HANDMADE
Saturday, Aug 10  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Aug 11  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug 12  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug 13  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

HOME
Sunday, Aug 11  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug 12  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug 13  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug 14  9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

LIFESTYLE
Sunday, Aug 11  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug 12  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug 13  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug 14  9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

The LIFESTYLE Collection at NY NOW offers trend-setting curated sections within the Baby, Gift, Wellness and the Fashion Accessory spectrum. New to the market the LIFESTYLE Collection will present indieNOW – a platform for emerging wellness and beauty brands.  Co-located with the National Stationery Show. Featuring 300+ providers of quality letterpress and innovative custom stationery, 100+ emerging artists and 5,000+ new to Handmade buyers–one badge two shows!

Baby + Child presents a comprehensive collection of well-designed, innovative, sophisticated, functional and fun products for babies, toddlers, kids and their families. This juried neighborhood is located within the LIFESTYLE Collection on Level 1 of the Javits Center.

Wholesale Gift Show – Seeking high-end wholesale gift merchandise for your shop or boutique? The NY NOW® wholesale gift trade show features 450 companies in the Gift Section at NY NOW. Located on Level 1 of the Javits center, this is the mecca of wholesale gift trade shows. Here, you’ll find purveyors showcasing products spanning all product categories, making for an inspirational experience and high-return resource unlike any other New York gift show.

New York’s Gift Shop Merchandise Show – In easy-to-navigate neighborhoods on Level 1 of the Javits Center, such as Museum Source®, Gourmet Italia, stationery & publishing, and “on-trend” products, you’ll encounter collectibles, souvenir items, ceramics, Judaica, specialty food and more. Walk the floor of the NY NOW gift show and you’ll find innovative pet products, floral and garden, home office accessories and other personality-filled items, in addition to well-known brands like Chronicle Books, Fred & Friends, Ore, Lollia, Bearington Collection, Westminster, King-Max and Unipak Designs. It’s everything you need to tap into the retail renaissance and create a sense of discovery and wonderment for your customers.

The HANDMADE Collection on Level 3 is officially the largest handmade event in the Americas—and another major opportunity to curate your gift shop merchandise for the experiential shopper. Here, you’ll find authentic, one-of-a-kind wholesale gift items for boutiques, including eco-friendly tabletops, ceramics, home décor, jewelry and apparel—all with an artisanal edge. Handmade® Designer Maker showcases 350 limited-production makers from around the world across all categories and media. Handmade® Global Design features 150 resources with a focus on design, traditional craftsmanship and community building through global artisan workshops. And Artisan Resource® connects U.S.-based importers with international producers and exporters. When you think “gift show NYC,” think NY NOW.

Trendy Accessories from Modern and Contemporary Jewelry Designers – Handmade Jewelry and Leather Goods are a Highlight within Personal Accessories

Personal Accessories at NY NOW is a must see destination for retailers looking for fashion accessories. It is an on trend collaboration of more than 350 accessory brands presented together within the LIFESTYLE Collection on level one of the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

The Personal Accessories category is the marketplace for retailers looking for collections ranging from leather goods, wearables, fine jewelry, loungewear, travel goods, eyewear, fashion and handmade jewelry, resort wear, hats, handbags and wallets, men’s accessories, belts, trendy accessories, neckwear, wholesale scarves, watches, knitwear and more. From classic designs and brands, to emerging handmade and contemporary designers, Personal Accessories presents a comprehensive, well rounded presentation of today’s must have accessories.

Allowing retailers to access modern, contemporary jewelry designers such as Paz Sintes, to innovative accessories for men and women from Stewart/Stand. Unique and essential travel gear and accessories from Flight 001, to soft, luxurious loungewear by Barefoot Dreams.

Joining them are Chan Luu, Uno de 50, eye bobs, Spartina 449, Toss, Lauren Wolf Jewelry, Elk Accessories, Gretchen Scott Designs, San Diego Hat Company and Happy Socks. Together these and approximately 400 other brands encompass the range and breadth of accessories presented here.  Each market, these brands will present their classics, while showcasing the newest additions and designs. In turn allowing retailers the opportunity to source merchandise that will keep them prominent in today’s ever growing accessory marketplace.

Get driving directions to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Decorative Accessories Add Style to Interior Design

Contemporary and Modern Designs Featured in Home Decor

Located on Level Three of the Jacob K. Javits Center, the HOME Collection of NY NOW showcases 1,000 brands focusing on design-forward products – specifically furnishings and home textiles, interior decor, tabletop, and gourmet housewares. NY NOW’s HOME Collection features three carefully curated sections making it even easier to source and shop across the home category.  As the leader in innovative, modern design Accent on Design presents a curated collection of nearly 150 established and emerging design brands across all categories of product. This juried contemporary design showcase is curated by an independent selection committee with the following criteria in mind: original, creative and authentic product design; new and innovative use of materials; products which address and solve problems; a focus on contemporary design (as perceived by the jury); functionality; and consistent and continuous new product introductions.  Our Home Furnishings + Textiles section offers a full range of mid to high-end decorative accessories, home textiles, and furniture for both indoor to outdoor use. A comprehensive collection of hundreds of leading brands showcasing the latest trends in furniture, lighting, bedding, floor coverings, wall decor, pillows and home accessories. From traditional to contemporary the Home Furnishings + Textiles section has products to suit every style and price point.  Tabletop + Gourmet Housewares features a stunning collection of nearly 250 resources for home entertaining, gourmet kitchenware and specialty tabletop including product categories such as: glassware, serveware, dinnerware, cutlery and flatware, table linens, cookware, bakeware, kitchen gadgets, gourmet food, barware and wine accessor.

Wholesale Gifts for Innovative Retailers

Fashion Accessories, Jewelry, and Statement Pieces

The LIFESTYLE Collection at NY NOW® offers the greatest selection of Wholesale Gift. In this collection of over 1,000 companies you will find a broad spectrum of trend-setting merchandise in categories such as giftware, personal care, Fashion Accessories, and juvenile resources. NY NOW is held twice a year during the summer and winter. If you want to see great returning brands with new products as well as companies new to the Market, then visiting the LIFESTYLE Collection is a must.

Merchandising of LIFESTYLE is done in four themed sections, each offering unique product categories: Baby + Child, Gift, Personal Accessories, Personal Care + Wellness

NY NOW Summer 2019 to open Handmade and Stationery collections a Day Earlier
Summer Market responds to strong buyer demand for a dedicated day for key events

New York, NY-March 14, 2019 – Today NY NOW® announced that the Summer 2019 Market and co-located National Stationery Show® Summer 2019 edition will be opening on Saturday, an entire day earlier. The largest wholesale handmade presentation in the Americas will go to this new date pattern giving retailers the extra time they need to explore hundreds of Handmade and Stationery exhibitors that are partaking in the retail renaissance.

“NY NOW is excited to make this major date change allowing buyers to make unique and innovative product discoveries that they might not have had time for before,” said Kevin O’Keefe EVP Emerald Expositions. “The HANDMADE Collection is the largest handmade exhibition in the Americas, includes six major country groups with thousands of one-of-a-kind products that span all categories across HOME and LIFESTYLE. The National Stationery Show will present over 100 emerging artists and the very best in better stationery products. Buyers asked for a dedicated day and we are very happy to be able to make this happen.”

