1. New York International Auto Show
The Scoop: North America’s biggest auto show turns 104 this year, with more than 43 manufacturers exhibiting more than 1,000 cars, trucks, and SUVs. The auto show brings 1.3 million visitors over 10 days to the Javits Center; the show has gotten so big, it’s challenging director Candida Romanelli to come up with creative ways of using the city’s biggest venue to accommodate expansion. The show brings in close to $200 million in revenue for New York.
Behind the Scenes: Romanelli and her staff plan the show and related events, and Sams Crispe Communications handles PR. The show also includes a 1,000-guest benefit preview for the East Side House Settlement, with PR by James Brodsky at Sharp Communications. March 25-April 3
2. New York National Boat Show
The Scoop: The Northeast’s most popular and longestrunning boat show features unique exhibitions of more than 1,000 vessels. This year, the show celebrated its 100th anniversary (the first show was in 1905 at Madison Square Garden) with a historical video retrospective and the “Mahogany Memories” exhibit, which included eight antique boats. Between 90,000 and 100,000 people attend, and there are more than 500 exhibitors in 275,000 net square feet.
Behind the Scenes: The National Marine Manufacturers Association organizes the exhibition. Michael Duffy is the show manager and Rae van Maanen handles PR. Tradeshow Graphics produced the signage at the Javits Center. Jan. 1-9
3. New York International Gift Fair
The Scoop: Twice annually, the gift fair hosts 45,000 buyers and nearly 3,000 exhibitors displaying an array of tabletop, home ware, and gift items at various locations around the city. The show is the largest collection of gift items in the country, with 611,405 square feet of exhibit space.
Behind the Scenes: George Little Management owns and produces the fair at the Javits Center and Piers 90, 92, and 94. Leslie Nathan-Street is vice president and show director, and Deborah Hilfman is the show manager. Jan. 29-Feb. 3, Aug. 13-18
4. Greater New York Dental Meeting
The Scoop: The Greater New York Dental Meeting hosts an international crowd of more than 40,000 health care professionals with more than 1,200 technical exhibits that display dental industry technology at the Javits Center—it’s one of the largest conferences of its kind in the world. The show celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2005.
Behind the Scenes: The meeting recently expanded its educational program offerings—there are 300 courses including international live broadcasts—and offers a variety of continuing education certificates on the spot. The Second District Dental Society and the New York County Dental Society sponsor the meeting annually. Nov. 25-30
5. American International Toy Fair
The Scoop: This century-old fair is the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere and brings more than 1,500 manufacturers, distributors, importers, and sales agents, and 40,000 toy industry representatives to the city. Attendance at Javits and showrooms throughout the toy district is limited to industry
guests.
Behind the Scenes: The Toy Industry Association owns and produces the fair, which will expand its education program this year and add two new areas (candythemed products and children’s books, music, and instruments) for a total of six. Feb. 17-23
6. International Vision Expo East
The Scoop: This expo showcases optical products and services from nearly 600 suppliers for 15,000 attendees, and includes an educational program. It takes up about a quarter million square feet of exhibition space in the Javits Center. The show also has a West Coast counterpart, Vision Expo West.
Behind the Scenes: The show is co-owned by the Vision Council of America and Reed Exhibitions, with Tina Jordan acting as PR director, Eileen Baird as vice president of event management, and John Moriarty as event director. New this year, the EyeMax theater (cute, huh?) will feature interactive sessions in an attempt to combine education with entertainment and keep the show fresh. March 10-13
7. National Retail Federation Annual Convention & Expo
The Scoop: The Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation brings together retailers, finance companies, and consulting firms for this annual four-day convention and expo; this year there were more than 400 exhibitors in more than 100,000 square feet at Javits. The show is in its 94th year, and has been held in New York since its inception.
