THE RETURN OF THE EAST ANGLIAN FESTIVAL NETWORK (EAFN) SHOW

After three years away, the EAFN can now confirm the return of the EAFN Show – the EAFN’s annual Exhibition and Conference for hundreds of our region’s Festival, Fair and Funday Organisers, Venues and Suppliers.

The 2022 event is sponsored by leading UK power supplier Gofer Ltd, Ipswich Borough Council and Grapevine Live. This year the EAFN Show will be held on Wednesday 5th October 2022 between 9.30am and 4pm at one of East Anglia’s most prestigious venues – Ipswich Town Hall and Corn Exchange (and outside on the Cornhill).

The EAFN Show is a one-day conference and trade show (and more!) to bring together festival organisers, venues, suppliers and partners from across East Anglia (Cambs, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk).  It is free to attend for Festival organisers, Event and Venue managers, Event Suppliers and operation/logistics managers working in the event sector.

The overall theme for the EAFN Show this year is ‘Coming Back Brighter – Resetting East Anglia’s Events’. In the last couple of years the Events Industry has suffered more than most from the Covid Pandemic.  It was the first to shut down and the last to be able to start coming back.  As our much-needed events return, the EAFN Show provides a platform for learning and networking to take stock, share ideas, learn and put in place plans to bring back our region’s events brighter than ever.

In addition to plenty of opportunities for Networking there will be the usual excellent line-up of Talks and Speakers in the Conference Sessions, a good variety of Exhibitors from across our region showcasing their products/services to the people who make the most exciting events across East Anglia happen, a live lounge showcase providing a chilled musical backdrop to the Show, and lots of other fun activities and surprises.

“it’s been a terrible few years for everyone and the Events Industry has suffered more than most, which has had a huge negative effect on our Region’s economy, culture and wellbeing.  It’s been encouraging to see so many of our events return this year and I’m delighted we can now bring back the EAFN Show to provide an opportunity for our region’s Events community to connect in person once again, share information, knowledge and ‘Come back Brighter’ in 2023”  Mike Wilson EAFN Founder.

• The East Anglian Festival Network (EAFN) connects Festival Organisers, Venues, Suppliers, Traders and Performers from East Anglia providing Networking opportunities, opening up new supply chains, share expertise and having a positive economic and ecological effect on the local Festival scene whilst further improving the experience for Festival Goers, the environment and the regional economy.
• The EAFN lists over 1200 East Anglian Festivals, Suppliers, Venues, Traders and Performers. In 2019 the EAFN listed over 700 Festivals, Fairs and Fundays, just a hundred in 2020 (most of them were Virtual online events, over 400 in 2021 (many with limited capacity) and over 500 listed in 2022 as our major Festivals and Shows return at last.
• A ‘Festival’ is defined as ‘A day or period of organised activities and entertainment to celebrate an occasion or time of year with an organised event (or series of events) to entertain and provide Fun!’ ‘Festivals’ can be Fairs, Shows, Concerts, Carnivals, Fetes, Galas, Fiestas, Jamborees, Pageants, Race Days, or Fun Days.
• Festivals include all different genres and types e.g. Aquatic, Art, Busking, Comedy, Crafts, Drama, Eras, Films, Food and Drink, History, Ideas, Illuminations, Literary, Music, Science, Spoken Word, Transport.