About
We are for the innovators, forward thinkers, thought leaders, crowd creators and risk takers
Forefront is an experiential and entertainment agency with access to a distinct portfolio of live, virtual and hybrid event platforms collectively designed to build connections between brands and their audiences.
WE CREATE BRAND EVANGELISTS
Beautifully showcasing your brand is our passion. We firmly believe that experiences build connections andforge community. We care deeply about creating experiences and content that move people and businesses and set the bar for everyone else.
WE ARE CROWD CREATORS
We are energized by bringing people together with shared passions, ideals and goals. Our multidisciplinary background allows our team to step into any event scenario and thrive. We offer turn-key, full-scale event management for events ranging in size from 50 to over 400,000 attendees.
Forefront is the event management company behind The Austin Trail of Lights, Live In The Vineyard, Live In The Vineyard Goes Country, Live In The Vineyard Elevation, Keep Austin Weird Live Events and (Texas Longhorn favorite) Bevo Blvd.
WE ARE CONTENT CREATORS
Forefront Studios is a wholly owned internal content creation entity within Forefront Networks specializing in turnkey video production and distribution services across an unlimited variety of project platforms.
From concept-to-completion, script-to-screen, Forefront Studios collaborates with our partners to produce compelling and engaging content deliverables. In addition, FFS produces and distributes owned entertainment properties including The Texas Music Scene.
Founded in 2010, Forefront spent the first five years growing into a full-service production company with specialization in public/private partnerships. Forefront’s current flagship event, the Austin Trail of Lights, became part of the portfolio in 2012, bringing over 400,000 people to Austin’s iconic Zilker Park each holiday season.
In 2016, Forefront began its national expansion and sent production arms to push forward Bottlerock in California, Lock’n in Virginia, and the hospitality programs at the PGA Championship in North Carolina. Meanwhile, back in Austin, new relationships were being built. Forefront became HomeAway’s activation partner at Austin City Limits Music Festival, garnered dozens of sponsors for the HomeAway Partner Summit.
Expansion in creative, production, VIP, and corporate hospitality services led to the acquisition of Crew+, a boutique hospitality and VIP event production team in 2018. In keeping with the expansion theme, Forefront added the University of Texas' inaugural Bevo Blvd. fan festival to its portfolio and licensed the marketing rights to the iconic “Keep Austin Weird” brand. All the while, helping connect brands with audiences remained a priority as Forefront also took on partnership sales for brands such as Alamo Drafthouse, Austin Marathon and 13th Floor Entertainment Group—a national portfolio of haunted house experiences.
In 2019, Forefront brought on a new partner to launch a related-party entity, FF Entertainment, bringing to bear artist relations, talent booking and music industry content programming at Napa Valley based exclusive events; Live In The Vineyard and Live In The Vineyard Goes Country. Live In The Vineyard is now it is 15th season.
In 2022, FF Entertainment and Forefront expanded the luxury destination experience portfolio to include Elevation: Beaver Creek, taking place in the celebrated mountain city of Beaver Creek, Colorado. Forefront Studios was also created in 2022, a content creation entity within Forefront Networks specializing in turnkey video production and distribution services across an unlimited variety of project platforms.
In 2023, Forefront Studios announces the acquisition of The Texas Music Scene, a half-hour, weekly live music & documentary series that features the best of alt-country, outlaw, Americana, and roots music.
Our Team
Jay Watson
Chief Executive Officer
Clint Campbell
Chief Financial Officer
Bobbii Jacobs
President, Entertainment
Jon Love
Chief Growth Officer
Jill Weir
Corporate Partnerships
SIERRA BRILL
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
Maggie Watson
Corporate Partnerships
Tony Gates
Content + Distribution
Sarah Zwisler
DESTINATION EVENTS
Allegra Benz
EXPERIENTIAL SERVICES
JOHN SCHNEIDER
EXPERIENTIAL SERVICES
Kyle Mitchell
Creative + Experience
KIM EGNER
CREATIVE + EXPERIENCE
Veronica Castelo
VIP + Corporate Events
Deb Coulter-Bueide
VIP + CORPORATE EVENTS
Kathleen Magner
VIP + CORPORATE EVENTS
Teri Smart
Marketing
Lauren Fish
Marketing
Deidra Sibila
Marketing
Catherine SIDLE
Marketing
Ricky Vargas
Operations
CARISSA JOY
Human Resources
Michelle Johnson
Finance + Operations
Tammy Johnson
Finance + Operations
Catalina Leiva
Finance + Operations