THANK YOU 2023 CONVENTION SPONSORS!
Join us at the Best Western Ramkota, Aberdeen, SD November 16-18, 2023!
Click the links below for Registration Information:
Associate Member Information
Fair Festival & Event Member Information
TENTATIVE Convention Schedule
Thursday, November 16, 2023
*Schedule subject to change
9:00 AM 12:00 PM Registration & Associate Tradeshow Booth Setup
12:00 PM 4:00 PM Associate Tradeshow Booth Setup
1:00 PM 6:00 PM Registration
1:30 PM 2:30 PM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Ward/Hooked Up Enterprises – Social Meda Program (utilizing social media to their fullest)
Room D - Allan Miller, MEP, Crisis Management - Crisis Communications for Incidents
Room E - Holly Wade, Miss Bows -Associate Round Table - Creating Lasting Partnerships with Fairs, Festivals & Events
2:45 PM 3:45 PM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Jill Albanese, Wisconsin State Fair - Static Displays - Fun Ways to Create a New Experience
Room D - Keith Raymond, Magic of Keith Raymond - Emergency Planning/Evacuation
Room E - Emily Grunewald, Red River Valley Fair & Julie Hammer, Sioux Empire Fair - 4H and FFA Ideas to Grow Continued Interest
3:30 PM 4:00 PM First Timers for Associates
4:00 PM 4:30 PM First Timers Fair Events
4:00 PM 6:00 PM Visit Associates/Tradeshow
5:00 PM 6:00 PM Social and Visit Associates - Hors d'oeuvre Served
6:00 PM 10:00 PM Welcome & Opening Session (Presidents Address,
Introduce Associates, Dinner, Showcases
10:00 PM 11:00 PM Visit Associates/Tradeshow, Registration Open
Hospitality Rooms Open
Friday, November 17, 2023
7:30 AM Past President's Breakfast
8:00 AM Registration Opens
7:30 AM 8:15 AM Breakfast - Continental Breakfast Provided by Best Western/Ramkota
8:30AM 10:00AM Keynote Speaker, Showcases
9:15AM 10:00 AM Keynote Speaker - Lori Wickett, EIGHT:18 - Be Better
10:15 AM 12:00 PM Visit Associates/Tradeshow, Coffee & Cookie Break
11:00 AM 12:00 PM Educational Breakout Sessions - District Breakout Meetings and Networking
Room B - District 1, 2, 3
Room D - District 4, 5, 6
Room E - District 7 & 8
12:15 PM 1:45 PM Lunch, Showcases
Showcases
2:00 PM 2:45 PM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Eli Alger - Live Music Promotion and Planning, Ways to Advertising and Prepare for Bands at Your Fair
Room D - Ward Hilger - Hooked Up Enterprises - Marketing with a Focus on Digital Advertising, Radio, Print and Billboard
Room E - Brad Brummond, Walsh County Fair - Round Table Discussion on Avian Influenza and Poultry Shows
3:00 PM 3:45 PM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Elizabeth Birkemeyer, Red River Valley Fair and Katie Moulsoff, Brown County Fair - Contests, Contests, Contests
Room D - Jill Albanese, Wisconsin State Fair - Grounds Beautification
Room E - Rod Wilhelm, Stutsman County Fair and Chris Opsahl, Tri-County Fair - Incident Reports and Sharing Experiences
3:00 PM 3:45 AM Associates Meeting, Election of Board Member
4:00 PM 5:00 PM Annual Meeting
5:00 PM 6:00 PM Visit Associates/Tradeshow
6:00 PM 10:00 PM Dinner, Auction, Silent Auction, Showcases
10:00 PM 11:00 PM Visit Associates/Tradeshow
Hospitality Rooms Open
Saturday, November 18, 2023
7:00AM 8:00 AM Breakfast - Continental Breakfast Provided by Best Western/Ramkota
8:15 AM New Board of Directors Meeting Start Time
9:00 AM 9:45 AM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Lori Wickett, EIGHT:18 - Sponsorship Activations - What Sponsors Think About You
Room D - Darrin Erdman, TexKota - Livestock Shows
Room E - Round Table
9:45 AM 11:15 AM Visit Associates/Tradeshow Last Chance
10:00 AM 10:45 AM Educational Breakout Sessions
Room B - Jason Wurst, Follow Me To The Fair - Agri-Tourism at Fairs
Room D - Romeo Entertainment
Room E - Candi Briley, HAFFE President, Brad Brummond, HAFFE President Elect and Tera Heiser, HAFFE Secretary/ Treasurer
- Round Table Discussion on The Benefits of the Heartland Association and Ways to Elevate the Organization
11:15 AM Showcase, Final Awards - Associate of the Year, Hall of Fame, Fairperson of the Year, Lunch
Announcment of New Board of Directors, Passing of the Gavel
Join us back at The Grand Hotel, Minot, ND November 21-23, 2024
If you have educational session and break out topic ideas, please email those to Tera at secretary@heartlandassociationffe.com! Thank you in advance!
Future Convention Dates
Huron Event Center, Huron, SD November 20-22, 2025
We pay tribute to those who have given much to the fair industries in North and South Dakota. Below you will find those were honored by the respective North and South Dakota Fair Associations prior to merging to form the Heartland Association of Fairs, Festivals and Events.
Award Nomination Forms
Download the 'Associate of the Year' form Download the 'Event Person of the Year' Award form Download the 'Hall of Fame' Award form
Online 'Associate of the Year' Award form Online 'Event Person of the Year' Award form Online 'Hall of Fame' Award form
Event Person of the Year
Associate of the Year
Hall of Fame
IAFE Heritage Award Winners
Brian Carlson
Neil Fleming - Pembina County and North Dakota State Fair
Edwin Schmidt - McLean County Fair
Charles 'Chuck' Meikle - Stutsman County Fair and North Dakota State Fair
Members
Any fair, festival, event, associate or individual may become a member of the Heartland Association of Fairs, Festivals and Events! Members will be listed in the membership directory that will be handed out at our annual convention, as well as displayed on our website, allowing for additional exposure to help reach individual goals. Members will also receive a wealth of information that will help in generating new ideas to enhance future events. We invite you to apply for HAFFE membership, as well as view information on our current members.