TSW Fastest 50 to Make History in Boston

Boston is about to have it all.

After its own World Series rings — finally — multiple Super Bowl trophies, a beautiful river and some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the world, now it's really reached the top: as host of the fourth annual Tradeshow Week Fastest 50.

Boston will be the place to be Nov. 10–12 as more than 200 tradeshow professionals gather to recognize the 50 fastest-growing shows in the United States and Canada. Plans confirmed so far for the weekend event begin with an opening reception Friday, Nov. 10, at the Harvard Club and conclude Sunday, Nov. 12, with a brunch at the Institute of Contemporary Art, opening in September.

The TSW Fastest 50 honors those shows that experienced the greatest growth in terms of net square footage between 2003 and 2005. The 50 winners will be announced in August and the top prize in three categories (consumer shows, trade and/or association shows and overall fastest-growing) will be awarded at a black-tie gala Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Once again, NBC-TV's "Today Show" Travel Editor Peter Greenberg will return as the master of ceremonies.

The convention center will also be the site of Saturday's executive-level conference that will include:

• a discussion of the state of the industry with the incoming chairmen of the Intl. Assn. for Exhibition Management and the Society of Independent Show Organizers, Jeff Price of Cygnus Exhibitions and Don Pazour of Access Intelligence, respectively, led by TSW Editor in Chief Michael Hart;
• an industry outlook presented by Associate Publisher and Director of Research Michael Hughes;
• the popular Winners Tell All session, to be moderated by Senior Editor Heidi Genoist, in which TSW Fastest 50 show managers share some of their secrets with their peers; and
• a presentation by veteran show managers on the best ways to build attendance.

"The conference should be a good mix of sage advice from seasoned show managers and a little how-to from those who may be just getting started in the business, but are already making great strides," said Hart.

This year's TSW Fastest 50 event will be the first on the East Coast, and is likely to break previous attendance records as a result.

"The Northeast has a large concentration of tradeshow industry organizations, and having the event here will certainly draw big numbers," said James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.

Tradeshow Week Publisher Adam Schaffer said, "We are looking forward to another great event. Jim Rooney and the team at the Boston Convention Marketing Center are a pleasure to work with, and I know our guests and attendees will find the weekend valuable and rewarding on many levels."

For more details, go to www.TSWFastest50.com.