By adding an extra day, attendees will be exposed to more than 500 Handmade exhibitors exclusive to NY NOW’s Summer Market. The National Stationery Show joins NY NOW Summer for the first time ever and features hundreds of curated designers and producers only to be found at Retail Renaissance NY NOW.

The new show dates are as follow:

• NY NOW HANDMADE Collection – August 10, 2019 to August 13, 2019
• National Stationery Show Summer edition (co-location)- August 10, 2019 to August 13, 2019
• NY NOW LIFESTYLE and HOME Collections – August 11, 2019 to August 14, 2019
• JA New York (co-location) – Sunday, August 11, 2019 to Wednesday, August 14, 2019

About NY NOW
The summer 2019 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home, Lifestyle, Handmade + Gift, will take place August 10-14, 2019 at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW features three comprehensive collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE – that encompass tens of thousands of products in hundreds of product categories. Building on the success of the Winter Market, the National Stationery Show® will take place during the same time in the River Pavilion and for the first time, will welcome a new co-location, JA New York, on level one in halls D and E at the Javits Center. Attendees from all 50 states and nearly 70 countries worldwide are expected.

NY NOW is owned by Emerald Expositions, a leading operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States. The company currently operates more than 55 trade shows, as well as numerous other face-to-face events. In 2017, Emerald’s events connected over 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupied more than 6.9 million NSF of exhibition space.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• The official name of the market is “NY NOW.” Please do not use “NY Now,” “NYNow,” “New York Now,” “the NY Gift Show” or the “NY Gift Fair” to refer to the market.
• The NY NOW 2019 market will take place August 10-13 with staggered opening and closing dates: HANDMADE Collection: Saturday, August 10 through Tuesday, August 13, 2019; LIFESTYLE and HOME Collections open Sunday, August 11 through Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
• The National Stationery Show® will be co-located with the NY NOW summer market and will be located on the Level 4 River Pavilion in the Javits Center Saturday August 10, through Tuesday, August 13, 2019.
• JA New York will be co-located with the NY NOW summer market and will be located on on level 1 in halls 1D and 1E.

Product Launches for International Wholesale

Media Exposure is Key Advantage for Exhibitors

Looking for an international wholesale market to increase exposure to your brand and sell your products to top retailers? Want to reach retailers from across all 50 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries around the globe? Look no further than NY NOW!

Produced semi-annually in February and August at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, NY NOW showcases the very best lines across the home, lifestyle and gift spectrum.

Organized for efficiency into three carefully curated collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE – NY NOW features 2,300+ exhibitors and thousands of lines across 400+ product categories including: home furnishings, decorative accessories, candles, home textiles, tabletop, gourmet housewares/kitchenware, jewelry and fashion accessories, stationery/publishing, baby/child/tween, personal care, floral/garden/outdoor furnishings, and pet.
25,000+ independent and specialty retail buyers, interior design firms, importers, distributors and wholesalers visit NY NOW twice annually to see the latest product launches from established and emerging brands. Retailers are looking for inspiration and new brands and products for their stores. Exhibit at the market where 95% of buyers place orders based upon the products they see at NY NOW.

NY NOW delivers unparalleled exposure to 300+ members of the trade and consumer media making it the place to launch and grow your brand. With access to both complimentary and fee based marketing opportunities, NY NOW helps you find ways to support your brand’s presence at market and drive traffic to your booth.

Have additional questions, want more information? What are you waiting for? Contact our sales team today and let us help you build your brand at NY NOW!

We hope to see you this summer at NY NOW, August 10-14, 2019.

#nynow #ny_now @nynow @ny_now

9 to 12 Months Before Show
Set specific objectives for your show such as number of product sales, leads generated, publicity secured, etc.

Identify your booth space needs, along with your exhibitor resources for booth accessories, banners, marketing collateral, equipment, and promotional items.

Register and reserve your display stand space with the event sponsor and request full details on exhibit requirements.

Develop a trade show marketing plan that utilizes a mix of promotional methods to reach prospects. Your plan should be divided into three sections: 1. Pre-Show Marketing, 2. At-Show Marketing, and 3. Post-Show Marketing. Click here for more information marketing planning.

6 to 9 Months Before Show
Write a compelling sales message that gets across the key points you want to communicate at your exhibit in 30 seconds or (preferably) less. You and your staff will need to rehearse this message and use it confidently at your booth to maximize your effectiveness.

Determine your exhibit design, layout and graphics needs. You can hire a company to handle design and production or take a more hands-on approach by using web-based exhibition design software to create the look and configuration of your display before handing it over to an exhibit producer. Take your time to select an exhibit firm that meets your needs, based on capabilities, design talent, cost and delivery timing.

Along with your exhibit design, consider your lighting needs. Depending on the type of product or service you are promoting at a given trade show, illumination can play an integral role in attracting attention and/or complementing the image you want to project. For example, you may want use lighting truss to add more drama and focus to your booth area or highlight a specific product you are promoting.

Identify high-impact tradeshow giveaways and promotional strategies you will use to attract visitors to your display area.

Determine the literature and marketing materials you will need at the show – and begin design and printing work.

3 to 6 Months Before Show
Order your giveaways or promotional items.

Continue working with vendors on your display booth, exhibit items, and marketing materials. Confirm delivery dates and adherence to your trade show planning timeline.

Determine staffing requirements, develop booth schedules, and plan training sessions.

Identify how you will ship your display and other items to the show.

Begin making travel arrangements, including airfare, hotel and car rental reservations, if necessary.

Launch pre-show marketing initiatives.

1 to 3 Months Before Show

Put together follow-up packets to send immediately following the show to your leads.

Continue pre-show marketing activities

Make all travel arrangements.

Schedule staff training.

Contact event sponsor for any last minutes details.

Finalize production of booth display, promotional items, and marketing materials – and confirm shipping dates.

Finalize all travel arrangements.

Schedule dinners or other meetings to be held at the show with prospects, distributors and/or customers.

1 Week Before Show

Complete staff training.

Confirm shipping arrival dates for your booth display, promotional items and materials.

Double check that all action steps on timeline have been covered.

Follow-up Activities: 1 Day to 1 Week AFTER Show

Analyze leads, send follow-up packets, and make contact as appropriate.

Evaluate success of trade show participation compared with objectives from your trade show plan.

Review your budget compared to your actual expenses for the show. Determine your return on investment.

Make recommendation whether to participate in the same trade show next year. Include suggested changes, enhancements, and other trade show ideas.

Link to ORIGINAL ARTICLE at trade-show-advisor.com

For any small business, trade shows can provide an effective means of spreading brand awareness, getting your product out in front of a target audience and meeting with current or potential clients. But there’s much more to it than reserving your space and signing on the dotted line.

While preparing to attend any show, consider these 10 key questions to ask before exhibiting:

1. Why am I participating in this show? “There really has to be a why,” says D.J. Heckes, CEO of trade show management company Exhib-it and author of Full Brain Marketing.
People sign up for a show for a number of reasons: It can serve as a launching pad for new products or concepts, a way to build up your brand and distribution, a means of nurturing relationships or even a place to position your company for sale.

Once you nail down a clear motive that aligns with your business strategy, reach out to customers and find out if they are attending and if the show fits their timing and needs.

2. Am I organized for the show? Preparing for a show well in advance can save you both time and money.

For example, if you sign up early, you can take advantage of discounted rates, which can be considerably less than prices charged within 60 or 30 days of an event.
On the other side of the spectrum, if you are disorganized, you may incur additional costs. One instance where you might get penalized is if you forget to bring something and need to have it delivered to the show. You not only will have to pay for shipping and handling but the show may slap on hidden costs.

