This thesis determines the relationship of theoretical opinion with actual practices for successful special events. As a growing segment of marketing plans, special events constitute a strong and evolving public relations practice. Substantial funding from corporate organizations often accompany these events. As well, special events serve as fund-raising methods for many non-profit organizations. Despite their increasing use in professional arenas, special events require specific planning elements and criteria for success. Preliminarily, this thesis begins with a review of special event-related literature from speech communication experts to detect recommendations for special event planning. Next follows a developmental history of the 1993 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (EUP) Spring Highlands Festival and its planning efforts. This is followed by quantifiable research data gathered at the 1994 festival through interviews, surveys and other response mechanisms. Special event elements, practices and procedures determined through these festival research methods are then compared and contrasted with the theoretical opinions defined in the literature review. Recommendations for future Spring Highlands festivals, and a comparison of theoretical vs. actual practices conclude this thesis.