Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

METHODOLOGY 
Data for the present study comes from printed material of brochures for festivals in rural Indiana. The 
starting point of printed material collection was from the Indiana Department of Fairs and Festivals annual festival 
guide (2005). The guide listed contact information for each festival, specific dates of the festivals, and a brief 
summary of festival offerings. The state hosts approximately 630 festivals annually. A brochure or printed material 
request was made to all contact people listed in the festival guide for 2005. The final usable sample size includes 
128 valid rural festival brochures.
Content analysis was conducted on these marketing materials from festivals where FFRE were present, 
featured or had the potential for FFRE as a major theme of the event. The purpose of the content analysis was to 
identify FFRE of festival marketing materials and identify relevant patterns and reoccurring themes that are FFRE in 
nature. A content analysis of words as well as graphics was conducted. Graphics can be used to support printed 
words or develop separate categories.
RESULTS 
A total of 128 individual brochures were classified. The categories used were modified from Frochot 
(2003). Two separate coders verified the classifications. The inter-rater reliability was .81 for the brochure 
classifications. Brochure content analysis revealed a diverse collection of 13 themes relating to rural festivals: town 
celebration (e.g., Franklin Fall Festival), food (e.g., Very Berry Strawberry Festival), history (e.g., Lore of the 
Laughery), transportation (e.g., Auburn’s Classic Car Show), ethnic (e.g., Berne Swiss Day), arts and crafts (e.g., 
Art Around The Square), music (e.g., Annual Fiddler’s Celebration), national holiday (e.g., Vincennes Forth of July 
Celebration), flowers (e.g., Daffodil Stroll), wine (e.g., Indiana Wine Fair), antiques (e.g., Spring Antique Show), 
university (e.g., Festive Friday and Homecoming), and other (e.g., Kite Festival).
Graphics from festival brochures with a major or secondary emphasis on FFRE were assessed and 
classified into four areas: the presence of graphics depicting FFRE, the context or setting of the FFRE graphics, the 
food theme within the graphics, and the occurrence of experiential interaction. The context or setting refers to the 
surroundings or background of the graphic. Food theme refers to the method of culinary preparation. Experiential 
interaction is depicted by FFRE in the presence of people interacting at the festival. The use of graphics in brochures 
allows the tourist to draw meaning and affective attachment to a festival destination. FFRE graphics can convey 
meanings of cultural significance in the absence of text for a tourist to form an emotional attachment with the 

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