Marketing, Tourism & Events Intern

Marketing, Tourism & Events Intern

Choose Folsom | Visit Folsom

Position Overview

Choose Folsom is seeking a creative, motivated Marketing, Tourism & Events Intern to support our Marketing & Communications Team with destination marketing, community storytelling, social media, and signature events.

A major focus of this internship will be supporting the development and execution of the Folsom International Film Festival. While Folsom hosted a film festival previously, we are approaching this next chapter with a fresh vision—building the foundation for an event with the potential to become one of California's premier film festivals.

The intern will have the opportunity to be part of that process from the ground up, gaining hands-on experience in event development, festival marketing, content creation, community partnerships, promotion, and event operations.

This position will also support broader Choose Folsom and Visit Folsom marketing initiatives designed to showcase Folsom as a vibrant place to visit, live, work, and do business.

Key Responsibilities

Folsom International Film Festival

The Film Festival will be a primary project for this internship. Responsibilities may include:

• Support the development and execution of the Folsom International Film Festival marketing plan.
• Assist with social media, email, digital, and community promotional campaigns leading up to the festival.
• Help develop engaging content highlighting films, filmmakers, venues, sponsors, experiences, and festival programming.
• Assist with filmmaker and participant communications as needed.
• Support community outreach and development of relationships with local businesses, hospitality partners, venues, sponsors, and other festival stakeholders.
• Assist with promotional partnerships and opportunities to build awareness throughout the greater Sacramento region and beyond.
• Help coordinate festival materials, signage, credentials, schedules, guest information, and other operational needs.
• Assist with volunteer coordination and communications.
• Support on-site festival operations, guest experience, and real-time communications.
• Capture behind-the-scenes and live content throughout the festival.
• Assist with post-event content, recaps, analytics, and evaluation.
• Bring ideas to the table. As we build the next generation of the festival, we want an intern who is excited to research, brainstorm, and help us think creatively about what the Folsom International Film Festival can become.

Content Creation & Social Media

• Capture photo and video content at events, local businesses, attractions, ribbon cuttings, networking events, community gatherings, and Visit Folsom destinations.
• Create short-form video content for Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• Assist with graphic creation using Canva.
• Edit video using mobile and desktop editing tools.
• Research social media trends, emerging platforms, audio trends, and content opportunities.
• Assist with scheduling content across multiple platforms.
• Monitor engagement and identify opportunities to increase reach and audience interaction.

Tourism & Destination Marketing

• Help support the process of telling the story of Folsom as a visitor destination through compelling digital content.
• Visit local attractions, restaurants, businesses, recreation destinations, and community events to gather content.
• Assist with Visit Folsom campaigns highlighting things to do, dining, outdoor recreation, events, arts and culture, and other visitor experiences.
• Identify opportunities for user-generated content and collaborations with local businesses and community partners.

Community Engagement

• Conduct brief interviews with business owners, filmmakers, event attendees, visitors, and community members.
• Build relationships with local businesses, community partners, and event participants to uncover compelling stories.
• Represent Choose Folsom and Visit Folsom professionally at community events.
• Help identify new stories and experiences that showcase the people and places that make Folsom distinctive.

Event Marketing & Support

In addition to the Folsom International Film Festival, the intern may have opportunities to support and gain experience with other Choose Folsom signature programs and events, including:

• Folsom Pro Rodeo
• HER Women's Conference
• Foothill Food & Wine Festival
• Future Folsom
• Folsom Focus
• Ribbon Cuttings
• Mixers and Chamber events
• Tourism and community activations

Event responsibilities may include pre-event promotion, content development, on-site marketing, guest experience, photography/video, real-time social media coverage, and post-event storytelling.

Analytics & Research

• Assist with tracking social media and campaign performance.
• Monitor engagement metrics and audience trends.
• Help prepare performance summaries and post-event recaps.
• Conduct research on comparable events, tourism campaigns, film festivals, and emerging marketing trends.
• Help translate research and analytics into ideas for future campaigns.

We're Looking For Someone Who Is:

• Creative, curious, and enthusiastic
• Naturally social and comfortable meeting new people
• Interested in marketing, tourism, events, film, entertainment, or community development
• Comfortable approaching people and asking questions
• Passionate about social media and digital storytelling
• Organized and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Willing to jump between creative projects and hands-on event logistics
• Comfortable appearing on camera and interviewing others on camera
• Able to work both collaboratively and independently
• Reliable and professional when representing Choose Folsom
• Excited to contribute ideas rather than simply wait for assignments
• Comfortable working occasional evenings and weekends for events

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Basic photography and videography skills
• Canva experience
• Video editing experience using CapCut, Adobe Express, Premiere Rush, or similar tools
• Strong written communication skills
• Experience creating personal, school, organizational, or professional social media content
• Interest in event planning, film, entertainment, tourism, hospitality, marketing, or communications
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Previous professional experience is not required. We're looking for someone with initiative, creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.

The Choose Folsom Way

At Choose Folsom, interns aren't here simply to observe.

We want them to participate, contribute ideas, build relationships, solve problems, and create work they can be proud to put in their professional portfolio.

As a Marketing, Tourism & Events Intern, you'll have the opportunity to serve as a storyteller, marketer, event team member, community correspondent, and creative contributor.

That might mean interviewing a local business owner one day, creating a Visit Folsom Reel the next, researching successful film festivals across California, helping coordinate filmmakers and festival materials, or capturing behind-the-scenes content during one of Folsom's signature events.

No two weeks will necessarily look the same—and that's part of the experience.

What You'll Gain

• Hands-on experience with a destination marketing and business development organization
• A meaningful role in developing and launching the next chapter of the Folsom International Film Festival
• Experience in festival and large-scale event marketing and operations
• Exposure to tourism and destination marketing
• Experience creating professional social media and digital marketing content
• Opportunities to build a portfolio of published work
• Experience working with businesses, filmmakers, community leaders, sponsors, and event partners
• Networking opportunities with professionals throughout the region
• Exposure to tourism marketing, economic development, event production, Chamber communications, public relations, and community engagement
• An understanding of how a major event evolves from strategy and concept through marketing, execution, and post-event evaluation
• Mentorship from Choose Folsom's Marketing & Communications Team