Behind the Scenes: Major sponsors include Goldman Sachs and Intel. Last year, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered an address at the convention. Jan.16-19
8. The Incentive Show
The Scoop: Incentive magazine and sister pub Potentials host this 70-yearold show with more than 500 exhibitors for attendees in the sales, marketing, human resources, public relations, purchasing, and other related industries. A two-day education series developed by the Incentive Marketing Association, the Promotion Marketing Association, and the Society of Incentive & Travel
Executives is included in the cost of attendance.
Behind the Scenes: VNU Expositions produces the show at the Javits Center. Last year’s major sponsors included American Airlines, Bath & Body Works, Broadway.com, and Barnes & Noble. This year’s keynote speaker will be former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and a party will follow the trade show at Studio 450. May 24-25
9. The Medical Design and Manufacturing East Expo and Conference
The Scoop: Known as MD&M East, this is the world’s largest trade show of its kind, with 32,000 attendees and more than 1,750 exhibitors. It runs concurrently with the other shows EastPack, Plastec East, Ingredients Expo, and Atlantic Design & Manufacturing to make one mega-event for the industry. The West Coast hosts its own version of the show (MD&M West) at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Behind the Scenes: Canon Communications LLC produces the show at Javits, and reports to have booked 75 percent of the space for this year’s show by the end of last year’s. June 13-15
10. National Stationery Show
The Scoop: This expo brings together exhibitors, attendees, and press from two dozen countries to check out the latest stationery industry wares—like greeting cards, writing instruments, home office products, gift wrap, craft supplies, and more.
Behind the Scenes: George Little Management organizes the show, which is at the Javits Center in the spring. It runs concurrently with related shows Surtex, the Supply Side show, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and Sources. This year about 1,400 exhibitors will show for 14,000 attendees, taking up 275,000 square feet of show floor. Lori Robinson is the show manager. May 15-18
—Alesandra Dubin
Posted 02.23.05
Read about the rest of New York's Top 100 Events...
Photos: Stephen Chernin/Getty Images (boat show, toy fair); J. Craig Shearman (National Retail Federation)
This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
The Scoop: North America’s biggest auto show turns 104 this year, with more than 43 manufacturers exhibiting more than 1,000 cars, trucks, and SUVs. The auto show brings 1.3 million visitors over 10 days to the Javits Center; the show has gotten so big, it’s challenging director Candida Romanelli to come up with creative ways of using the city’s biggest venue to accommodate expansion. The show brings in close to $200 million in revenue for New York.
Behind the Scenes: Romanelli and her staff plan the show and related events, and Sams Crispe Communications handles PR. The show also includes a 1,000-guest benefit preview for the East Side House Settlement, with PR by James Brodsky at Sharp Communications. March 25-April 3
2. New York National Boat Show
The Scoop: The Northeast’s most popular and longestrunning boat show features unique exhibitions of more than 1,000 vessels. This year, the show celebrated its 100th anniversary (the first show was in 1905 at Madison Square Garden) with a historical video retrospective and the “Mahogany Memories” exhibit, which included eight antique boats. Between 90,000 and 100,000 people attend, and there are more than 500 exhibitors in 275,000 net square feet.
Behind the Scenes: The National Marine Manufacturers Association organizes the exhibition. Michael Duffy is the show manager and Rae van Maanen handles PR. Tradeshow Graphics produced the signage at the Javits Center. Jan. 1-9
3. New York International Gift Fair
The Scoop: Twice annually, the gift fair hosts 45,000 buyers and nearly 3,000 exhibitors displaying an array of tabletop, home ware, and gift items at various locations around the city. The show is the largest collection of gift items in the country, with 611,405 square feet of exhibit space.
Behind the Scenes: George Little Management owns and produces the fair at the Javits Center and Piers 90, 92, and 94. Leslie Nathan-Street is vice president and show director, and Deborah Hilfman is the show manager. Jan. 29-Feb. 3, Aug. 13-18
4. Greater New York Dental Meeting
The Scoop: The Greater New York Dental Meeting hosts an international crowd of more than 40,000 health care professionals with more than 1,200 technical exhibits that display dental industry technology at the Javits Center—it’s one of the largest conferences of its kind in the world. The show celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2005.
