IndexBest PracticesUse of diverse mediaSocial media presenceConclusionFestivals are important to cities around the world, both economically and culturally (Smith, 2010). A festival is defined as “the celebration of culture and community” (Johnson, 2001, p. 44) and constitutes an important part of the tourism industry. Some famous examples include Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio, both of which help generate revenue and give them global status (Michaels, 2009). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The way festivals market themselves can have a big impact on the number of tourists who attend the events and influence what they expect to experience, which is that marketing programs are crucial in bringing the right people in for the right experience (Senior, 2008). In 2014, the festivals brought $10 million into the Ontario economy by employing 2,000 people (Jones, Barker, & Theo, 2015). Toronto is the largest city in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2015). Some of Toronto's largest festivals include Pride, TIFF, and The Toronto Caribbean Festival (Caribana) all of which bring important revenue and visibility for the city (Jones et al., 2015; Tourism Toronto, 2016). The purpose of this article, therefore, is to evaluate the marketing efforts of Toronto's Busker Fest and discuss what the festival is doing well and areas where it could improve. We will first provide a review of festival marketing best practices drawing on academic and industry literature. Busker Fest marketing efforts will then be summarized and evaluated using the information provided. This article will cover three main points: Effective festival marketing should include people in images, a call to action, and a variety of media sources. This discussion will be used to support some recommendations made in conclusion to help Busker Fest improve its communications efforts. Best Practices Below is a review of academic and industry literature that highlights some of the most important aspects of a successful festival marketing campaign. This will then be used to evaluate the Busker Fest campaign later in the paper. Using people in images Simons (2012) found that marketing experiences with people in images were successful in helping potential visitors understand what to expect, which in turn helped improve their satisfaction, etc…. Call to actionMany authors have noted that marketing campaigns need to include a “call to action” in the material (Freda, 2001; Williams, 2009) such as a website or agreement to act on, etc… Use of various media Different consumers respond to different media differently (Robson, 2005). For example, baby boomers are more likely to interact with print media (Mary & Robertson, 1999), but millennials are more engaged with social media (Jenson, 2015a, 2015b). Mary and Robertson (1999) suggest that it is important for a festival to consider its target market and preferred use of media. Otherwise the marketing may have no impact. Busker Fest Marketing Busker Fest is Ontario's premier street entertainment festival, held in August and attracts approximately 20,000 visitors each year (Busker Fest, 2016b). Hundreds of street artists from all over the world come to perform on the streets and are paid by donations from the public. Toronto's Busker Fest marketing campaign will now be explored and summarized. Social Media Presence The.