You can be surprised at the add-on costs if you don’t meet certain deadlines,” Heckes says. “If you follow a budget and a timeline, you won’t forget things.”

3. How much space will I need? While it’s nice to have a large footprint on a trade show floor, those who can’t afford it shouldn’t worry, says Michael Brody-Waite, CEO of InQuicker, a health-tech company focused on connecting consumers with services.

Brody-Waite’s approach is to invest in a simple booth presentation and then doing everything he can to capture contact information and follow-up with these leads after the show. For him, it is more about these meaningful connections, conversations and ability to covert prospects to actual customers than the complexity of a booth.

“The way we look at it, if we can’t have impactful conversations with a single booth space, simply adding more real estate probably isn’t the right solution,” he says.

4. Does it matter who my neighbors are? Absolutely. But how you view your neighbors is where views diverge.

Maureen Burke isn’t a fan of being placed next to a show-stopping booth. The senior account director at Nth Degree, an event marketing and management company, warns against having your small booth next to an extravagant presentation (think lots of signage and activity). This kind of placement can distract potential customers from your message and products.

“You’re not just competing against other companies who make the same product, but everyone who is exhibiting there,” she says.

However, Brody-Waite has a different perspective. He likes to secure a booth near flashier ones that will likely attract a lot of foot traffic. If another company is doing the heavy lifting to get people in a certain area, why not capitalize on it, he says.

Trade Show Countdown

*6 to 12 months out: Begin planning your budget, selecting what trade shows you will attend and booking booth space

*4 months out: Work on show objectives, obtain and exhibitor manual and source your exhibit design and production

*3 months out: Establish booth work schedule, set up any required outside suppliers and plan printed marketing materials

*6 to 8 weeks out: Check on production of display material, order product samples and literature, confirm pre-event advertising and press releases and order necessary show services

*3 to 4 weeks out: Write and mail customer invention letters, finalize VIP guest events, confirm shipping information and provide to suppliers and prepare training materials for staff for show

*1 to 2 weeks out: Collect supplies, tickets and service orders sent to show and ensure your payment system is setup and ready to accept credit cards during the event

*Day of show: Pick up badges, confirm arrival of display, equipment and literature, supervise set up and conduct pre-show briefing with outlined goals to staff

“As a young company, we can count on any number of booths having better production value than ours, even if they belong to our competitors, he says. “It’s just another opportunity to be enterprising.”

5. Should I sponsor events in conjunction with the trade show? Brody-Waite believes in attending trade shows not only as an exhibitor, but also as a sponsor or presenter, as it affords the best opportunity to inform and educate an audience.  “We keep a calendar of speaking opportunity deadlines and make sure to pitch fresh, relevant session topics every year,” he says. “Speaking and exhibiting at a trade show is the ultimate one-two punch, as it maximizes your budget to get in front of as many people as possible.”

6. Who am I targeting at the show? A show might have tens of thousands of attendees trekking through the event but participants need to figure out who specifically they are targeting and how they plan on reeling them in. Some companies get stuck on the number of people who stop by the booth, instead of looking at whether they are qualified buyers of your goods and services. “Are you looking for 1,500 basic leads or 200 well-qualified leads? Are you looking for shallow and wide exposure or narrow and deep?” Burke of Nth Degree says.  By qualifying the type of people you hope to reach, you can plan your presentation more effectively.

7. How am I going to measure my attendance and presence at the show? In addition to counting leads, it’s important to measure marketing impressions at the show. Just like you can see how many people view an ad in a magazine, you want to know how many people are viewing your marketing materials like signage on the show floor. Burke suggests working with the show organizer to get numbers.
For example, if your signage is at the front of an entrance on the west side, find out how many people entered the show floor from that door. This can help you plan for future shows and decide whether they’re worth attending.

8. Am I familiar with the host city and venue? When you’re planning to exhibit at a show, it’s important to know about the city you’re visiting, as well as the rules and regulations of the convention center, including the associated unions and contractors.  “Not only is this going to affect your budget but also how you meet deadlines,” Burke says. “Going to Orlando is totally different animal than going to San Francisco, Chicago and other union-driven convention centers.”

9. Have I backed up my presence through social media? Keeping your customers informed about your company’s activities before, during and after the trade show is crucial, Heckes of Exhib-it says. In addition to sending out a press release, you can post tweets about why people should come see you at the show. Possible incentives include a new technology, a prize drawing or a gift for stopping by.
Other relevant social media efforts can include blogging from the show floor, making regular updates on Facebook and posting videos of customers visiting your booth on your website.

10. Do I have a post-show plan? It takes a lot of money to plan and exhibit at a show. Don’t let all your effort go to the wayside by not being active after the event is over. In this competitive world, if you don’t respond to leads within two or three days, your competitors will,” Heckes says She recommends having a sound plan for following up with people immediately after the show is over. If you have an app where you can send out information in real time at the event, all the better.

“If you wait two or three weeks, you’ve missed your window,” Heckes says.

Written by Lisa Girard – Link to Original Article – www.entrepreneur.com – Questions to Ask When Preparing for a Trade Show

5 Tips to Grow Your Small Business Through Trade Shows

Whether you like it or not, eventually it will be necessary for you to take your small business on the road to do the whole “dog and pony” show at a major trade show.

The benefits? Reaching a huge new audience in the span of a few days, meeting new partners, connecting with a new client base, generating new ideas.

The disadvantages? If you’re not strategic about it, trade shows can be financially crippling, physically exhausting, and potentially a huge waste of time. So here are a few productive tips specifically for small business owners who are thinking about hitting the trade show circuit.

DO YOUR RESEARCH
Before you commit to any particular trade show, do your research. Go as an attendee and make sure that the show is all it’s cracked up to be before committing to becoming an exhibitor.

There are an increasing number of green business trade shows out there, so be sure to do your due diligence and make sure that the show is reaching the right audience for your business. There are great resource sites out there to help in the research phase.

PLAN AHEAD
Taking the show on the road is not something that is open to improvisation. Know exactly what you’re going to be showing, what products you want to showcase, and which new initiatives you want to push. Only the clearest of messages can be heard or discerned from the cacophony of a crowded show floor.

Deciding this early will also help you mount a clear PR campaign in advance of the show. You cannot always rely on the show’s internal PR engine to promote your brand, so the earlier you lay out your own game plan, the earlier you can start telling people about it. Logistically speaking, the more details you have nailed down before show, the less money you’ll spend on last minute expenses (such as drayage, transportation, etc.).

PARTNER UP
Since prime booth space can be costly, think about potential partnerships with like-minded brands. At the recent Dwell on Design show in Los Angeles, Inhabitat partnered with local design gallery TOUCH to create a pop-up eco gallery and shop, making the most of TOUCH’s experience curating and designing compelling booth space and relying on the blog’s wide reach to draw an audience.

Likewise, retail brand Gilt Groupe partnered with French luxury furniture brand Ligne Roset to create a sexy and sleek co-branded space, each gaining brand recognition through association. Two brands can be better than one, if both are getting something out of the experience.

BE CREATIVE
Designing a compelling booth space is actually a fine art. Besides showcasing your product or service, a booth space should be visually attractive and completely understandable at the same time.

