Suppliers Panel Discussion

A panel of diverse festival and event industry suppliers, each bringing their accumulated experience from working at dozens of festivals and events across the province each year. Learn how their expertise can serve as a valuable extension of a festival organizer’s onsite team. Hear from industry professionals representing entertainment, electrical services as well as safety and security as they offer practical insight from real world experience.

Outcomes:

1. Provide real world case studies where Supplier expertise improved safety, efficiency and guest experiences with real, transferrable solutions to common festival and event challenges, shared by suppliers who solve them across multiple events annually.

2. Shift organizer mindset away from managing Suppliers, to collaborating with on site partners and empower them to invite supplier insight during the planning stage and when the festival site is live.

3. Equip festival and event planners with better questions to ask suppliers before, during and after the event to gain more value from your existing partnerships. 

BIO:

A multi-award-winning street performer, curator, entrepreneur, and industry leader with more than two decades of experience in the festivals and events sector. Kyle is the founder of INCIRQUE and currently serves as President of the Board of Festivals & Events Ontario. A University of Windsor BFA graduate and ACTRA member, he is also recognized as the first openly 2SLGBTQIA+ busker on North America’s busker festival circuit. Beyond his work as a performer, Kyle is a passionate advocate for equity, accessibility, and inclusive practices in our industry, with leadership recognized through multiple Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and Festivals & Events Ontario awards, as well as the University of Windsor’s 2025 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Alumni Award.

A panel of diverse festival and event industry suppliers, each bringing their accumulated experience from working at dozens of festivals and events across the province each year. Learn how their expertise can serve as a valuable extension of a festival organizer’s onsite team. Hear from industry professionals representing entertainment, electrical services as well as safety and security as they offer practical insight from real world experience.

Outcomes:

1. Provide real world case studies where Supplier expertise improved safety, efficiency and guest experiences with real, transferrable solutions to common festival and event challenges, shared by suppliers who solve them across multiple events annually.

2. Shift organizer mindset away from managing Suppliers, to collaborating with on site partners and empower them to invite supplier insight during the planning stage and when the festival site is live.

3. Equip festival and event planners with better questions to ask suppliers before, during and after the event to gain more value from your existing partnerships.

BIO:

A seasoned electrical professional specializing in temporary power distribution and generator rentals for festivals, live events, and large-scale productions. With over 16 years of hands-on industry experience, he has built a reputation for delivering safe, reliable, and efficient electrical solutions tailored to the unique demands of high-profile events. His expertise spans planning, installation, generator deployment, and on-site power management, ensuring seamless electrical service in fast-paced and technically complex environments.

Throughout his career, Joe has provided electrical services for some of the largest festivals and concerts across Ontario, supporting major productions where precision and reliability are critical. Known for his professionalism and deep technical knowledge, he works closely with event organizers, production teams, and vendors to keep events powered without interruption, helping bring unforgettable experiences to life for audiences of all sizes.

A panel of diverse festival and event industry suppliers, each bringing their accumulated experience from working at dozens of festivals and events across the province each year. Learn how their expertise can serve as a valuable extension of a festival organizer’s onsite team. Hear from industry professionals representing entertainment, electrical services as well as safety and security as they offer practical insight from real world experience.

Outcomes:

1. Provide real world case studies where Supplier expertise improved safety, efficiency and guest experiences with real, transferrable solutions to common festival and event challenges, shared by suppliers who solve them across multiple events annually.

2. Shift organizer mindset away from managing Suppliers, to collaborating with on site partners and empower them to invite supplier insight during the planning stage and when the festival site is live.

3. Equip festival and event planners with better questions to ask suppliers before, during and after the event to gain more value from your existing partnerships

BIO:

Rakesh Singh is a Master Electrician with 28 years in the special events and electrical industry. He specializes in delivering safe, reliable, and efficient power solutions for large-scale events, commercial installations, and complex power distribution systems. Known for his technical expertise and hands-on approach, Rakesh has built a reputation for excellence in planning, installation, troubleshooting, and ensuring compliance with the highest safety standards. In addition to his technical work, Rakesh serves as Vice President of the Canadian Rental Association and as a Director with the Ontario Electrical League Waterloo Chapter, where he advocates for professional development, safety standards, and collaboration within the electrical and rental sectors. His commitment to quality and precision has made him a trusted professional capable of handling challenging environments and providing innovative solutions that keep operations and events running seamlessly.

A panel of diverse festival and event industry suppliers, each bringing their accumulated experience from working at dozens of festivals and events across the province each year. Learn how their expertise can serve as a valuable extension of a festival organizer’s onsite team. Hear from industry professionals representing entertainment, electrical services as well as safety and security as they offer practical insight from real world experience.

Outcomes:

1. Provide real world case studies where Supplier expertise improved safety, efficiency and guest experiences with real, transferrable solutions to common festival and event challenges, shared by suppliers who solve them across multiple events annually.

2. Shift organizer mindset away from managing Suppliers, to collaborating with on site partners and empower them to invite supplier insight during the planning stage and when the festival site is live.

3. Equip festival and event planners with better questions to ask suppliers before, during and after the event to gain more value from your existing partnerships.

BIO:

Shaine Moore has been working for the past 7 months with Spectralite out of Quebec heading up their HVM product line. Previously working for Safeguard Perimeter in the business Development Manager roll meeting with clients on how we can help protect their buildings or events.

A panel of diverse festival and event industry suppliers, each bringing their accumulated experience from working at dozens of festivals and events across the province each year. Learn how their expertise can serve as a valuable extension of a festival organizer’s onsite team. Hear from industry professionals representing entertainment, electrical services as well as safety and security as they offer practical insight from real world experience.

Outcomes:

1. Provide real world case studies where Supplier expertise improved safety, efficiency and guest experiences with real, transferrable solutions to common festival and event challenges, shared by suppliers who solve them across multiple events annually.

2. Shift organizer mindset away from managing Suppliers, to collaborating with on site partners and empower them to invite supplier insight during the planning stage and when the festival site is live.

3. Equip festival and event planners with better questions to ask suppliers before, during and after the event to gain more value from your existing partnerships.

BIO:

Jake is a Canadian multi disciplinary artist specializing in street theatre and circus, performing in public spaces, festivals and events all across Ontario. Jake has been a performer since 2020 and is one of Toronto’s few professional street performers under the age of 30. In 2024 he began the creative process of producing the Jake in the Box show, a 30 minute comedy juggling show that was seen later that year at the Toronto International Busker Festival. He strongly believes I noted importance of accessible public performance for everyone, regardless of social or economic circumstances.