Semi-Annual Trade Show Issue Feature Article
With pandemic shutdowns in the rearview mirror, the 2023 winter trade shows are gearing up, hoping for a busy season. After businesses suffering during the shutdowns, the are anxious for an active commercial season.
Everybody knows about the big-city shows: Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, etc., but there are a variety of regional and specialty shows that shouldn’t be forgotten. In this semi-annual trade show special issue, we take a look at some examples of small shows.
Buyers at Orlando’s Surf Expo
Thinking Big on a Small Scale
Orlando, Florida is not just a vacation destination and the home of a certain mouse. It is also the location of a number of specialty shows. One of them, “Surf Expo,” kicks off the winter show season, starting on January 4 at the Orange County Convention Center. Billing itself as “the world’s premier watersports and beach lifestyle tradeshow,” the Surf Expo caters to shops near the water, drawing aobut 7,400 buyers. The promoters, Emerald, also have a Surf Expo in September as well as a number of shows in other categories, including NY Now and ASD Market Week in Las Vegas.
Another Orlando show is the Florida Jewelry and Resort Expo, which runs Feb. 24-26 at the Osceola Heritage Park Events Center in Kissimmee. Promoter Golden Triangle also has jewelry show in Greensboro, NC in December.
Continuing our focus on Orlando, March 22-24 will see the Global Pet Expo at the Orange County Convention Center. The show is put on by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA). The associations are expecting 1,000 exhibitors, 300 first-time exhibitors, with 3,000 new product launches.
Later in May, 2023, Orlando’s Embassy Suites Orlando International Drive will be the site of the International Fashion Jewelry & Accessory Show.
Alaska Gift Show buyers shop Silverbear Sundries
Now, changing our focus to about as far from Orlando and sunny Florida as possible inside the US, both in terms of location and climate, the Alaska Wholesale Gift Show begins January 18 at the Dena Ina Civic Center in Anchorage. Excited to be live after a series of virtual shows during the pandemic, the show is promoted as “Alaska’s only wholesale gift show featuring artists, manufacturers and reps from around Alaska, the Country and the World.” The show is continuing the virtual connection, however, giving distant buyers the ability to “Zoom” with select exhibitors.
A number of regional shows are promoted by Silver Lining Shows featuring apparel, accessories, jewelry, footware, gift and lifestyle and home decor.
Northern Michigan Regional Trade Show, held in Gaylord, is one of several Silver Linings Shows
- First on the calendar is the Kentucky Bluegrass Buyer’s Market in Lexington, January 29 and 30.
- Simultaneously and extending through January 31 is the Rev Chicago Boutique Show in Des Plaines, IL. The 2023 show is being branded as “The Mix” because it’s being held together with the Midwest Gift & Lifestyle Show.
- In February (5 and 6), the Michigan Womens Wear Market will be held at the Embassy Suites Detroit-Livonia. There are four more of these shows during the year with the June and November shows including Sample Sales.
- The Northern Michigan Regional Trade Show is Feb. 8 and 9 at The Ellison Place, Gaylord Michigan.
- The last Silver Lining show of winter is The Indy Show features apparel, accessories, jewelry, footware, home and gifts and comes at the end of Feb. (28th-Mar. 1) in Noblesville, IN.
Most of these Silver Linings Shows have additional shows throughout the year, so check the website for more information.
Once again, OmegaNet, the publisher of this newsletter is featuring select vendors in a Virtual Trade Show at GiftShowSpecials.com. There you can see videos from several vendors letting you see their featured products even if you don’t see them at the shows.
Don’t forget, you can always find trade show information at giftswholesale.com/trade-shows. OmegaNet/CAMEO EZ/GiftsWholesale.com is not directly associated with any trade show. We work hard make the trade show list as accurate as possible, but sometimes things change, so be sure to double check the show promoters’ websites. If you find an error, or you want to ask us to add a show to our list, email us at newsletters@omeganetinc.net.
