IFEA World Headquarters - Boise, Idaho to Host 53rd Annual IFEA Convention & Expo

Boise, Idaho, IFEA's World Headquarters, will be the site of the 53rd Annual IFEA Convention & Expo, presented by Festival Media Corporation. Nestled on a high desert plain in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with a pristine river flowing through its center, Boise finds its roots from the gold rush days of the 1800s. Today Boise is the state capital and the largest metropolitan community in the state of Idaho, with some 500,000 residents in the surrounding Treasure Valley, and is considered one of America's most livable and likable cities. Home to corporate headquarters and bases for Micron Technology, Hewlett-Packard, Washington Group International, MPC Computers, J.R. Simplot Company, Albertson's Grocery Stores, Boise Cascade, Trus Joist International, and, of course, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA), Boise has received awards and recognition as "The #1 Adventure City" by National Geographic Adventure magazine; "One of the Best Places to Live" by Money magazine, "One of the Best Places for Business & Careers" by Forbes magazine, among a list of many other accolades.

Boise offers the culture and entertainment of a large urban area in a place that feels a little like everyone's hometown - quality of life is high and residents and visitors alike enjoy the unique blend of natural beauty and urban comforts. Boise is the hub of commerce, banking and government for the state and is located midway between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Portland, Oregon. Easily accessible by air, Boise is a direct flight from many markets in the eleven western U.S. states, and only one stop away for the 39 eastern states.

The Boise Centre on the Grove will be the primary site for the convention, with attendees able to choose between three hotel properties, all at a substantial savings to attendees over previous years. Free hotel shuttles and a short ten-minute journey from the airport to the center of downtown will also help registrants save on travel expenses. Additionally, attendees will be surrounded by pre, post and during community event activities, including "Art in the Park", the largest arts festival in the Northwestern United States, on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday leading into the convention; the "Hyde Park Street Festival", a long-running, eclectic, neighborhood gathering of crafts, entertainment and food on the weekend leading out of the convention; and "Alive After Five", a popular downtown mid-week, summer-long tradition featuring food, entertainment and people watching.

For those with more adventuresome tastes the best in white-water rafting, mountain biking, river tubing, golfing and more await. Or, you may want to plan a side trip to the resort communities of Sun Valley, McCall, the new Tamarack Four Seasons Resort, or one of Idaho's local wineries. Closer to Boise you can enjoy the World Center for Bird's of Prey; 26 miles of pristine greenbelt pathways along the Boise River for walking, running or biking; a spectacular city parks system; hot-air ballooning; water parks; the Boise Art Museum and many downtown art galleries, the Idaho History Museum, the Idaho Black History Museum, the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, the Basque History Museum, the Discovery Center, Zoo Boise, the Idaho State Capital Building or a visit to the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and the infamous blue-turf football field of Boise State University and college football's post-season Humanitarian Bowl.

If you like to eat, Boise is home to more restaurants, per capita, than any city other than Las Vegas. And for sports enthusiasts, Boise is home to college and professional football, arena football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and tennis teams. If you have a specific interest, please contact the IFEA staff or the Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau prior to your visit, or go to the Boise links on-line at www.ifea.com.

"We look forward to welcoming everyone to Boise, the world headquarters for the IFEA, and what promises to be a fun and memorable convention experience, " said IFEA World President & CEO, Steve Schmader. "We have lots of special plans that we are working on. We also hope that the savings in hotel room costs, cab fares, etc., will allow people to bring more members of their festival and event staffs, volunteers, boards and more, to be a part of the IFEA convention experience." (Click here for latest convention information)