That said, it’s possible to create a compelling booth on a budget. For example, TOUCH was able to use simple recycled materials, essentially painted cardboard boxes, to create an elegant pop-up shop and gallery for the Inhabitat booth at Dwell on Design. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but you need to think of your booth space as a blank canvas. Don’t scribble on it. Make sure to paint a masterpiece.

ENLIST VOLUNTEERS
You’ll always need more people than you think to mount a successful trade show campaign. You can’t be in five places at the same time, so be prepared to enlist friends, family, employees, and volunteers to help you cover all the bases. You’ll be thankful to have extra hands. This is not the place to cut corners.

AVOID THE SCHWAG TRAP
Press rooms are pointless. Don’t bother printing collateral for journalists who most likely will not want to schlep a bag of press kits around with them on the show floor. It’s time to go electronic.

Don’t give away useless schwag that will only end up in the nearest trash can. Rather than giving, you should be taking. Collecting, that is. Think up creative ways to collect e-mail addresses, business cards, and other information so you walk away with a way to keep in contact with the people you’ve met at the show.

If you’re going to give anything away, make it something substantial and meaningful. If you’re running a green business, the days of schwag are past.

Haily Zaki – Contributing Editor, Inhabitat.com, Inhabitat

Credit to American Express, link to original article

Industry events can either be small, intimate, and local, or they can be international huge events, but in either case, preparing for your industry events is similar, and we’ve developed 6 tips to help you make the most of your industry trade shows and conferences.

1. Plan early.

Most events know their dates at least a year in advance if not more. In order to get the best deals on both attending and exhibiting fees, plan early. The earlier you plan, the better rates you will receive. Additionally, when you plan early, you have time to get all of your promotional and collateral materials designed and planned, and you’re not stressing yourself over small things closer to the conference or trade show dates.
Planning early also gives you time to focus on your outbound marketing efforts. Start making lists of leads and companies and/or individuals who are in your target market of fall into the category of products and services you’re looking to fulfill, planning your meetings in advance means that face to face time is maximized by being prepared for a meaningful conversation.

2. Announce your attendance.

It may seem insignificant, but announcing your attendance through a basic press release over a newswire can help temporarily boost your SEO, and it can also catch the eye of local media. This tactic is especially helpful if your business operates in a small community, and you’re traveling to represent your company and inherently your city. Additionally, if you can put a unique angle on the reason for your attendance, and why you’re the best fit for the job, that makes for a great news story.

3. Commission a study and release findings at the event.

What’s trending in your industry? This is an opportunity to establish yourself as an industry thought leader. Again, it is important to plan early so you can gather information as well as develop and design how it will be presented either in a brochure or one sheet. If you do undertake this kind of project, make it relate back to your target market, and show them how your product or service is the solution to the problems you found in your study. Also, note that it doesn’t have to be very intensive, it just needs to be relevant information that they can take away for free.

4. Host an event with a personal approach.

While it’s possible to make great connections during conference hours, typically the best contacts are made after hours. Many industry events have cocktail hours, or social events after hours, but if not, or even if they do, a nice way to stand out from your competitors and get quality face time with your best prospects is to host an after hours event like a sit down dinner. Offer the meal to your prospects free of charge, and then provide them with a low-pressure pitch/informational session at dinner. If you think about the marketing dollars you spend to capture their attention through advertising, paying for a small intimate dinner with their captive attention seems like a no-brainer.

5. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers.

Whether you are attending or exhibiting, approaching a perfect stranger can be uncomfortable. Just remember that many people at trade shows are there alone, and will gladly welcome a friendly smile and warm conversation. You never know who you may open up your world to when you strike up a conversation or invite someone to share your table at lunch. Trade show settings can be hectic and intimidating, so don’t be afraid to initiate the conversation.

6. Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.

You went to the conference and you made tons of new contacts, don’t let your excursion away from the office be wasted time and money. Following up with all of your new leads is imperative. The best approach is to segment your contacts in groups by order of importance, and start with the most important, and then send brief thank yous and reminders of your encounter to people who you’re simply storing in your Rolodex just in case.

Link to Original Article – www.entrepreneur.com – Written by Heather Wied, marketing director, Pubsoft. 

So you know you need to attend a trade show. You know it is essential to grow your business and bring in more sales. You also know that trade shows can become very costly and be a financial burden. But it doesn’t have to be.

If you would like to bring in the money without breaking the bank, consider cutting cost with these simple steps:

Typically trade shows offer lower prices for early registration. Try to establish a marketing plan early in the year and target the trade shows you would like to attend. Make sure to sign up right when registrations opens to get the best rates. This can also apply to ordering supplies for your booth as well as booking a hotel. The sooner you order things such as tables or chairs and book your stay, the more money you will save.

Plan for shipping

Now that you are signed up for the trade show and have your living accommodations set, it is time to plan for shipping. Gather everything you want to take that is essential to the show and you cannot purchase while there. This typically includes products, electronics and expensive display items such as signs or back drops. Since you have established where you are staying, ship to the local FedEx office via their “Hold at Location” service and pick up the products once you arrive. By purchasing your own foldable dolly’s at stores like Home Depot and bringing the boxes in yourself, you can save thousands of dollars on labor and set up fees.

Avoid going crazy with booth display

Booth displays can cost thousands of dollars and many times are not necessary. You can create a consumer-friendly booth by incorporating a few things. Order some high-rise tables that will display what you are selling. Invest in table cloths that can cover the tables, and an eye-catching sign that will draw people’s attention. You can also cut down on costs by going to the local Lowes or Home Depot to buy display items that will help showcase your products and return them once the show is over. If you believe in your product, there is no need to spend an insane amount of money on a booth display, let your product speak for itself.

Go local with marketing collateral

If you plan on having catalogs or brochures at your booth, you can easily cut down on costs by hiring a local printer. By hiring a local printer near the trade show, this allows you to save on the shipping cost it would take to send heavy paper to the trade show. Many shows now offer scanners but this can become very costly to gather leads.

Before attending the show, research and download some free apps that make gathering leads easy and cheap. Another big idea that companies have to draw attention to their booth is giveaway items. Now giveaway items are extremely effective at bringing people to your booth, but the key is to give away something that will make people remember what you were selling in the first place.

For example, many booths have now started serving beer. These booths tend to gather hundreds of people for their “free happy hour.” Foot traffic around your booth is great, however, if you were to ask someone a day or two later what you were selling, the majority of them would say they have no idea. It is essential for you to have a giveaway item that is cost effective, popular and also relates to what you are selling.

Get friends and family involved

Many times companies have their employees leave to go work trade show booths, which can be very costly. You are paying for their salary, flight, hotel and food. Plus, they are not in the office working. You can really cut down on costs by asking local friends and family to help out with the shows. By asking for assistance, it allows you to save money and keep your business running while you are gone.

Trade shows are not going anywhere, they are essential for many businesses to keep going, but they do not have to put a hole in your wallet. By incorporating a few of the above steps you are guaranteed to have a successful trade show while saving thousands of dollars!

Jason Lucash
Guest Writer
Co-founder of OrigAudio

Link to Original Article at www.entrepreneur.com – How to Prepare for a Trade Show Without Breaking the Bank

Blending digital networking with face to face meetings can deliver extended conversations and strengthened relationships. Here are some tips on how to get it right.
Live events have a challenge. Drawing the same volume of attendees as in previous years is now taking more effort than it used to. There is a plethora of experiences and content competing for the prospective participants’ attention. Committed as we are to the unsurpassable value of face to face meetings, the fact remains that event organizers have to work harder and smarter at convincing busy professionals and entrepreneurs to engage with them.

