Interpreting and managing special events and festivals.

Abstract

Abstract The special event, one form of which is the festival, presents opportunities for both the host community and the visitor. The host community can display itself in a chosen manner to visitors, who have the chance to engage in a novel recreational experience while viewing the message put forth by their hosts. An event's message likely is conveyed through its theme and the physical entities and activities undertaken to highlight the theme. While the theme does provide information about an event's message, more information can be gleaned from an investigation of objects and settings (Forster-Hahn, 1995). This distinction posits that the physical environment includes objects (whether animate or inanimate) and settings (or physical spaces) which mutually influence the reception of the other. This chapter describes the utility of the object and setting dichotomy to the understanding of symbolic meanings of an event. Personal construct theory (Kelly, 1955) informs the use of object and setting - the theory proposes that an individual constructs his/her own mental space for use in predicting future events. Two tests applicable with personal construct theory - the repertory grid and the ratings grid - enable the researcher to understand a person's psychological space. This chapter describes both tests and illustrates the use of the ratings grid through a case study. In the case study, respondents rate setting and object components (called elements in personal construct theory) based on a series of adjectives (called constructs) to ascertain symbolic meanings of festival attendance. The chapter concludes by discussing implications of this example and future uses for personal construct theory, the repertory grid and the ratings grid in measuring meanings of specific events or tourist attractions.