Behind the Scenes: The meeting recently expanded its educational program offerings—there are 300 courses including international live broadcasts—and offers a variety of continuing education certificates on the spot. The Second District Dental Society and the New York County Dental Society sponsor the meeting annually. Nov. 25-30
5. American International Toy Fair
The Scoop: This century-old fair is the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere and brings more than 1,500 manufacturers, distributors, importers, and sales agents, and 40,000 toy industry representatives to the city. Attendance at Javits and showrooms throughout the toy district is limited to industry
guests.
Behind the Scenes: The Toy Industry Association owns and produces the fair, which will expand its education program this year and add two new areas (candythemed products and children’s books, music, and instruments) for a total of six. Feb. 17-23
6. International Vision Expo East
The Scoop: This expo showcases optical products and services from nearly 600 suppliers for 15,000 attendees, and includes an educational program. It takes up about a quarter million square feet of exhibition space in the Javits Center. The show also has a West Coast counterpart, Vision Expo West.
Behind the Scenes: The show is co-owned by the Vision Council of America and Reed Exhibitions, with Tina Jordan acting as PR director, Eileen Baird as vice president of event management, and John Moriarty as event director. New this year, the EyeMax theater (cute, huh?) will feature interactive sessions in an attempt to combine education with entertainment and keep the show fresh. March 10-13
7. National Retail Federation Annual Convention & Expo
The Scoop: The Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation brings together retailers, finance companies, and consulting firms for this annual four-day convention and expo; this year there were more than 400 exhibitors in more than 100,000 square feet at Javits. The show is in its 94th year, and has been held in New York since its inception.
Behind the Scenes: Major sponsors include Goldman Sachs and Intel. Last year, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered an address at the convention. Jan.16-19
8. The Incentive Show
The Scoop: Incentive magazine and sister pub Potentials host this 70-yearold show with more than 500 exhibitors for attendees in the sales, marketing, human resources, public relations, purchasing, and other related industries. A two-day education series developed by the Incentive Marketing Association, the Promotion Marketing Association, and the Society of Incentive & Travel
Executives is included in the cost of attendance.
Behind the Scenes: VNU Expositions produces the show at the Javits Center. Last year’s major sponsors included American Airlines, Bath & Body Works, Broadway.com, and Barnes & Noble. This year’s keynote speaker will be former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and a party will follow the trade show at Studio 450. May 24-25
9. The Medical Design and Manufacturing East Expo and Conference
The Scoop: Known as MD&M East, this is the world’s largest trade show of its kind, with 32,000 attendees and more than 1,750 exhibitors. It runs concurrently with the other shows EastPack, Plastec East, Ingredients Expo, and Atlantic Design & Manufacturing to make one mega-event for the industry. The West Coast hosts its own version of the show (MD&M West) at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Behind the Scenes: Canon Communications LLC produces the show at Javits, and reports to have booked 75 percent of the space for this year’s show by the end of last year’s. June 13-15
10. National Stationery Show
The Scoop: This expo brings together exhibitors, attendees, and press from two dozen countries to check out the latest stationery industry wares—like greeting cards, writing instruments, home office products, gift wrap, craft supplies, and more.
Behind the Scenes: George Little Management organizes the show, which is at the Javits Center in the spring. It runs concurrently with related shows Surtex, the Supply Side show, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and Sources. This year about 1,400 exhibitors will show for 14,000 attendees, taking up 275,000 square feet of show floor. Lori Robinson is the show manager. May 15-18
—Alesandra Dubin
Posted 02.23.05
Read about the rest of New York's Top 100 Events...
Photos: Stephen Chernin/Getty Images (boat show, toy fair); J. Craig Shearman (National Retail Federation)
This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
New York International Auto Show
New York National Boat Show
American International Toy Fair
National Retail Federation Annual Convention & Expo
