PEI International Shellfish Festival

We Applied:

  • Concept Development
  • Branding
  • Budget Management
  • Ticket Management and Reconciliation
  • Project Timeline Management
  • Industry and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Vendor and Talent Contacting
  • Marketing Campaign Management
  • Social Media Management
  • Communications Management
  • On-Site Execution
CASE STUDY PDF

The Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival continues to put PEI on the Culinary Map by showcasing PEI Shellfish, PEI foods & experiences and music. VMG has produced and managed the Festival since 2011 and has elevated it to one of the greatest shellfish Festivals in the world.

The four-day Festival is internationally known for its intense culinary competitions and kitchen parties. As event producers, VMG creates an annual plan and programming schedule to attract visitors from around the globe.

As a not-for-profit organization, the Festival relies heavily on government support and corporate sponsorship. VMG has been an integral part of building and maintaining relationships with both provincial and federal governments and various corporate and private sponsors both on and off the Island.

The Festival recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and has a vision to be known as the World’s Greatest Shellfish Festival.

Results:

  • Grew festival attendance by 43 %. The Festival attracts over 10,000 visitors over the four days, of which 35% are from off-Island.
  • Created a kick-off event, Feast and Frolic; a dinner for 450 people, which sells out far in advance and scores a 5/5 on the overall experience.
  • Gained notoriety for The Chef Challenge International Culinary Competition attracting top-caliber chefs, including those from Top Chef and Hell’s Kitchen.
  • Recruitment and development of sponsorship packages with annual contributions of over $100,000 in sponsorship.
  • Built visibility in organic search results, implemented geographic and behavioural targeting of ads and leveraged social media platforms to gain new visitors while still engaging with returning attendees.

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