Organizers Cancel 2020 Farwest Show
On May 22, the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) announced that the 2020 Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The show had been scheduled for Aug. 26–28, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.
“We are very disappointed not to be able to hold Farwest in 2020,” said Farwest Show Chairman Patrick Newton of Powell’s Nursery Inc. “Our show dates back to 1973 and is the biggest nursery trade show in the West. We know what Farwest means to the industry — it’s where nursery professionals from all over the region, the country and the world renew old connections, make new ones, gain new knowledge, advance their careers, find new customers and discover new plants and products. We will now focus on bringing the industry back together for a strong and vital show in 2021.”
OAN leaders initially held off making any decision on the 2020 Farwest Show. Instead, they waited to see how the pandemic might evolve, and how that might affect their ability to produce the show safely and successfully.
However, on May 7, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced her phased plans for reopening Oregon for business and public life. Included was a stipulation that large public events may not take place in Oregon at least through the end of September, or until treatments or vaccinations for the coronavirus are available. As a result, the Oregon Convention Center determined it could not host the event as scheduled.
The OAN is currently reaching out to exhibitors, partners, sponsors, speakers and others connected with the show to communicate the decision and outline next steps. Any show registration fees will be refunded. Those who planned to attend will need to cancel any hotel reservations on their own.
“We had exciting plans for the 2020 show and will work hard to make the 2021 show even more exciting and useful,” OAN Director of Events Allan Niemi said. “We have a feeling that people will be more than ready to get together, do business, learn together and celebrate a renewal of the industry’s success.”
The 2021 Farwest Show will take place August 18–20, 2021 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.
For information, visit www.oan.org
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