Canadian Gift Shows to Collocate Year-round

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 7/11/2005

George Little Management is expanding its partnership with Signatures Craft Shows to produce the SCS show By Hand concurrently with four semiannual GLM-managed gift shows, beginning with the Alberta Gift Show, set for Aug. 14–17 at the Northlands Agricom, Sportex and Rexall Place Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta.

Through this partnership, By Hand, a Canadian artisan gift show, will also be collocated with the Toronto Gift & Accessories Market Montreal Gift Show and Vancouver Gift Show. The four shows are managed by GLM on behalf of dmg world media.

The Alberta Gift Show, No. 7 on the Tradeshow Week Canadian 50, last August spanned 205,650 net square feet. The upcoming show is expected to present 800 exhibiting companies and attract 19,000 retail attendees.

Although much smaller (6,000 net sq. ft. with 80 artisans and designers), By Hand is a strong addition to the GLM shows, said Chris Gowe, vice president for GLM's Canadian Gift Group. "By Hand has proven itself as the pre-eminent producer of wholesale artisan gift shows in Canada," he said. "We are thrilled to include this outstanding collection of high-quality, one-of-a-kind products with the Alberta Gift Show."

The collocated shows will offer a common registration system and show guide, as well as joint promotions, including a series of on-site activities for buyers and exhibitors.