Festive Event Management
Subject Code: CEM4103
Lecture 1
Understanding Festive Events
Developed & Presented by :
Roy Ying, Msc, MHKIoD
Note: Pictures used in this
power point file is for academic
Purpose only

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Audience Identification
7. Class Participation Exercise

About me…

Your Turn
• It’s time for me to get to know you
• What’s your name?
• What’s your job?
• Have you managed events before?
• If yes, what are they?

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Class Participation Exercise

Course Objectives
By completing this module, you should be
able to:
• identify types and characteristics of festive
events;
• structure and manage a festive event; and
• explore publicity opportunities for festivals.

Lecture 1 to 5
Outline:
• Jan 6 – Understanding Festive Events
• Jan 13 – Festivals from different cultures
• Jan 20 – Funding an event
• Jan 27 – No Class
• Feb 3 – Festive event planning
• Feb 10 – Event program development process

Lecture 6 to 10
Outline:
• Feb 17 – Manpower, talent and supplier management
Mid-term Quiz
• Feb 24 – Publicity and Media
• Mar 2 – Festive event marketing
• Mar 9 – Pre-event preparation and hospitality
• Mar 16 – Production, onsite logistics
contingency & crisis management
• Mar 31 – Exam

Course Administration
Format Weighting (100%)
(Must have 80% attendance) in total
Written Examination 60%
Continuous Assessment (Assignment) 20%
Continuous Assessment (Quiz) 15%
Class participation* 5%
* Students will be graded on the 10 class participation questions
throughout the 10 lectures

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Class Participation Exercise

Definition of Events
• An event is an occurrence; something that
happens. It could be:
– A ceremony, for example, a marriage
– A competition, for example, a sports competition
– A convention (meeting)
– A festival, for example, Tuen Ng Dragon Boat Racing
– An entertainment, for example, a musical / concert
– A media event, a happening that attracts coverage by
mass media
– A social gathering, for example, a birthday party
– A game or gamble, for example, horse racing

Definition of Events
• So it’s just about anything, but there
should be:
– Objective(s)
– Time frame
– Venue(s)
– Organizer(s)
– Group(s) of audience

Source: Silver (2004) Global Knowledge Domain
Structure for Event Management

Source: Silver (2004) Global Knowledge Domain
Structure for Event Management

Definitions of Festival
• A festival can be defined as:
“A special moment in time celebrated with
ceremony and ritual to specify special needs.”
(Goldblatt 1997)
“Themed public occasions designed to occur for
a limited duration that celebrate valued aspects
of a community (or a culture)’s way of life.” (Douglas
et al 2001)

International Festivals & Events
Association (IFEA)
• Under its code of professional conduct &
ethics (2002):
– Festivals, events and civic celebrations are at
the foundation of characteristics that
distinguish human communities and
interaction

About Festive Event
• It is the event incepted by an organizer to
celebrate the festival
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/festivehk2010/index.jsp

Class Participation 1a
• Get into 3 groups. Take 5 minutes to
discuss among yourselves
• Name at least one festival and a matching
festive event that’s popular in Hong Kong
– Example…….Tuen Ng Festival and Dragon
Boat Racing Contest

Class Participation Model Answers
• Halloween => Trick or treat (for kids)
• Mid-autumn festival => Lantern party
• New Year => Count down at Times Square
• Pre-CNY => Flower bazaar
• Chinese new year => Fire works
• Christmas => Parties
• Valentine’s Day => Expensive flowers & dinners
• Cheung Chau Da Jiu Festival (長洲太平清醮 ) => Bun
mountain climbing contest
• Winter Solstice => We go home for dinner (much like
Thanksgiving in the US)
• Ghost Festival => Chinese opera celebration (孟蘭盛會)
………..and many more

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Class Participation Exercise

Types of Festive Events
1. Culturally driven
2. Commercially driven
3. Politically driven
4. Tourism driven
5. Religiously driven
6. Community driven
7. Sports driven

Types of Festive Events
• Culturally driven:

Types of Festive Events
• Commercially driven:

Types of Festive Events
• Politically driven:

Types of Festive Events
• Tourism driven

Types of Festive Events
• Religion driven:

Types of Festive Events
• Community driven:

Types of Festive Events
• Sports driven:

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Class Participation Exercise

Elements of Festive Events
Time Frame = Culture Event
Lead time + Duration Objectives
Audience Organizer/
Co-organizer
Venue
Supporting
Organization
Sponsor

Objectives – for festivals
Why do you want to organize an event?
1. Celebration
2. Exposure and popularity
3. Make money
4. Attract overseas tourist
5. Advocate religious belief
6. Uphold tradition
7. National unity and pride

2011 New Year Fire Works
• Why did HKTB want this so badly?

Time
• What is the appropriate timing?
– Time of day
– Days of week
– Season of year
– Also taking into regional & cultural differences

Time
• How long should the event take?
– What element you want to include?
– What objectives you want to
achieve during the event?
– Don’t plan your events any long
than they have to

Time
• What time did his
New Year’s eve
show start?

Venue(s)
• How to pick a venue?
– Technically, event managers should pick the
venue best matching the needs of the event
– But venue decision is often made by client or
top management out of personal preference
or politics

Venue
Quiz – can you name these?
1
3
2
4
7 8
6
5

Organizer
• Types of Organizing Entities:
– Organizer
– Co-organizer
– Supporting Organization
– Sponsor

Class discussion
• Can you name at least 10 commercial
organizers of New Year count down
activities?
• Let’s start with…..

Audience
• Who do you want to attend your event?
– Just warm bodies to fill the room?
– Or people who you want to talk to?
– Or people who may buy from you?
– Or people you want to get to know?
– Where to find them? How to reach them?

Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Course Outline & Administration
3. Definition of Festive Events
4. Types of Events
5. Elements of Festive Events
Objectives, Time Frame, Venue,
Organizer, Sponsor, Audience
6. Class Participation Exercise

Class Participation 1
• Chinese New Year

Provide recommendations on how
you would plan CNY celebration
Time Frame = Culture
Lead time + Duration
Audience
Objectives
Venuea
Organizer
Supporting
Organization
Sponsors

THANK YOU
• See you next week
• My email: taurus.ying@gmail.com