One excellent means of delivering on your event’s promise is to use pre-show and post-show matchmaking and recommendations to connect attendees and exhibitors before, during the event.

Setting the Stage for Successful Networking
Here are some essential ingredients that come together to not just save your team considerable time and effort, but also make it easier for your event participants to explore viable networking opportunities.

1. Intelligent Matchmaking
Just matching buyers and sellers on demographics and product categories is not sufficient anymore. Demographics are not always reliable or fully updated, and identifying suitable suppliers from one long list isn’t always easy. This kind of matchmaking needs to be supplemented with automatic behavior and action-based matchmaking. Delivering a list of attendees who have directly or indirectly indicated an interest in an exhibitor’s products and services can make it easier for exhibitors to start networking with interested buyers, thus boosting their ROI. Similarly, showing recommended suppliers based on an attendee’s past searches, page visits and planner activity can save them considerable time, and impress them with the value your event is delivering to them.

2. Simplified Scheduling
Numerous user interface interaction studies have revealed the power of ease of use in boosting task completion. Attendees should be able to request and accept appointments with the click of a button, on any device of their choice and from anywhere in the world. Complicated navigation, interfaces and approval processes can negatively affect their experience and discourage them from using the resources provided to them. On the other hand, a digital solution that’s responsive and adaptive, and built on strong usability principles, can significantly boost engagement by encouraging attendees to explore and engage more with the exhibitors’ content.

3. Deeper User-Generated Content
Just providing easy-to-use scheduling features can boost networking but not sustain it. To keep buyers coming back and stay engaged with your event’s brand, show organizers need to leverage the power of user-generated content. Rich content in exhibitor eBooth listings acts like a digital storefront for attendees, who find value in exploring exhibitors’ products, videos, show specials and press releases to learn as much about them in advance as possible. This has an indirect but deep impact in the quality of business networking that your event can deliver to attendees.

4. Deeper Education and Promotion
It’s imperative to inform and update your event participants on the matchmaking and networking resources available to them. Education is necessary not just for the first timers, but for all participants. Even seasoned veterans may need to be made aware of the capabilities and advantages of a new technology or process. Using every means of communication possible, on every popular channel available, show organizers can considerably increase the adoption and usage of their networking features.

5. Designated Spaces
Trying to stay focused and network successfully in a busy and crowded booth is not always conducive. Other attendees may try to vie for your attention or other conversations may make it harder to listen to questions and answer them correctly. To facilitate productive networking, expo and meeting organizers should consider creating designated meeting zones where the participants can meet at the appointed time and concentrate exclusively on fruitful introductions and conversations. This is especially true if your event is organizing a hosted buyer or speed networking program, which require intensive concentration and participation for each meeting.
In Conclusion

To create more value for your attendees and exhibitors, and to keep bringing them, show organizers should focus on delivering a high-quality networking experience. By automating processes, using intelligent matchmaking and focusing on adoption, eventprofs can significantly strengthen the value proposition of their event, making it the centralized hub that draws the entire industry to it, year after year.

September 1, 2016
Event Technology By a2z, Inc.
This is a sponsored post written by Nishita Jain, Sr. Digital Marketing Director, a2z. More information about Event Manager Blog’s sponsored posts.

5 Trade Show Secrets for Networking Success

As your business grows, the focus shifts from building the product to positioning it within the market. Exhibiting at a trade show is a natural next step in building visibility and credibility as a company. It also provides you with the opportunity to showcase your product and the chance to network with qualified prospects.

That very question – whether trade shows provide enough ROI to offset the costs, both monetary and time-wise – is the main concern for most companies thinking of exhibiting. Setting clear expectations and goals for what you want out of the experience will help you evaluate your success after the event. Whether it’s the number and quality of generated leads or the overall impact of your presence and branding, define your metrics to keep your team focused and your investment worthwhile.

Despite my initial concerns, exhibiting at Shop.org turned out to be a valuable experience. Here are 7 key takeaways from our first trade show as an exhibitor:

1. The opportunities are strong…

Trade show organizers are quick to extol the benefits of networking and gaining face time with prospective clients. They’re not wrong: not only are trade shows pre-screened with people who are willing to pay to attend, attendees go into the event ready to speak to vendors and exhibitors. What’s more, 81% of trade show goers have buying authority, which makes the interactions even more valuable. Make sure to research the trade show and its attendee list so you can leverage those opportunities to the fullest.

2. …But be prepared to work for attention.

It can be hard to see beyond the walls of your own booth space as you gear up for the event. Your team will be focused on the details, so make sure you take a step back to think big picture. Don’t forget that your booth, no matter the size, is just one of hundreds – and that all the exhibitors there have similar goals. Realizing this before you get to the event will help you guide your team on ways to stand out from the crowd.

     3.    Rely on creativity over gimmicks and giveaways.

Big-ticket raffles are part of the trade show experience, but don’t rely on gimmicks and giveaways to generate traffic. Instead, trust your team’s ideas and let them get creative. When a team member suggested Nerf guns and a laminated target as a way to engage passerby, I was skeptical. It turned out to be an irresistible challenge for most attendees who walked by, and was by far our most effective way of getting people to speak with us.

4. Build relationships over giving the hard sell.

It’s easy to slip into sales mode when speaking to attendees, but keep in mind that they’re inundated with pitches throughout the conference. By having my team focus on building relationships instead, we were able to nurture quality leads into real contacts. Use the opportunity to start a genuine conversation with the prospective client, which will last longer and yield more results than a sales pitch.

5. Figure out what works – and what doesn’t.

Trade shows offer a unique chance to receive instant feedback from attendees – and pivot accordingly. For example, at Shop.org, we found that our market was flooded with similar messaging. Attendees said they couldn’t tell apart several different companies who all used the same rehearsed terminology. My team responded by avoiding buzzwords while explaining how we differ from our competitors. Be prepared to roll with the punches – how well and quickly you’re able to adjust can give you the edge when it comes to capturing that lead.

6. Capitalize on the event by hosting your own.

Attendees are usually from out of town, and welcome the chance to mingle after hours. Using the conference as a platform for your own event will give you more opportunities to network with prospects – as well as keep you memorable to the attendees who stopped by. Our invite-only executive mixer at a local Seattle hotspot was a success due to effective planning: by building the attendee list with key contacts early on, we were able to keep the event exclusive and high-level, which boosted our credibility.

