Back on the Show Floor
I’m ready to declare 2022 the Year of the Trade Show. No sooner had I unpacked from Cultivate’22 in Columbus, Ohio, than I was re-packed to jet to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for The Garden Center Show.
The AmericanHort team organized an exceptional face-to-face event. The garden center tour was full of merchandising ideas and peer networking opportunities, the daily keynotes were standing room only, the education tracks well attended, and the trade show aisles buzzing with energy throughout the show. Attendance numbers were close to pre-pandemic levels, the folks at AmericanHort told us.
The Garden Center Show was a fantastic first-time event. The garden center tour made five stops to five IGCs, each with their own distinct personality. The keynotes and conference sessions were popular events and the trade show floor was a hive of activity for exhibitors and garden center attendees as well. As the media sponsor, Lawn & Garden Retailer hosted a Networking Lounge on the show floor, where keynotes and attendees gathered to share ideas and answer questions.
L&GR Recognized
I’m thrilled to share that Lawn & Garden Retailer was recently recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Eddie Award for Best Single Issue by Folio: magazine, the magazine for publishing professionals. With more than 1,300 entries for the awards, L&GR’s March 2022 issue rose to the top. In addition, our sister publication Greenhouse Product News was honored as a finalist for Best Single Issue in its category and data visualization for its Chat Room feature.
Mea Culpa
In my August article, “IGCs Get Creative to Avoid Holiday Burnout,” some text was inadvertently omitted. The article should introduce Gail and Vic Vanik, who have owned Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery Inc. since 1998. In the article, Gail should be quoted as saying that she adores the holiday season. “I mean, I’m the gal that starts shopping for Christmas in January, so burnout for me has really never happened,” she says.
Gail goes on to explain that, with the advent of COVID, their classes exploded in 2020, and due to social distancing, they ended up running three classes every weekend day, “so there was no time for a break. Since I teach all of our workshops myself, that did get a little tiresome.” My apologies, Gail!
Were you able to attend Cultivate and/or The Garden Center Show this year? What were your favorite things about the event? Drop me a line at [email protected].
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