keeneland and the horse racing industry. Our team will answer questions about operational parallels between Keeneland and the fair industry—from large-scale event logistics to facility maintenance and guest experience. You'll walk away with fresh perspectives that connect thoroughbred racing to your own operations back home.
An additional registration fee will be required. Space will be limited. We will send an announcement when registration for this event is open.