Producing Million-Dollar Events: Cleveland Spears on Landing Sponsorships, PR & the Fried Chicken Festival

What does it take to turn a local food idea into a million-dollar festival? Cleveland Spears III, founder of Spears Group and producer of New Orleans’ iconic Fried Chicken Festival, takes us behind the curtain of scaling cultural events into major businesses. And though he maybe best known for events that have attracted hundreds of thousands, it might surprise you that events isn't actually his companies biggest money maker.

From raising $1.5M in sponsorships and securing partners like Raising Cane’s and the NFL, to managing 100,000+ attendees and keeping festivals affordable and inclusive, Spears reveals the strategy, risks, and lessons of producing at scale.

You’ll learn:

• How custom sponsorship packages fuel long-term growth

• Why influencers are media in today’s event landscape

• How PR and client work is his companies biggest revenue stream NOT events

• The real costs of festivals and why rain insurance matters

• Lessons from Dinner en Blanc, Rosé Fest, and the rise of Fried Chicken Fest

• Cleveland’s Rich Lesson: Be fearless in asking for what you’re worth

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, event producers, and marketers who want to understand the business of big events, cultural branding, and fearless entrepreneurship.