Welcome back Festival Friends! This week, we have someone who has collaborated with and attended some of the most high-profile festivals during her illustrious career. We give you the queen of fun, Jen Caruso.

Getting the perspective of a seasoned festival coordinator is a big part of what we do here at festivalPass Stories. For those who see a future for themselves in the business, it’s important to know how live events differ when attending as a contractor, opposed to going as a patron. Luckily, we have one of the very best to break it all down for our wonderful audience. Jen Caruso’s story begins as a lover of music, travel, wine, and excitement. Looking at her work history, you might consider these as prerequisites.

Jen has experience as a Project Manager and Director for festivals that we long for in this current Covid-19 reality. She’s worked as a stage manager for the behemoth South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX, (“Southby” for the cool kids). She was also the Festival Director at the Charleston Beer Fest. These notable events didn’t just fall into her lap, she had to start at the bottom first to earn the respectability of her contemporaries. There’s no telling how many signs you have to hold, or people you have to sign up for promotions. Jen Caruso is living proof that if you love to do something, your hard work will be recognized, and will pay dividends in the long run. T

he pandemic has not slowed Jen’s momentum in the game. Her company Caruso Presents, which focuses on branding and event planning, is still blooming in so many ways. Their clientele list is already impressive, including some of Jen’s personal favorite festivals like Bonnaroo and Life Is Beautiful. Some of Caruso Presents most recent partnerships involved Dreamland in Atlanta, and a live event for DraftKings that was done at Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay, Florida.

“Vision, hustle, heart.” These are the ideals that Caruso Presents is founded upon. There are a lot of hurdles before obtaining a title like Festival Director & Coordinator, and Jen has cleared them all. Listening to the episode to learn more about positions Jen has had in the past, that can also kickstart your career.

“I am choosey…I don’t want a festival that just wants to do it to make the bottom line. I want a festival that has some backbone and has real things that are important that they get behind.” - Jen Caruso

Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories

**You can find Jen on: **

Jen Caruso’s LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-caruso/

Caruso Present’s Website- https://carusopresents.com

Caruso Present’s Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/carusopresents/

**Caruso Present’s Facebook- ** https://www.facebook.com/carusopresents/

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