Craft Show Finds a Sunnier Home
CHA will hold summer show, launch a public event in Orlando's CC
By Stephanie Corbin -- Tradeshow Week, 1/5/2009
The Craft & Hobby Assn. is making changes to its CHA Summer Convention & Trade Show.
In addition to moving the show from Rosemont – where it's been for at least the past 35 years – to Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, CHA also will launch a consumer event to follow the tradeshow at the same venue, said Tony Lee, vice president of meetings and expositions for CHA.
The tradeshow will be at the convention center July 28-30, followed by the CHA Craft SuperShow, the consumer version, July 31-Aug. 1.
“One of the reasons we're moving to Orlando is, in a word, growth,” Lee said. “It's in no way a reflection on Rosemont. We feel we need a change.”
The 2008 edition of the summer show attracted 7,166 craft and hobby professionals and had 348 exhibiting companies on a more than 126,895 net square foot showfloor.
According to CHA officials, about 20 percent of the show's attendance comprised vendors from 30 different countries.
Lee said association officials discussed the launch of the consumer show before the country's economy became a barrier.
“What really sparked that is we're looking to grow the association,” he added. “The idea is to reach out more to the consumer.”
The consumer show will have retailers selling items to consumers, Lee said. Manufacturers won't sell directly to the public, which, he added, was a concern of CHA's retail members.
However, manufacturers will have the opportunity to have make-it-take-it activities, where consumers can make an item out of the manufacturers' products.
“It's a great opportunity for the manufacturers to interact directly with the consumer,” Lee said. Manufacturers also will be able to allow retailers to sell from their booths.
In addition, the shows aren't running concurrently, because, Lee said, CHA didn't want to have some of the problems the association had seen with those models.
“What we didn't want to have ... was the problem of the consumer coming into the tradeshow,” he added.
“I think it has great potential for our market,” said Jessie Allen, general manager of the Orange County Convention Center, of the show moving to Orlando.
Despite the economic recession, Lee said he's optimistic about the success of CHA's shows in 2009.
“During a bad economy, generally, the craft industry does well,” he added.
The launch of the consumer show also is generating a buzz, Lee said, which he hopes will give the winter show, scheduled Jan. 25-28 at the Anaheim Convention Center, a boost.
“We're thrilled to be working with the Craft & Hobby Assn. and look forward to a fun and successful event for all attendees,” said Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
