ASHEVILLE, N.C., Wed, Jul 27, 2016 /Dakota Digital for FestivalNet / The site, which is older than Google, is home to a comprehensive database with extensive details on festivals and fairs throughout North America.
FestivalNet was already up and running when the little-known search engine named Google started making its mark in 1998. The events website was one of Google's bigger advertising customers in those early years. "They even sent us a Christmas gift that first year, a portable mini fridge with their logo on it. They sent a smaller gift the next year, but we haven't heard from them since!" says co-owner Connie.
FestivalNet is proud to celebrate 20 years in business this month, with an impressive discount offer for loyal users and new members, as well as a brand new logo for the front-page of their much-loved website.
The site, which promotes art fairs, music festivals, craft events and exhibitions all over the US and Canada, was launched in 1996 from the basement of founders Kurt and Connie. Since then, it's gone on to become one of the web's most enduring success stories, today receiving more than 900,000 visitors per month.
To celebrate the milestone, FestivalNet is offering users $20 off Pro level memberships for the next 20 days, giving them discounted access to thousands of events, personalized search tools, newsletters, an online marketplace and a close-knit creative community.
Kurt Irmiter, co-owner of FestivalNet, says, "We're thrilled to be celebrating 20 years of success - I had a vision of where the "Net" was headed, but had no idea where it would be today, when we founded it in our basement all those years ago! Looking back to where the internet was 20 years ago, we are proud of what we've achieved, in making FestivalNet one of the world's long-standing online success stories."
Co-owner Connie Morris adds, "We are very grateful for our members and the 20 years of success they've allowed us. I actually say a silent thank you to every single customer, by name as I record each order and confirm their membership. We've said hundreds of thousands of thank-yous over the past two decades!"
In the beginning, FestivalNet offered a PDF download of their festival info for $39, just $10 less than the cost of Pro Level 1 membership even today - a price which hasn't increased for 14 years. In the run-up to the year 2000, FestivalNet was publishing 5,000+ events. It was soon after that the searchable database first went online and shortly after, Connie's relentless efforts saw more than 10,000 US events being posted online. Real-time updates were added during 2001, festivals could then post their own updates and add events. By 2003 they expanded into offering Canadian events and the membership continued to grow as a result. In 2009, the addition of the Marketplace, allowing members to sell their products online, brought FestivalNet fully into the 21st century!
Now in 2016, boasting 26,000+ North American events, they have been through 3 offices, 10 office pets, 3 logos, 1 trademark, 77 giving tree apples, are up to 200,000+ members and they recently went completely virtual!
Kurt continues, "We love being classed as internet veterans, and we're pleased with the way FestivalNet has continued to evolve and grow, while staying true to our mission, offering our members a comprehensive events database, excellent online tools, a professional community & online marketplace and the best customer service and personal care available anywhere. Here's to another 20 years!"
FestivalNet.com is based in Asheville, NC.
Contact
Dakota Digital for FestivalNet
Press contact: Rebecca Appleton
Email: rebecca@dakotadigital.co.uk
Tel UK: 01623 428996
Tel US: 917-720-3025
