Event Management School

Festivals and events have become a valuable resource to communities. Over time, events have changed from informal affairs to spectacular productions, demanding extensive skills and experience. As a result, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) and NRPA have partnered to create this two-year professional development program geared toward event management staff.

Registration, Fees, and Dates

Registration for Event Management School, running January 10-15, 2027 at Oglebay National Training Center in Wheeling, WV is open!

Register Now!

Cost to Attend

Member Rates Lakeside Wing Rooms: $2693.08 per person single occupancy and $2255.43 per person double occupancy
West Wing Room: $2600.93 per person single occupancy and $2209.33 per person double occupancy
Chalet Rooms: $2503.03. per person single occupancy

Non-Members add an additional $300 per person to the package price.

Priced per person. Package Includes: Member Tuition, 5 nights lodging, 4 buffet breakfasts, 4 buffet lunches, Sunday & Tuesday buffet dinners, coffee breaks daily, beverage tickets, Thursday evening banquet and plated dinner.

For more information on registration, contact Oglebay at [email protected]

Location

The Event Management School is hosted annually at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia in partnership with the National Training Center at Oglebay.

Partnership

Event Management School is a partnership between the International Festivals & Events Association, the National Training Center at Oglebay, and the National Recreation and Park Association.

Who should attend

Park and recreation managers and staff responsible for the successful design, development and execution of events of any size. This school is also great for event volunteers looking to broaden their knowledge.

Key Subjects Covered

The Event Management School first-year curriculum was created with the goal of providing a strong basic understanding and awareness of the multiple, critical components involved in event planning and management. The second-year curriculum builds upon that knowledge-base by providing more applied workshop-style opportunities in specific areas, together with a project-based opportunity to help bring the “real world” a little closer to the classroom.

Year 1

  • Strong Foundations: Understanding Event Management and the Importance of Doing What We Do
  • Step One: Business Plans
  • Arriving at the Bottom-Line: Event Budgeting and Budget Management
  • Putting the "Community" in "Community Events": Building a Successful Volunteer Program
  • Event Administration and Legal Considerations
  • Operations: From Vision to Reality
  • Introduction to Sponsorship & Experiential Marketing
  • Marketing & Mediums: Traditional, Social and Creative
  • Non-Sponsorship Revenues Programs: Food & Beverage, Merchandise, Ticketing & Financial Transactions
  • Introduction to Event Risk Management
  • Social Media Marketing: Understanding the Landscape, Benefits and Challenges
  • The Common World of Events and Cities: Building Community through Proactive Events Management
  • Is Everyone Invited? Including Those with Disabilities
  • How'd You Do? Surveys, Evaluations and Economic Impact Studies

Year 2

  • The Application of Project Management to Events
  • Customer-Focused Events – Planning to Meet the Needs of Your Stakeholders
  • Applied Risk Management
  • Inside Perspective: What Cities Want from Events and the New Age of Partnership in Municipal Event Management
  • The Evolution of AI and Its Impact on Events
  • Is Everyone Invited? Designing an Access Program to Include Those with Disabilities
  • Advanced Sponsorship
  • Applied Budget Development
  • City Event Concept Project and Presentations

What do graduates say?

“[Attending Event Management School] gave me more than a certification — it gave me confidence. As a student in the program, I was able to immediately apply what I learned in sponsorships, risk management and event operations to real-world challenges in my organization. The networking opportunities and insight from experienced industry professionals helped me grow both personally and professionally, and I now feel better prepared to lead successful community events with greater strategy and purpose.” - Annalise Bryant, CFEA

“Even with 10+ years in event management, the Event Management School gave me a fresh perspective, new tools, and actionable ideas I could immediately take back to my city. What really stood out was how it challenged me to think about events from every angle; attendee experience, operations, sponsorship, logistics, accessibility, impact and even more of the behind-the-scenes decision-making that drives success. It pushed me to step outside of my day-to-day role as a supervisor and see the full picture in a more strategic way. It’s an experience that challenges you, inspires you and ultimately makes you better at what you do. I’m excited for my team to attend and grow from it just as much as I did.” -Kim Anderson, CPRP, CFEA