Jerry Jao

Link to original article

1. It’s expensive to attend but incredibly valuable market testing. For $5000 (booth, banner, postcards, t-shirts, and travel accommodations) I had four full days of exposure to 35,000 retail buyers from around the country and across the globe! I quickly learned that my product (Dust Panda) was not fully formed yet. I was sad to learn that I would not be recouping the cost of the show, but I realized that this was the perfect place to solicit feedback from the retail industry’s front line.
2. Buyers aren’t the only ones who attend these shows. Many business consultants, product developers, and national representatives come to the show looking for new products or lines to promote. For someone looking for national distribution, finding a rep at one of these shows could make all the difference. Keep in mind that every relationship will likely come with a price, but there are people out there who can help spread the word, and who will often work on commission or shared profits.
3. Network! Network! Network! Buyers and agents aren’t the only ones willing to help! There are thousands of exhibitors at these shows looking to connect with like-minded individuals and are willing to talk for free. Many of the distributors and manufacturers I spoke with were solo designers/artists, eager to share their experiences about what it took to get to where they are. Not only did I meet amazing people with incredible ideas, but they were more than happy to provide feedback about how to make my product better and share their tricks of the trade.
4. Product development is costly, time-intensive, and rarely pays off. Speaking to a product launcher, who was at the show selling his über-successful kids accessory item, he said that he has launched 15 products in 10 years, only three of which have hit it big. Four out of five of his products have failed. And he’s one of the successful ones! Another designer I spoke with has been seeing moderate success with his novelty Valentine’s Day teddy bear which he has been manufacturing and selling for 10 years. It pays the bills, but his product has yet to go mainstream, and therefore he spends his nights and weekends sewing and silkscreening satin heart pillows. Every night. For a decade. Get ready to go into it for the long haul.
5. Think Marathon not 100m Dash. Most of the developers I met at the show have been doing this on average for five years. Some broke even by year three. Hardly any were profitable before year five. When polled, most designers sunk anywhere from $25,000-$150,000 into a product line before seeing returns! Just creating a plastic mold costs $10,000 in the US. Perhaps less overseas, but then you’re working with a middleman (not for free), you have to import your goods, and you’re dealing with massive order quantities.
6. Consider attending with a collective. Paying for a 10×10 booth all for myself was important to me before attending, but next year I will try attending the show with a group. Having the purchasing power for a larger space allows for more flexibility and also spreads the cost across a group.
7. Not every exhibitor knows what they’re doing. I certainly didn’t! Then it became clear to me that there were numerous exhibitors trying to sell ill-conceived products with no clear road to profitability. Some had already sunk $50,000 into inventory and had yet to come up with a way to sell their products, and had not done any market testing!
8. Consider exhibiting at a trade show before going to production. It’s weird attending a show with three prototypes and no inventory, but it cost less than buying the inventory and I’m glad I exhibited first. My product will be better when I do go to production, and I learned a lot about the art of exhibiting which I’m glad I learned before trying to seriously market my product. When I told fellow exhibitors that I hadn’t “gone to press” yet, many of them were jealous! I am grateful that I waited to print my first batch of products since I realize now that I’m only half way there.
9. Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, and know when to walk away. It’s important to accept that our brilliant ideas may not make for brilliantly successful products. Knowing when to quit is just as important as knowing when to persevere, and you can save yourself a lot of time and tens of thousands of dollars by quitting while you’re ahead. I have not internalized this lesson quite yet, but it’s out there. For now, I’m thrilled to continue developing Dust Panda given the overwhelmingly positive response and the experience I had at the gift show.

Link to original article

Entrepreneurs Aug 28, 2013 @ 11:59 PM

Kate Harrison

4 Ways to Optimize Every Exchange in Your Booth

Every trade show exhibitor knows that a compelling yet informative trade show display is a must for events. While this is an important factor for your events, there are other factors that play a big role in your exhibiting success. The following tips will help you make the most of every interaction in your booth.

1. Train Your Staff to Engage With Customers, Not Pitch to Them

Although booth staff wardrobe and a well-rested and energize team is important, the interactions are what matters most. It’s not what they will wear, but what they will say, to potential clients and leads. While the goal of exhibiting is often to generate sales, pitching what you can offer before engaging and listening to the needs of an attendee makes for a very poor impression. Train your staff on how to effectively engage and converse with attendees and how to focus on the relationship rather than a sales pitch. This will optimize every exchange that happens in your booth and will most likely lead to better leads.

2. Notice Body Language

Posture and overall body language will either invite or deter attendees from your booth before you probably have a chance to say anything. Work with your booth staff and remind them of the importance of body language and nonverbal communication. Engage attendees by smiling, standing instead of sitting, and keep your arms unfolded. Practice with them as needed, so they understand how to appear inviting and welcoming to ensure that guests won’t feel overwhelmed or a burden when entering your space.

3. Refrain from Pitching too Soon

Leading with a product pitch is a sure way to turn attendees off and lose your business fast. Skilled salespeople understand how to have a genuine conversation that casually pinpoints important information (such as prospective client’s needs/interests) in an organic way. Work with them to refrain from having too many yes or no questions and instead help them rely on open-ended questions that keep the conversation moving while they effectively qualify visiting attendees. Listen to the client first, then talk about how you can help.

4. Deliver a Solid Product Demonstration

Even the best opening dialogue will quickly unravel if your team doesn’t know how to deliver a confident product demonstration. It’s important to work with your staff so that each member knows how to demo your product or service accurately. Don’t just focus on the presentation part of the demonstration; work with each individual employee to ensure that he or she understands the many features offered by the product being demoed. Giving them ample time to practice will not only ensure that their demonstration proceeds without a hitch, but that they are prepared to answer any questions posed by their live audience.

Created by Skyline – Link to original article: http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/4-ways-to-optimize-every-exchange-in-your-booth/

JAVITS MAKEOVER – $1.5B EXPANSION PLANNED FOR CENTER

Link to original article

6 Ways to Create a Better Exhibiting Experience

When you exhibit at a trade show, you are not only competing with your competitors, you are competing against every single exhibitor. So, how do you stand out?

Many companies use the same tactics to attract attention – lead retrieval units, models, interactive activities, etc.  But, there are smarter ways to approach trade shows that will make you stand out from everyone else, and leave a lasting impression on the mind of visitors.

#1 Ask open ended questions and break the ice. Attendees often walk the trade show floor with wandering eyes and thoughts. Your goal is to engage prospective clients. If attendees are approached aggressively, they tend to be annoyed or feel defensive and leave. If they’re ignored, that is even worse. You never know who is passing you by—that person could be a big decision-maker. To engage prospects, ask a non-threatening question like, “What are you hoping to get out of the show?”

#2 Plan ahead. Before attending the show, take an afternoon to go over key strategy and main points with your staff. Be sure they each have a unique 30-second elevator speech prepared that highlights your product or company energetically but non-aggressively. Remember though, don’t give this pitch until you have something that the prospect could actually need.

#3 A first impression will be a lasting one. Try and do something different than the average trade show exhibitor. Whether that means constructing unique signage and going beyond industry or branded color schemes, or hosting unique interactive activities or demos in your booth, don’t be afraid to be bold.  Give attendees something they won’t be able to resist as they walk by.

#4 Intensify your product displays. If you are highlighting a product in your booth, make it noticeable. Use lighting and place it in a location at a different height from your marketing materials. Attendees are at the show to see what you’re offering, so get their attention. If you are featuring a particular product or item, make sure you bring more than one to the show. Anything can happen in transit or even on the show floor.

#5 Make an action plan for follow up. Plan your method for following up prior to the show and make it easy for your booth staffers. Digital scanners are often used as well as tracking or customized apps for lead generation. But, if additional details are not captured, that lead will not be qualified.  Write any pertinent information and what you promised the client in your lead notes. Things like, “follow up immediately with phone call” or “requested product brochure and wants pricing” so that your sales reps know exactly what the customer was promised. Be sure to record any information that will assist you or your sales team in prompt and detailed follow up after the show.

#6 If you’re not using social media, you are missing out. Create a hashtag for your presence and give followers and attendees compelling reasons why they’d want to come visit your booth. Maybe you are offering a special giveaway, a new product announcement, or even the opportunity to be the first to have access to new data. Make your posts personal, and engage with your followers one-on-one. Promo or teaser videos or even pictures of planning and set up are enticing to followers. Be sure to promote your hashtag during the show, or use the event’s hashtag if one is available.

