TSW Fastest 50 Selected

Plan to be at the Tradeshow Week Fastest 50 event Nov. 2–4 in Atlanta, and you'll get the chance to meet the manager of Digital Signage Expo, which used an estimated 30,000 net square feet this year in Chicago's Navy Pier. You'll also get to meet the manager of the Mid-America Trucking Show, No. 16 on the most recent TSW 200, and spread out every year on hundreds of thousands of square feet at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.

That's because both shows — and 48 more — are TSW Fastest 50 winners that will be honored during the fifth anniversary installment of the event. Tradeshow Week has announced the shows that will be recognized this year. (The complete list is on page 16.)

Among the 2007 winners are 23 shows making their first appearances on the TSW Fastest 50 list. Four of those are also in the 2007 TSW 200, joining 16 other TSW 200 shows making return appearances.

The annual TSW Fastest 50 recognizes the achievement of those shows that experienced the greatest growth in net square footage in the last three years. All 50 winners will be honored at a weekend event in Atlanta that will include an executive-level conference held at the Georgia World Congress Center, an opening reception at the New World of Coca-Cola and a brunch prepared by Wolfgang Puck Executive Chef Gregg Brickman at the Georgia Aquarium. Keynote speaker at the conference will be Bernie Marcus, founder and first chairman and CEO of Home Depot.

The highlight of the weekend, however, is the black-tie gala at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center Nov. 3 when the top prizes (fastest-growing consumer, trade, association and overall shows) will be announced.

"This year's list of winners is unique," TSW Editor-in-Chief Michael Hart said. "With every kind of show from BIO to the CMTA Boat & Fishing Show to World of Concrete, it really demonstrates the great diversity of the tradeshow industry. Also, with so many different kinds of shows growing, it says something about the health of the business."

Along with the 23 shows that are first-time winners, there are four that have been winners every single year since the inaugural TSW Fastest 50 event was held in Houston in 2003. They are Electronic House Expo Fall (the overall winner in 2003), Intl. Security Conference West, Pennsylvania RV & Camping Show and Premiere Orlando.

Please click HERE for a list of TSW Fastest 50 winners.

Registration for the TSW Fastest 50 opens Sept. 12. For more information, go to www.TSWFastest50.com or call (323) 965-5326.