The emerging literature on food events in rural areas highlights the growing interest among academic scholars, event organisers and development agencies in identifying the potential or actual outcomes of partnership and collaboration from food events. The purpose of this thesis aims to explore the collaborative relationships among stakeholders using the food event as a driver of tourism development in the region. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the case study research approach and qualitative research method were chosen and applied. The case study method under a constructivist paradigm has been adopted in the thesis to investigate the perspectives of the participating stakeholders at Madens Folkemøde on the significance of collaboration in tourism development. The thesis begins to present the case of Madens Folkemøde in three aspects: tracing back to its historical and conceptual background; introducing the main categories of the event program; and looking at the distribution of authority. Also, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 stakeholders from the public and private sectors. In order to gain an understanding of the collaborative process, this thesis then explores the participatory involvement of stakeholders with a focus on stakeholders’ expectations; private-public collaboration; factors facilitating collaboration; collaboration challenges; and collaboration outcomes. The findings reveal several challenges for Madens Folkemøde in achieving future sustainable collaborative relationships in food events as a driver for tourism. The challenges arise associated with the collaboration processes such as communication, competition, misconception, trust and low commitment. Based on the perspective of stakeholders, this thesis adds to the literature on stakeholder’s collaboration and sustainable tourism development, by exploring how collaboration is linked to tourism using food events and providing evidence and examples of how stakeholders’ collaboration contributes to regional development. The findings of this thesis will be useful for researchers, practitioners and policymakers who interested in developing rural areas with food events through partnership and collaboration. By identifying the role of stakeholder in the collaboration, it is vital in all aspects of the thriving tourism industry and determining how food events are connected to enhancing tourism. This thesis has illustrated that collaboration, and tourism development initiatives are interrelated and interdependent.