Event studies: finding fool's gold at the rainbow's end?

Purpose – The aim of this opinion piece is to seek to cast a critical eye over the event studies field to chart its progress as an emerging area of study, relative to its close relations tourism, hospitality and leisure. Design/methodology/approach – Viewpoint approach. Findings – The paper highlights various challenges that event educators and researchers face in advancing event studies to discipline status. Originality/value – It is timely that, as the quantum of event research and the number of event management education programmes surge, those involved in the field engage in greater critical introspection. This opinion piece attempts to provide such a reflective insight, which has been largely absent from the event studies literature to date.