BIGGA and GroundsFest strike strategic partnership

A tie-up aimed at strengthening the BTME and GroundsFest events has been announced by organiser BIGGA (The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association) and that of the latter.
Launched to bring together professionals from across landscaping, groundcare and golf, the partnership will see BIGGA and GroundsFest work closely on joint initiatives throughout the year, including attending and supporting each other’s events, hosting tailored educational content and joint marketing campaigns.
At the heart of the collaboration is “a shared desire to encourage crossover between both event communities – helping professionals discover the value that each show offers. It’s a fantastic opportunity for community-building and cross-sector engagement. From greenkeepers and grounds managers to landscapers and contractors, the partnership aims to unite the wider industry”, a BIGGA statement said.
“The complementary nature of the two events makes them natural partners: BTME is a long-established, much-loved winter event held in January in the scenic surroundings of Harrogate, while GroundsFest offers a vibrant, hands-on summer experience where visitors can see live equipment demonstrations in action,” the statement added.
Jim Croxton, CEO, BIGGA, said: “We are hugely proud of our flagship event, BTME, and the positive impact it has, particularly on the golf greenkeeping industry annually and at a perfect time of the year to give turf managers a much-needed boost, be that to their morale, their industry knowledge or their skill set.

Wider industry engagement
“However it is our ambition to engage with our members and the wider industry far more than just once a year. GroundsFest provides us with a brilliant opportunity to do so at a different time of year and in a very different environment.
“We are looking forward to engaging with many greenkeepers at Stoneleigh Park this September and to working closely with GroundsFest on a number of initiatives to move our industry forward.”
Christopher Bassett, GroundsFest’s event director, said: “The two shows complement one another brilliantly – both in format and timing. BTME is a longstanding and special event, while GroundsFest delivers a dynamic, summer-based event where people can get hands-on with the latest kit.
“We’re proud to be working with BIGGA, a fantastic association, and we believe this collaboration will bring real value to the industry. We very much see this as a longterm partnership – action-driven and focused on delivering real benefits to the sectors we serve.”
BIGGA and GroundsFest are also exploring further educational opportunities beyong the events themselves. BIGGA is widely recognised for its training and professional development programmes and with recent launch of the GroundsFest Academy, “there is clear potential to co-develop training content that supports professionals across the entire industry – from golf greenkeeping to wider grounds and landscape management”, the statement concluded.