In this Issue: Free Educational Webinar on Managing Food Waste • New Additions to the FFEA Resource Library • Amendment 3 Resource Center • Award Spotlight on the Florida State Fair • Supplier Spotlight on BlazingNerd • Industry Job Posting | | Industry Updates & Resources | |
Oct. 1 WEBINAR | Zero Food Waste at Large Scale Events
Join SENFC this Thursday during Food Waste Prevention Week for Zero Food Waste at Large Scale Events: Peeling the Onion Beyond Food Recovery, a FREE webinar focused on practical ways event professionals can reduce food waste before, during, and after an event.
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Additional Items Added to the Member-Exclusive FFEA Resource Library
From planning templates and industry reports to compliance guidance and networking opportunities, our resources are designed to help you create successful, safe, and memorable events. You can all see the latest samples of SunSational Award submissions to check out what your industry peers have been up to in 2026.
| | | Amendment 3 Resource Center | |
Recording Now Available for Understanding the Property Tax Amendment Part II Webinar
This November, Florida voters will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment that could reshape the property tax landscape and have far-reaching effects on communities across the state. To help members and the public understand what is at stake, the Florida League of Cities hosted a free educational webinar featuring leaders from organizations that could be significantly affected by Amendment 3.
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Everything you need to explain what's at stake:
Amendment 3 is not a tax cut, it’s a tax shift.
When property tax revenue drops, public safety, stormwater systems, and road repairs don’t disappear from the budget. They get shifted onto renters, businesses, and the neighbors who didn’t get the break.
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FFEA's Official Position & Social Media Toolkit
Until there is a reliable plan to preserve the places, programs, and traditions that define Florida's communities, the Florida Festivals & Events Association encourages Floridians to vote No on Amendment 3.
| | | | Celebrating Award-Winning Excellence | | |
Each week, we’re spotlighting some of the outstanding work recognized in this year’s FFEA SUNsational Awards. From innovative programs to standout marketing, these winning entries offer great ideas and inspiration from across Florida’s festivals and events industry.
This Week’s Spotlight: Florida State Fair
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The Florida State Fair had an impressive showing in this year’s SUNsational Awards, earning 13 awards—including six 1st Place honors!
Their winning entries included 1st Place for Banners, Educational Program, Instagram, Mobile App, Promotional Mailer and TikTok; 2nd Place for Radio; and 3rd Place honors for Facebook, Promo Video, Social Media Ad Campaign, Television, Tickets and T-Shirt.
1st Place Educational Program: Agriculture in Every Bite
One entry we especially loved was “Agriculture in Every Bite,” an educational program that brought Florida agriculture directly into the fairgoer experience.
Rather than asking guests to seek out an educational exhibit, the Florida State Fair met them where they already were—at the concession stands! Eye-catching signs paired popular fair foods with information about the Florida agriculture behind them, reinforcing the connection between Florida farmers and the food fairgoers were enjoying. 1st Place - Florida State Fair ...
It’s a great example of how education can be seamlessly woven into an event experience—making learning fun, relevant and memorable without taking guests away from what they came to enjoy.
Take a closer look at the winning entry and see how they brought “Agriculture in Every Bite” to life:
| | Sponsor Spotlight: BlazingNerd | | |
FFEA Annual Conference Attendees Go Hunting with Haystack AR
This year's FFEA Annual Conference had a new kind of engagement running through the entire event. Conference sponsor BlazingNerd brought Haystack AR, an augmented reality scavenger hunt, as the conference's featured engagement game.
Over three days, attendees used their phones to track down 46 hidden objects placed around the venue. Each one appeared in augmented reality through the phone's camera, and many came with trivia questions that sent players to booths and sessions to find the answers. A live leaderboard was shown on the main stage during the conference, turning the hunt into a friendly competition among Florida's event professionals.
The response was strong: 73 attendees registered to play, found 157 objects between them, and shared 100 photos to the live event photo wall. Top players went home with prizes presented at the BlazingNerd booth.
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"This was the best part of my whole week honestly!" said Cressa Bronson, CTA, Events Manager at the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce.
Bobbie Brooks, Senior Recreation Program Coordinator for the City of Fort Lauderdale, agreed: "It was so much fun!"
"We're so grateful to FFEA for the partnership and for making Haystack part of this year's conference," said Rick Buteau, Co-Founder and CEO of BlazingNerd. "Our team had a great time meeting everyone at the booth, and the engagement was even stronger than we hoped. Seeing the leaderboard up on the main stage, and event pros from all over Florida racing to find the next object, is exactly what we built Haystack for. We can't wait to see it at your festivals and events."
Haystack is built for festivals, fairs and community events. Organizers can customize every hidden object, clue and trivia question, drive foot traffic to vendors and sponsors, and get a real picture of how guests engaged. BlazingNerd handles the setup, so organizers don't have to.
To learn more about bringing Haystack to your next event, visit https://blazingnerd.com/haystack or contact at: https://blazingnerd.com/contact.html
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Tourism and Culture Director
City of Miami Beach, FL
Full-time
| | The City of Miami Beach (pop. 81,625) seeks a dynamic Tourism and Culture Director to lead a high-profile portfolio encompassing tourism, arts and culture, special events, public art, film, and partnerships. The successful candidate will bring a creative vision, operational strength, and the ability to build relationships across a highly engaged community. VIEW LISTING> | | |
Grow the FFEA Family, and Get $20!
FFEA is stronger when we bring in people who bring value to our association and our industry. Think about the colleagues, partners and vendors you love working with.
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👻 Costumes & Cocktails, Boos & Brews! 🍸🎃
Our FFEA members know how to kick off the holiday season, and the South Florida Fair is giving the grown-ups a night of Halloween fun
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You can click below for an archive of FFEA Newsletters dating back to March 2025.
| | Thank You to Our Sponsors! | | | | |
