THANK YOU 2023 CONVENTION SPONSORS!
Convention Theme

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

Past Award Winners

Associate of the Year

Past Award Winners

Hall of Fame

Past Award Winners

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.

HAFFE Membership