TSW Fastest 50 Winners Announced

When the dust settled, there were 50 left. After a record-breaking number of nominations were submitted, the list of the 50 fastest-growing shows in the United States and Canada has been released.

Shows that will be recognized during the TSW Fastest 50 event Nov. 7-9 in Baltimore focus on everything from online retailing and advertising to high-tech science, wind power and livestock.

“How about that?” said Chris Price, vice president of the Graphics Arts Show Company and manager of Graph Expo 2007, one of the first-time award winners. “Who would have ever thought a manufacturing show – a printing show, no less – would make the list?”

Equally excited was Jack Love, president of Vertical Web Media and manager of the Internet Retailer Conference & Exposition, which focuses on online retailing.

“Oh man, that's wonderful,” Love said. “That's a great honor.”

Price, Love and the managers of 48 more of the fastest-growing shows will be celebrated at the big event the second weekend in November in Baltimore. The high point of the weekend will be the black-tie gala at the Hilton Baltimore Saturday, Nov. 8, when the top prize in each of four categories (consumer, trade, association and overall fastest-growing shows) will be handed out.

Fourteen of the 50 fastest-growing shows are making their debuts on the list. Eighteen of the winners are on the Tradeshow Week 200, and one is on the Canadian 50. Graph Expo (No. 42 on the TSW 200) is one of three TSW 200 shows that also are first-time winners. The other two are FABTECH Intl. & AWS Welding Show (No. 41) and NRF's Annual Convention & Expo – Retail's BIG Show (No. 169).

“This is a very good, very representative list of winners,” said TSW Editor-in-Chief Michael Hart. “There is a wide range of subjects and sizes. That's not all: The fact that so many TSW 200 shows continue to grow is a testament to the health of the industry and the value of face-to-face marketing.”

The annual TSW Fastest 50 event recognizes those shows that have experienced the greatest growth in net square footage over the past three years.

Carol Costello, a CNN News correspondent and contributor to the cable news network's “The Situation Room,” will emcee the gala dinner and awards presentation Saturday night. Registration for this year's TSW Fastest 50 event opens Aug. 15. For more information, go to www.tswfastest50.com.