Latest Trade Show News: March 2023 Edition

2023 is an important year for the trade show industry as it prepares to reach and surpass the pre-pandemic momentum. For exhibitors, this means being doubly sure about their decisions to put their best foot forward and boost their probability of generating impressive ROI.

As the industry is still in recovery mode, keeping an eye out on all the latest happenings in the world of trade shows is critical to success. To help you out, here are some of the most important trade show news for March 2023-

1. Attendees Registering Later for Events

According to a report by TSNN, trade show attendees are registering for events considerably later than they used to before the pandemic. 98% of the event organizers have agreed to this dilemma which can make event planning highly challenging.

Moreover, many attendees are giving pre-registrations a miss and registering directly onsite. As an exhibitor, you should look for ways to encourage your attendees to register sooner so that you can plan your exhibit according to the expected crowd.

2. Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market Attracts Record Number of Exhibitors and Attendees

The Dallas Market Center’s Apparel & Accessories Market is one of the largest marketplaces for women’s apparel, footwear, and accessories. This year, it was organized from January 10-13 and was the largest in the event’s history.

The event attracted around 750 exhibitors and thousands of buyers to surpass the pre-pandemic participation records. Other events like the AETA Equestrian Show and the WESA International Western and Equipment Market were also organized around the same time as the Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market, and they, too, witnessed a significant attendee gain.

3. Chicago Auto Show 2023 Attracted 52% More Attendees Than in 2022

The Chicago Auto Show is one of the biggest events for the automobile industry in the USA. The 115^th edition of the event was organized this year at McCormick Place from February 11-20. Spread over 1 million square feet, it had 11 test tracks and a 100,000 square foot indoor EV test track, contributing to approximately 150,500 in-vehicle diving experiences over the 10 days.

Compared to 2022, the Chicago Auto Show 2023 attracted over 300,000 automobile enthusiasts, registering a gain of 52%. The 116^th edition of the event will be held from February 10-19, 2024, and is expected to be even bigger and better.

4. New Benchmarks for Trade Show Labor and Material Handling Costs

The Exhibitor Advocate, a non-profit dedicated to helping exhibitors thrive, has released the 2022 Material Handling & Labor Rate Survey, which reviews exhibitor costs in 16 cities across the USA. Some of the high to low-cost ranges, according to the report, are as follows-

• The highest average electrical rate is $187.60 in Philadelphia, and the lowest average is $77 in New Orleans.
• The highest average installation and dismantling rate is $235.05 in New York, and the lowest average rate is $99.66 in Atlanta.
• The highest average Per LB material handling rate is $2.86 Per LB in Philadelphia, and the lowest average rate is $1.02 Per LB in Atlanta.

Top Trade Shows and Events in March 2023

Here are some of the top US trade shows scheduled in March 2023-

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