A successful trade show is dependent upon proper planning, execution and follow-up.  Even more important is the positive attitudes and communication among your booth staff.  Give your attendees something to remember, and if they have fun doing it, you are sure to be a success!

By Skyline – Original Article Link – http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/6-ways-to-create-a-better-exhibiting-experience/

Everything Awesome You Missed at NYNOW

As summer winds down, NY Now marks an opportunity for exhibitors both to show off what they’ve been working on since design week and to ease back into the swing of things as buyers place orders in anticipation of the holiday season. Last week, from August 16–19, the latest edition of the biannual tradeshow at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center saw a mix of designers, brands, and manufacturers, including a number of our longtime favorites alongside a few up-and-comers.

The standouts continue to explore the tactility of materials in new and interesting ways, typically with a pared-down aesthetic—geometric, sculptural, or both—that emphasizes form and function alike. Beyond Tom Dixon‘s glistening booth, copper and brass remain popular and versatile in the hands of London-based Beyond Object, who exhibited the newly available Desktop Collection, and Christopher Gentner, whose Chicago-made brass products were among the noteworthy debuts. His counterpart Felicia Ferrone had a similarly strong showing, with new lighting, sconces, and glassware.

Meanwhile, Iittala‘s new art collaborations (with Markku Salu, Anu Penttinen, and Aalto+Aalto) nicely complemented its imminently affordable tableware, showcasing the Finnish brand’s longstanding expertise in glass craftsmanship. Scandinavian kitchenware mainstay Stelton unveiled the handsome new Horizon design for Bernadotte & Kylberg’s Stockholm collection of cold-enamel-and-aluminum vessels.

Best known for their cast-concrete stools and ceramics, Brooklyn’s Souda has expanded their material palette to include marble, in the form of a new mirror and a mix-and-match tray. Similarly, Rebecca Finell has quickly made a name for herself following the launch of her eponymous brand, Finell, at NY Now in January 2014. From the debut collection of tableware to the origami-like bags, the Austin, Texas-based designer continues to evolve with the launch of the new stacking dinnerware, made from a blend of porcelain and bone china.

And among the countless coasters and trivets—understandably popular among independent designers—the ceramic mug+coaster by another Texas-based designer stood out. Best known for his “shoe pots,” Wyatt Little was  one of the dozens of talented young designers in the jam-packed American Design Club booth; his new accordion-like coasters are paired with mugs with the same shape on the bottom such that they mesh together (either can be used on its own).

Trade Shows & Conventions – In New York – NYC NY Javits

Planning to host or attend a convention or trade show in New York City? Partner with The Displayers to ensure you make the most of the opportunity.

Contact Us | Phone: 212-620-5555

The Displayers business is to help businesses make great first impressions at trade show events. If you are planning to attend one of the many shows in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, or other cities let us help you with:

Design of your trade show booth

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Rental of furniture, lighting and electronics

Management of onsite services

Shipping and exhibit storage when you are finished with your show.

The Displayers has many years of experience setting up at the Javits Convention Center, Piers, Hilton Hotel, Grand Central, Manhattan Pavilion and many other meeting locations in NYC.

New York Trade Shows Booth Rentals

The Displayers specialize in custom rentals unique and designed to fit your specific needs, that include all types and sizes, from table tops and 10x10s to island displays. Graphics and signage that include your logo, branding and marketing messages. Additions include flooring, hanging signs, kiosks, counters and much more.

Additionally we can provide management of all trade show services, including shipping and local warehouse services.

Contact us and learn more about our exhibit rentals today!

Trade Shows Shipping & Storage

We can assist you from inception of design, through the event and to storage of your trade show display.

Contact us today to discuss your needs for trade show displays or rental trade show exhibit solutions for your upcoming trade show in New York.

New York Trade Shows, Conventions & Expos

The Gilt City New York Warehouse Sale

Friday, April 24^th: 7pm-11:30pm & Saturday, April 25^th: 9am-9pm …

International Contemporary Furniture Fair ▪ May 16, 2015 – May 19, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.icff.com/
	SURTEX ▪ May 17, 2015 – May 19, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.surtex.com
	National Stationery Show ▪ May 17, 2015 – May 20, 2015 National Stationery Show[ read more…] http://www.nationalstationeryshow.com
	New York City Plumbing and Fire Protection Expo ▪ May 21, 2015 – May 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://aspenyc.org/newsletters/2015_NYC_PLUMBING%20_AND_FIRE%20_PROTECTION_EXPOSITION_EXHIBITOR_INFO
	Market New York Expo ▪ May 21, 2015 – May 21, 2015 Market New York[ read more…] http://www.marketnewyorkexpo.com
	FIT 2015 Commencement Exercises ▪ May 21, 2015 – May 21, 2015 [ read more…] https://www.fitnyc.edu/3649.asp
	The New School 2015 Commencement ▪ May 22, 2015 – May 22, 2015 The New School 2015 Commencement[ read more…] http://www.newschool.edu/commencement/
	Book Expo America ▪ May 27, 2015 – May 29, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/
	BookCon ▪ May 30, 2015 – May 31, 2015 BookCon[ read more…] http://www.thebookcon.com
	Small Business Expo ▪ June 4, 2015 – June 4, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.thesmallbusinessexpo.com/new-york/
	Cloud Computing Expo 2015 ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.cloudcomputingexpo.com/
	Automation Technology East ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://atxeast.designnews.com/

EASTPACK ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 EASTPACK[ read more…] http://eastpack.packagingdigest.com/
	Atlantic Design & Manufacturing ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://atlantic-design-manufacturing.designnews.com/
	PLASTEC EAST ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 PLASTEC EAST[ read more…] http://plastec-east.plasticstoday.com/
	HBA Global ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://hbaglobal.packagingdigest.com/
	Pharmapack North America ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://pharmapackna.pmpnews.com//
	Quality Expo ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.canontradeshows.com/expo/quality_shows/
	MD&M East ▪ June 9, 2015 – June 11, 2015 MDM East[ read more…] http://mdmeast.mddionline.com/
	Metropolitan College of New York 2015 Commencement Ceremony ▪ June 13, 2015 – June 13, 2015 2015 MCNY Commencement Ceremony[ read more…] http://www.mcny.edu/student_serv/graduation.php
	Salesforce ▪ June 16, 2015 – June 18, 2015 Salesforce[ read more…] http://www.salesforce.com/events/
	Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo ▪ June 17, 2015 – June 19, 2015 Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo[ read more…] http://www.cwcbexpo.com/
	International Franchise Expo ▪ June 18, 2015 – June 20, 2015 INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE EXPO[ read more…] http://www.ifeinfo.com/
	TCI 2015 Commencement ▪ June 23, 2015 – June 23, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.tcicollege.edu/graduation-june-2015

