2009 IGC Show Attendance Up 36 Percent
Organizers reported record attendance for the third annual Independent Garden Center Show, held Aug. 18 to 20 at Chicago’s Navy Pier, had broken some records. The attendance tally for this year’s event was 6,043 – up 36 percent from last year – with garden center buyers from 49 states and 24 countries.
The buzz started Monday, Aug. 17, before the doors to the trade show floor even opened: The Chicagoland Garden Center Tour loaded 450 participants into eight buses to see three trend-setting garden centers. This year’s excursion doubled the capacity from last year.
The IGC Show Conference itself drew crowds from opening day Tuesday – kicking off with two-hour business-building workshops and a keynote address from environmentalist and Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore – through the closing bell Thursday. Other keynotes, panel discussions and specialty track sessions inspired attendees with the latest trends and profit strategies driving independents’ business.
The event also featured a concert from the Charlie Daniels Band and many networking opportunities for garden center buyers, vendors and other industry professionals, on and off the show floor.
Save the date: Next year’s Independent Garden Center Show will take place Aug. 17 to 19, 2010, at Navy Pier. For more information and to register, visit IGCshow.com.
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