The Semiotic Paradigm for Deconstructing Event Design and Meaning

Abstract

Festivals and events convey a range of historical, political, social, and cultural signs and meanings; however, there remains limited methodological guidance for understanding these. This article proposes semiotics as a valuable yet underappreciated and underutilized approach in contemporary event studies and design. In contending the value of semiotics to deconstruct the layers of meanings of festivals and events, this paper builds on the semiotic paradigm first proposed by Echtner in 1999 in a tourism marketing context. Drawing from two empirical studies, the article provides a framework for the application of semiotics to deconstruct layers of meaning communicated both at and by festivals and events. In making this methodological contribution to the field of event studies, the article also highlights additional potential benefits of semiotics and the adoption of a design perspective in event management practice.