Module 1 – Special Event Management Certificate

Week 1 Reading Assignment

This week we will look at some different ways to categorize and define special events.  We will also look at a brief history of special events and identify the major impacts special events have on their stakeholders and/or host communities.

For this reading, ensure that you click on and read each of the hyperlinked areas of the reading.  They offer more in-depth information about the topic area and you are responsible as a student to have reviewed the hyperlinked websites as well as the information here.

Introduction to Event Planning - PowerPoint

What are Special Events?

In their text, “Festival and Special Event Management (Fourth Ed.), the authors state:

The term ‘special events’ has been coined to describe specific rituals, presentations, performances or celebrations that are consciously planned or created to mark special occasions or achieve particular social, cultural or corporate goals and objectives.  Special events can include national days and celebrations, important civic occasions, unique cultural performances, major sporting fixtures, corporate fuctions, trade promotions and product launches. (11)

The special event industry continues to grow globally.  In order to study special events we need to look at categories and types of events and how they relate to each other from an organizer  perspective as well as that of a participant.

To give some more definition to special events, Allen et al point to Getz’s book, “Event Management and Event Tourism” (2005) which suggests that special events are best defined by their context.  Getz gives two definitions of special events – one from the point of view of the event organizer and the other from that of the customer or guest:

1.  A special event is a one-time or infrequenty occurring event outside the normal program or activities of the sponsoring or organizing body.
2. To the customer or guest, a special event is an opportunity for an experience outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience.

Getz believes that the following characteristics create the special atmosphere of these events:  Festive spirit, uniqueness, quality, authenticity, tradition, hospitality, theme and symbolism.

Events can be categorized by size using the following 4 categories by Allen et al:

Mega event – These are global events including the Olympic games, World Expositions, World Soccer Cup final – they should exceed 1 mission visitors, capital cost should be at least $500million and have high levels of tourism, media coverage, prestige or economic impact for the host community.

Hallmark event – events that become so identified with the spirit or ethos of a town, city or region that they become synonymous with the name of the place and gain widespread recognition and awareness (Allen et al 13).  Examples of events in this category include Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Tour de France.

Major Event – events that are capable, by their scale and media interest of attracting significant visitor numbers, media coverage and economic benefits.  (Allen et al 14).  Examples include the Commonwealth games, large scale music festivals and sporting events.

Local or community events – festivals and events that are targeted mainly at local audiences and staged primarily for their social, fun and entertainment value (Allen et al. 14)  Think of some examples of these types of events in your community.

Another way to categorize events is by their content:

Festivals – arts festivals, music festivals, food and wine festivals, film festivals.  Festivals represent key events and celebrations in our social and culturial lives.

Sports events – Olympics, commonwealth games, Masters games

Conferences or business events – large scale conferences can have a major impact on the tourism and economy of host communities

In his article, “Seeking a Definition of Special Events”, Doug Matthews looks at the different definitions of special events and offers some interesting arguments that help to understand the challenge of defining and categorizing this industry.

Impacts of special events- Powerpoint presentation

Allen, Johnney, William O’toole, Robert Harris, Ian McDonnel.  Festival and Special event Management.  Fourth Edition.  Wiley and Sons.  Austrailia.  2008.

Allen, Judy.  Event Planning.  Second Edition.  John Wiley and Sons Canada.  Missassauga. 2009.

Catherwood, Dwight and Richard Van Kirk.  The Complete Guide to Special Event Management.  John Wiley and Sons.  New York 1992.

Goldblatt, Joe.  Special Events.  A New Generation and the Next Frontier.  Sixth Edition.  John Wiley and Sons.  New Jersey.  2011.