This study provides a historical background of ethnography research and its related theoretical underpinnings. The paper then examines the usefulness of ethnography in consumer research citing two examples from the conclusions of other researchers which demonstrate that ethnography could be suitably applied in consumer marketing, and strategic commercial research projects to understand in-depth lived experiences of consumers that are helpful for managerial actions. A case study of the Rovaniemi Design Week 2013 is then examined based on field observations of consumer experiences in relation to services offered, and identifies implications for event management. Findings show that understanding consumer experiences in cultural events could offer helpful knowledge to targeting consumers as an event management strategy.