LiveLoud & Prosper

Promoter, Producer, Publisher

As a creature of social habit, it’s only appropriate that Sean Farmer be an entrepreneur in the world of social interaction. At age 26, and as the owner of LoudCity Productions, he’s involved in social business.

Sean went to NAIT after completing high school, but only finished one semester before he answered the call of entrepreneurship.

“I wasn’t looking for credentials; I was looking for hands-on experience. So, as opposed to going to school, I just went out and worked.”

Sean joined a promotions company, but soon saw opportunities to establish his own booking agency. He began touring shows in bars and nightclubs across Canada. Before long, people started asking Sean to do events for them because of his connections with unusual acts from magicians to firespitters.

In 2001, he established LoudCity Productions, dedicated to various facets of the entertainment business based on his self-confessed fondness for beer and nightlife. “My business is all about finding the demographic of about age 18 to 35, and making sure they’re entertained and having fun.”

LoudCity is renowned for its beer and wine festivals and vodka shows. Best known is probably the Edmonton International BeerFest, which attracted around 12,000 people to the Shaw Conference Centre in April to sample about 150 different beers. Since his first beerfest success in 2007, Sean has expanded to seven similar style shows in Alberta which bring upwards of 80,000 tasters through the doors.

In 2006, he launched LoudCity Sound which contracts DJ services to private parties, bars and lounges. His people rock out at more than 500 events a year.

More recently, Sean’s energies have been directed toward publishing LoudCity magazine which focuses on lifestyle and humour.

His success allows him to invest in retail and nightclub ventures. And, by donating his fees for producing the Sherwood Park beer and wine festival, he hopes to bolster public entertainment at Festival Place.

Sean loves his job and running his own company for a number of reasons.

“There are a lot of really unique things about what I do. It’s social. It gets me out there, in the scene, meeting people and doing things. I also get to see huge results for my hard work. I work really hard for six months and then 10,000 people show up to an event. That’s pretty exciting.”

- Written by Lauren Henrie, Edmontonians Sept 2009