A Tale of 6 Shows, 2000 Miles - all in 5 Days!

Between January 23-27 this year, I attended (in order of visitation): Fancy Foods Show, World of Concrete (both in Las Vegas), The PGA Show (Orlando, FL), SHOT Show, TISE – The International Surface Event, and AVN/ANE (Adult Video Network & Pleasure Product Expo), all in Las Vegas.

Fancy Foods Show: Still one of the larger international expos held in the US, the West Coast version moved to Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall in 2022 after many decades in San Francisco. There were many entrepreneurs launching retail food products on the show floor. This year’s country partner was Japan. Yum. One could easily graze through many countries (and US) cuisine via show samples over several days. Deliciousness doesn’t hurt either.

World of Concrete: It’s no secret I’ve been a fan of this show for years. Their 50th anniversary celebration was huge! The community was incredibly engaged and so happy to be there. Exhibitors were not only selling but educating buyers. Art was produced. Outside exhibition areas took on a festival atmosphere and competitions were well attended. They even managed to make the normally snoozer LVCC South Hall vibrant and busy. I can’t remember seeing so many double-deck booths/stands in that hall – ever. Maybe at CES?

PGA Expo (Professional Golfers Association): Managed by RX (formerly Reed), this association owned event has been through a transitional time (along with the industry!) and just logged in one of their largest expos ever. The entire (expanded) ecosystem of golf was represented on the show floor, with several demo areas, and two specific areas I appreciated: The Inventors Spotlight and New Products Zone. Both areas were located near the main entrance of the expo floor – great positioning. The new products were not enclosed in showcases, and some were interactive.

Here’s what struck me about the PGA Show – having seen RX top management speak at several industry events coming out of COVID, they are truly walking the walk (and making the investment!) to modernize their events. The company is using data and activations to attract a younger demographic and more diverse audience. They expanded segments on the show floor (Pickleball anyone? Courts are at many golf clubs these days…), brought in entertainment for off hours, and the results were a palpable sense of fun and energy in the hallways and on the show floor. Well done! (Special thanks for an invite to the educational sessions hosted by RX with presentations by Freeman and RX/PGA.)

SHOT Show: For those of you not familiar, it’s the shooting and hunting trade show held at the Venetian (formerly Sands) Expo and Caesar’s Forum. Day four of the show was quiet and people looked tired. No wonder – NSSF (the association who owns the show) and ConvExx (show management) start the week out early with a 2-day supplier showcase ahead of the main, sold out expo, a “Day at the Range”, and entertainment options most evenings.

TISE: Another one of my favorite expos, this Mandalay Bay Convention Center-based expo features many, many kinds of flooring and surface products, the equipment to fabricate and install it, along with an installer competition. Regional competition winners are flown in and hosted during the Vegas show for the finals. Favorite activation: Puppies. I know that Puppy Petting areas are all the rage, but in this case, the sponsorship was by exhibitor Shaw Floors who manufacture pet-friendly carpeting. It was a natural! Another brilliant idea was providing a curated tour for influencers around the show floor. Instagrammable, sharable moments indeed.

Last up was the AVN/ANE Show at Resorts World. This is two events: a consumer/fan experience and a trade show held in different areas of the hotel. The industry is adult entertainment and products. I guess one could say it’s a combination of the world’s two oldest professions (joke!). The fan experience was packed and show floor filled with some products I had never seen. ??

So, after a week of intense walking and experiencing six expos, what are my takeaways?

1.???? Community is the lifeblood of events and expos. If you aren’t actively embracing your community, helping them connect and grow, making your event THE PLACE TO BE, you have serious work to do, or your industry will move on to other opportunities.

2.???? Entrepreneurs need our industry. We still are one of the most effective ways to launch new products and services.

3.???? Activations should relate to what your exhibitors produce. Think Shaw Floors and puppies or sponsored concrete art area.

4.???? New product areas/innovation areas should be dynamic and create excitement. When they are, it’s obvious. When they aren’t? Same.

5.???? Sustainable is not a trend. It’s here to stay. Ignore this at your events’ own peril.

6.???? Wearing the right shoes is EVERYTHING. (But you knew that already, didn’t you?)

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