From Puppies to Palm Trees: Festival Lessons from Cat McDevitt of Eventeny
Introduction & Overview of the Episode
In the latest episode of Event About It, powered by Eventeny, Megan Martin sits down with Cat McDevitt — the marketing dynamo who helps festival organizers go from stressed out to sold out.
From childhood carnival planning to managing thousands of events on the Eventeny platform, Cat’s career is a masterclass in creativity, quick thinking, and making the most of unexpected chaos. Whether she’s orchestrating viral puppy parties, salvaging a waterlogged booth, or helping planners calculate ROI with confidence, Cat knows how to turn event mishaps into memorable moments.
If you’ve ever wondered how to balance attendee delight with operational efficiency (or how many puppy pads it takes to save a leaking palm tree cooler), this is your episode.
Themes & Key Takeaways
1. Plan for Offline Success — Not Just Online Convenience
“My vent of the week is when festivals don’t plan to take things offline, knowing no one will have cell service.” – Cat McDevitt
Relying solely on QR codes, mobile menus, or app-based instructions can grind a festival to a halt when Wi-Fi and cell towers get overloaded. Cat stresses the importance of simple offline backups — from printed menus at food trucks to portable Wi-Fi hotspots (yes, Eventeny provides them).
Key Takeaway: Always have a contingency plan for connectivity loss. Your attendees and vendors will thank you.
2. Viral Moments Don’t Have to Be Planned
“Big sales guys in suits holding tiny kittens? That’s the kind of viral moment I live for.” – Cat McDevitt
From puppy parties to kitten cuddle corners, Cat has seen firsthand how unexpected, low-cost activations can spark genuine attendee engagement and social sharing. Sometimes, the most shareable moment isn’t on the run of show — it’s in the pet pen.
Key Takeaway: Build activations that invite human connection. You can’t fake joy — but you can create spaces for it.
3. Turn Mishaps into Marketing Gold
“We had this massive 8-foot palm tree cooler… and it leaked everywhere. We were throwing puppy pads under it like our lives depended on it.” – Cat McDevitt
Instead of letting a booth disaster overshadow the activation, Cat and her team leaned on humor (and the puppies) to keep attendees engaged. A quick recovery kept the mood light and the brand impression positive.
Key Takeaway: In the event world, how you react matters as much as how you plan.
4. Free Resources Build Long-Term Trust
“We’re not into gatekeeping. All of our resources like the ROI calculator and sponsorship templates are free for anyone — not just our customers.” – Cat McDevitt
Eventeny’s ungated tools — including a sponsorship proposal template and a widely-used ROI calculator — are designed to help all event planners, whether or not they’re clients. This approach builds goodwill, authority, and a loyal community.
Key Takeaway: Providing real value without strings attached creates long-term relationships (and future customers).
Final Thoughts
From planning her hometown carnival as a kid to powering over 6,000 events a year, Cat McDevitt embodies the adaptability, resourcefulness, and joy that great event professionals share. Her advice? Plan for offline, create space for connection, embrace the chaos, and give without gatekeeping.
Because at the end of the day, the most memorable events aren’t always the ones that went perfectly — they’re the ones that made people smile, even when the palm tree leaked.
Where to Listen
Catch the full episode with Cat McDevitt on Event About It, powered by Eventeny:
🎧 EventAboutItPodcast.com, Youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts.