The greeting card and social expression industry is about to get a brand new trade show. Starting in May of next year, the Greeting Card Association (GCA) will launch and manage its own event that will be exclusively focused on greeting cards. 

“After extensive conversations with our membership and potential show management partners as well as surveying exhibitors and retailers, I am excited to announce that the GCA Executive Committee voted unanimously to launch this show, which will represent the vitality, creativity and innovation of the greeting card industry and deliver ROI to our members and exhibitors,” said Christy Kaprosy, executive vice president and CCO of American Greetings, and president of the GCA, which represents greeting card and stationary publishers, as well as industry suppliers.

Expected to attract leading and emerging greeting card publishers of all sizes, the yet-to-be-named trade show will be held May 18-20at the new Brooklyn Expo Center in New York City. 

In future years, the show may rotate to different cities, particularly those without effective gift and/or stationery shows, according to GCA officials.

Exhibitors at the GCA trade show will benefit from the following:

• Great Spring-Selling Timeframe: preferred by publishers and retailers for new product launches and Christmas buying.  It also allows the GCA to maintain its LOUIE Awards schedule and other related activities
• Lower Costs and Increased Convenience: The “all-in cost” (including hard walls with shelving, table, chairs, move-in assistance – plus lunch and drinks each day). 
• Reduced Costs for GCA Members: GCA members will receive the lowest cost and the first opportunity (via a 10-day, GCA member-only application period) to reserve their space. Non-GCA members will pay a 20 percent premium.
• Brooklyn Expo Center: a new facility with close proximity to Manhattan and at a fraction of the price of any Manhattan location.
• New Complimentary Events and Services: Enjoy daily happy hours, VIP Retailer shopping hours, an opening VIP Retailer reception and the opportunity for any publisher to make a five-minute “pitch” to key retailers.
• Free Ticket to LOUIE Awards: each exhibitor will receive a complimentary ticket to the annual LOUIE Awards, which recognizes the best cards in the industry and will take place on the evening of May 19.

“Greeting card publishers, GCA Associate members and industry supporters have many trade show options,” said Kaprosy. “We know that the new GCA show will be the best show for our industry and I encourage publishers to participate.”

She continued, “We have space for approximately 141 exhibitors (publishers and affiliated suppliers) and we are confident that we will have a sold-out show.”

Don’t miss any event news! Sign up for any (or all) of our e-newsletters HERE & engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram!