2019 TOP Trade Shows List

The 2019 TSNN Top Trade Show List is exclusively sponsored by Expocad and the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center.

For a complete 2019 TSNN Top Trade Shows list that includes contact information please contact John Rice jrice@tsnn.com.

* Professional attendee figure includes exhibit personnel

TSNN Rank by NSF Event Event Date(s) Venue
71
PLMA's Private Label Trade Show PLMA's Private Label Trade Show features Food, Snacks, Beverages, Perishables, Health and Beauty, Kitchenware, Household and General Merchandise. Whether food or non-food, PLMA's show hosts national pavilions from more than 30 countries, including Europe, South America, and Asia. Trending categories highlighted on the show floor were Hemp-Derived CBD products, Plant-Based Meats and Foods, Wines and Spirits, and Kitchenware items. In addition, other product trends represented at the show were Fair Trade, Free-From, Ethnic, and Natural & Organics. The show attracts the major supermarkets, supercenters, wholesalers, clubstores, drug chains, specialty chains, discounters, and e-commerce retailers.
Organizer: Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA)
# Exhibitors: 1,451
# Attendees: 5,200
11/17/2019 to 11/19/2019
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
NSF: 257,400
72
Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Processing North America is North America’s largest seafood exposition. This exposition gathers more than 1,300 exhibiting suppliers from 49 countries under one roof, year-after-year, with one goal in mind: provide North America’s seafood buyers a one-stop-shop to access everything seafood, face-to-face. This includes discovering, sampling and sourcing products; meeting with current or new suppliers; networking with industry colleagues; and so much more!
Organizer: Diversified Communications
# Exhibitors: 1,329
# Attendees: 12,745
03/17/2019 to 03/19/2019
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
NSF: 256,690
73
WasteExpo Informa's Waste360 Group harnesses the power of its many properties to serve the solid waste and recycling industry. The industry widely consumes this content in the form of websites, live events, online learning and digital opportunities and more and includes: Waste360.com, WasteExpo, The Global Waste Management Symposium, The Healthcare Waste Conference, and four topical and timely e-newsletters. For more information, visit www.waste360.com.
Organizer: Informa Markets
# Exhibitors: 588
# Attendees: 5,265
05/06/2019 to 05/09/2019
Las Vegas Convention Center
NSF: 255,620
74
AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo See new science and new technology in all areas of clinical diagnostics, automation, information systems, point-of-care, OEM, and biotech.
Organizer: AACC/SPARGO, Inc.
# Exhibitors: 836
# Attendees: 10,080
08/04/2019 to 04/08/2019
Anaheim Convention Center
NSF: 252,600
75
MJBizCon Brought to you by the editors of MJBizDaily, MJBizCon is the largest gathering of cannabis business professionals in the world. MJBizCon brings together executives looking to enter the industry or expand their existing business, investors seeking potential opportunities in cannabis and dedicated industry professionals, to drive the industry forward.
Organizer: Marijuana Business Daily
# Exhibitors: 1,312
# Attendees: 23,312
11/11/2019 to 11/13/2019
Las Vegas Convention Center
NSF: 251,200
76
Solar Power International PI, ESI & North America Smart Energy Week is the largest event in North America for the renewable energy industry, including solar, storage, smart energy, wind, hydrogen & fuel cells, geothermal, and EV infrastructure. Anchored by the flagship event, SPI, North America Smart Energy week brings together an extensive alliance of renewable energy leaders for four days of networking, education, and innovation that moves the industry forward. SPI, ESI & North America Smart Energy Week, has become the center of integration for the wider energy industry.
Organizer: Solar Energy Trade Shows, LLC
# Exhibitors: 701
# Attendees: 18,323
09/23/2019 to 09/26/2019
Salt Palace Convention Center
NSF: 250,600
77
COTERIE - February Coterie is a premier global marketplace that bridges apparel and accessories designers to the international Who’s Who of retailers. Coterie builds exclusive, shopping experiences from the ground up so that designers and buyers can create a synergy that fuels their businesses. Coterie is a platform for generating revenue and inspiring trends.
Organizer: Informa Markets
# Exhibitors: 1,483
# Attendees: 7,970
02/25/2019 to 02/27/2019
Javits Convention Center
NSF: 247,000
78
Licensing Expo Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual tradeshow dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Every year, more than 5,000 brands and 16,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend Licensing Expo from more than 67 countries. Licensing Expo is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry's leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together.
Organizer: Informa Markets
# Exhibitors: 400
# Attendees: 9,176
06/04/2019 to 06/06/2019
Mandalay Bay Convention Center
NSF: 240,000
79
NSC Congress & Expo World's largest annual safety event serving the billion dollar Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental market.
Organizer: National Safety Council (NSC)
# Exhibitors: 1,051
# Attendees: 8,100
09/06/2019 to 09/12/2019
San Diego Convention Center
NSF: 238,800
80
Vision Expo East Vision Expo East in New York City is a trade-only conference and exhibition for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council. Vision Expo is the complete event for ophthalmic professionals, where eyecare meets eyewear, and education, fashion and innovation mingle. In the Vision Expo Exhibit Hall, eyecare providers can discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services. The Vision Expo education program is driven by the profession, offering content of the highest quality and relevance to enhance overall patient care.
Organizer: Reed Exhibitions U.S.A. (Norwalk, CT)
# Exhibitors: 629
# Attendees: 15,023
03/21/2019 to 03/24/2019
Javits Convention Center
NSF: 233,909
Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.