SFEA Annual Conference

Jan 12, 2026 | Knowledge and Experience

Why the SFEA Annual Conference Is One of My Favorite Ways to Start the Year

Every new year brings a fresh start, and for me, one of the biggest highlights is the Southeast Festivals and Events Association (SFEA) Annual Conference.
I have served on the SFEA board for about five or six years, and I keep coming back for the same reason: this organization helps communities thrive by helping the people who produce the moments communities remember.

What SFEA Stands For

SFEA’s mission is clear: to strengthen, educate, and unify the festivals and events industry throughout the Southeast through networking and education.
That mission matters because community events are not just entertainment. They drive local pride, tourism, small business revenue, nonprofit funding, and the kind of togetherness that is hard to replicate anywhere else.

Learn more about SFEA here:
Southeast Festivals and Events Association

All Shook Up in Tupelo, Mississippi

This year, SFEA is heading to Tupelo, Mississippi for the 2026 Annual Conference, themed “All Shook Up!”
If you know Tupelo, you know why it fits. Tupelo is forever connected to music history as the birthplace of Elvis Presley, and the city has a way of making you feel the energy of legacy and momentum at the same time.

Conference dates: February 22–25, 2026
Venue: Cadence Bank Arena and Conference Center (Tupelo, Mississippi)

Conference info and updates:
SFEA Conference Page
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SFEA Events Listing
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Registration and Event Details

Planning your trip to Tupelo:
Visit Tupelo (Convention and Visitors Bureau)
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Elvis Presley Birthplace

Thank You to the Leaders Making This Year Possible

This year’s conference energy is even more personal for our board because our host city is being represented by one of our own.
Elizabeth Russell, with the City of Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau, is a SFEA board member and plays a key role in bringing this year’s conference to life.
Elizabeth, thank you for the leadership, the local pride, and the steady work behind the scenes that makes a conference like this feel welcoming before anyone even arrives.

And there is another person who deserves real recognition for keeping SFEA moving forward.
Jamie McCormick at Shatterproof Media is a constant force of calm execution and creative follow-through.
Jamie, you are the rock and shining star that keeps us all moving ahead. Your consistency and leadership matter more than most people realize.

Meet the SFEA board and staff here:
SFEA Board of Directors

Elevated Eventure: Spotlighting the Unsung Heroes of Community Events

One of the reasons I love SFEA is the people. The planners, city teams, nonprofit leaders, and vendor partners who show up early, stay late, and solve problems before anybody knows they existed.
That is the heartbeat of live events, and it is exactly why I launched my podcast, Elevated Eventure.

Two men standing and smiling in front of a purple backdrop with "Royal Restrooms" branding; the man on the left wears a yellow polo shirt and khaki pants, while the man on the right wears a light gray suit with a patterned shirt and sneakers; a vertical banner displaying images and the "Royal Restrooms" logo is visible to the right.

Elevated Eventure Podcast at SFEA

Recent conversations from Elevated Eventure

  • Rick Hubbard – A conversation about entertainment, creativity, and a Guinness World Record attempt built around festival community energy.
    Listen here
  • Julie Beck – How the North Carolina Pickle Festival grew into a major community moment and what it takes to keep an event healthy year after year.
    Listen here
  • Michele Turner – Building inclusivity and community pride through the City of Greer International Festival and a full calendar of city events.
    Listen here
  • Stephanie McIntyre – Practical sponsorship insight from a seasoned festival leader and consultant who has seen what works and what does not.
    Listen here
  • Jeremiah Parsons – A look at the Kentucky Apple Festival and how community traditions can support nonprofits and local identity.
    Listen here

Explore the show:
Elevated Eventure

How Royal Restrooms Supports Festivals and Events

Festivals and large public events have thousands of moving parts, and restroom planning has a direct impact on guest satisfaction, operations, and brand protection.
Our role is simple: make sanitation one less thing you have to worry about.

  • Reliable infrastructure that can support real attendance curves, not best-case assumptions.
  • Professional presentation that aligns with VIP areas, sponsor expectations, and guest experience standards.
  • Service planning designed around peak demand and event flow, so restrooms stay ready when it matters most.
  • Experience in complex environments including festivals, weddings, municipal events, and large-scale productions.

If you are attending SFEA this year, I would love to connect, hear what you are building in your community, and see how we can help support it.

Join Us in Tupelo

If you are a festival director, city leader, event producer, sponsor, or vendor partner, the SFEA Annual Conference is one of the best rooms you can walk into.
You will leave with relationships, lessons, and ideas that can immediately strengthen the events you lead back home.

Get the details and register here:
2026 SFEA Annual Conference: All Shook Up!

Three people standing close together indoors at an event, two wearing name tags with the Southeast Festivals + Events Association logo, one person on the left in a cream jacket and black pants, one in the center with long blonde hair wearing a black jacket and black-and-white striped pants, and one on the right in a purple plaid suit and white shirt, smiling at the camera.

SFEA 2025 After Party Elizabeth Russel and David Sauers – Board Members

Request a Free Quote Call 800.969.7434
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Royal Restrooms

Royal Restrooms provides premium portable restroom rentals for weddings, events, festivals, and commercial needs across the state. With elegant, climate-controlled trailers, ADA-compliant options, and full-service delivery and setup, we bring comfort, cleanliness, and class to any location around the country. When the details matter, trust Royal Restrooms to elevate your guest experience.

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