	Summer Fancy Food Show ▪ June 28, 2015 – June 30, 2015 [ read more…] https://www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events/summer-fancy-food-show/
	Law Review Course ▪ July 7, 2015 – July 7, 2015 BARBRI Law Review Course[ read more…] http://www.barbri.com/bar-review-course/
	Amazon Web Services User Summit ▪ July 8, 2015 – July 10, 2015 [ read more…] http://aws.amazon.com/summits/
	AMMA TOUR ▪ July 12, 2015 – July 15, 2015 [ read more…] http://amma.org/
	Fast Wearable Technology ▪ July 13, 2015 – July 15, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.wearabletechworld.com/conference/newyork/
	The Voice Auditions ▪ July 18, 2015 – July 19, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.nbcthevoice.com/auditions/opencalldates
	MRket ▪ July 19, 2015 – July 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.mrketshow.com/
	Vanguards Gallery ▪ July 19, 2015 – July 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.mrketshow.com/vanguards-gallery/
	PROJECT ▪ July 19, 2015 – July 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.magiconline.com/project-new-york
	AGENDA ▪ July 20, 2015 – July 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.agendashow.com/New-York/
	TEXWORLD USA ▪ July 21, 2015 – July 23, 2015 TEXWORLD USA[ read more…] http://texworldusa.us.messefrankfurt.com/newyork/en/for-attendees/welcome.html
	International Apparel Sourcing Show ▪ July 21, 2015 – July 23, 2015 International Apparel Sourcing Show[ read more…] http://apparelsourcingshow.us.messefrankfurt.com/newyork/en/for-attendees/welcome.html

Fashion 2 Go ▪ August 2, 2015 – August 4, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.fameshows.com/
	NY NOW The Market for Home & Lifestyle ▪ August 15, 2015 – August 19, 2015 NY NOW[ read more…] http://www.nynow.com/
	The Rug Show 2015 ▪ August 30, 2015 – September 2, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.therugshow.com/
	Canon Expo ▪ September 9, 2015 – September 11, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.canon.com/
	Rosh Hashanah Services ▪ September 13, 2015 – September 15, 2015 [ read more…] https://cbst.org/
	Coterie ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.enkshows.com/coterie/
	Sole Commerce ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.enkshows.com/sole/
	Accessories The Show ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.accessoriestheshow.com/
	MODA ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 MODA[ read more…] http://www.modamanhattan.com/
	FAME ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 FAME[ read more…] http://www.fameshows.com/
	EDIT ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.editshows.com/
	STITCH ▪ September 19, 2015 – September 21, 2015 [ read more…] http://www.stitchshows.com/show-calendar/

PRESS RELEASE:  JURIED SECTIONS AT NY NOW WELCOME NEW EXHIBITORS
Accent on Design & Handmade Designer Maker Accept 65+ Applicants

WHITE PLAINS, NY, May 1, 2015… An eclectic mix of applicants, representing a broad spectrum of design and lifestyle categories, has passed a stringent review process to be accepted into two juried sections – Accent on Design® and Handmade® Designer Maker – at the summer 2015 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, to be held August 15-19, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

”NY NOW sets the industry standard for contemporary and artisanal design and functionality, and these juried sections offer buyers the ‘best of the best’ in home and lifestyle products,” said Randi Mohr, NY NOW co-director and vice president, “These carefully curated sections showcase established and renowned designers and artisans alongside a bevy of emerging talents.”

Accent on Design 
From 150 applicants, Accent on Design has accepted 23 cutting edge designers based on creativity in design; innovative use of materials, functionality and a commitment to new creations in contemporary design. In addition to perennially popular categories such as lighting, tableware and home decor, designers of some unusual products – Bluetooth speakers, sustainable tableware, wooden watches and toothbrushes – are represented among the diverse mix of new acceptances for the summer 2015 edition.

Applicants recommended by the Accent on Design Selection Committee for the summer 2015 Market include: Analog Watch Co. (wooden watches); Archive & BTW Ceramics (pillows and ceramics); AWN (home organization accessories); Brave Space Design x Timberline Jewelry (handcrafted furniture and jewelry); Color Cord Company (lighting); Danica (kitchen textiles and accessories); Field (office accessories); From the Bay and Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (home furnishings and accessories); Gramovox (Bluetooth speakers); Haoshi Design (clocks); LSTN (technology accessories); Louise Gray (home textiles); Nate Cotterman Glass (blown glass); Noble Goods (handcrafted home objects); NOON by Jane Palmer (home textiles); Pigeon Toe Ceramics (modern home accessories); ROCOCO (handcrafted decorative accessories); Sasha Nicholas, (tableware); Talini, LLC (home textiles); The Goodwell Company (toothbrush); W & P Design LLC (barware); WASARA Company Ltd. (sustainable tableware); and wrk-shp (home and personal accessories).

Presented as part of NY NOW’s HOME Collection, Accent on Design showcases some 150 exhibitors from Sunday, August 16, through Wednesday, August 19, on Level Three of the Javits Center.

Handmade Designer Maker
The Handmade Designer Maker jury accepted 42 artisans, from 151 applicants for the summer 2015 edition, based on the quality of craftsmanship, limited production and a developed line of unique and original work.  Accepted artisans present a mix of home and lifestyle products with representation from all media – wood, metal, fiber, glass, leather, ceramics, and more.

Applicants accepted for Handmade Designer Maker include: A Summer Afternoon (wooden toys); Aili (jewelry); Artifact Bag Co. (waxed canvas and leather bags); Blair Lauren Brown Jewelry (jewelry); Broken Plates (glass jewelry); Diana Mitchell (jewelry); fail (jewelry and home decor); Few Bits (furnishings and home décor); Fundacion Eduardo F. Costantini – Tienda Malba (decorative accessories, jewelry, tabletop); HAWKHOUSE (jewelry); Holly Aiken Bags (bags); Hokanson Dix Glass (blown-glass vessels); Home Thrown (ceramic tableware); Impressed by Nature (jewelry); Jackie Sedlock Pottery (stoneware clay tableware); Jay Teske Leather Co. (leather goods); Jill’s Metal (serving pieces); Jr Meyer Lighting (lighting); Judy Jackson Stoneware (stoneware clay tableware); Julie Cohn Design (jewelry); June & December (paper, textile and gift products); Little Low Studio (stationery and gift products); Ludviks Designs (sculptural jewelry); Nick Moen Studios (porcelain tableware); ORISHIBORI (home decor); Patch Design Studio (handprinted textiles); PERFECTO Glass Jewelry (glass jewelry); Petra Class (jewelry); Phil Gautreau Wood Design LLC (contemporary wood furnishings and accessories); Ray Griffiths Inc. (jewelry); Redraven studios (porcelain keepsakes); Sekoya Originals (home decor); Snuggly Ugly Inc. (dolls, room decor, accessories); Stacey Lee Webber (jewelry and accessories); SwitchWood (wooden bow ties); Sword + Fern (jewelry); Tap by Todd Pownell (jewelry); Tura Sugden (jewelry); Uncommon Threads (jewelry); Village Common (candles); WWAKE (jewelry); and Yellow Jewellery (jewelry).

Handmade Designer Maker, which is part of NY NOW’s HANDMADE collection, presents some 375 artisans, from Saturday, August 15, through Tuesday, August 18, in the Javits Center North.  The HANDMADE Collection also is comprised of Global Design (August 15-18, on the Javits Center’s Level Four) featuring 150 global import resources emphasizing good design, traditional craftsmanship and community building, and Artisan Resource (August 16-19 on the Javits Center’s Level Three), a first-of-its-kind market, which offers U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers, wholesalers and designers the opportunity to meet with international artisanal producers from around the world.

The summer 2015 edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, will run Saturday, August 15, through Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW’s three comprehensive collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors – encompass 100,000 products in myriad product categories. Attendees from all 50 states and around the world are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

NYNOW

EXHIBIT HOURS:

The Show hours for all sections in Javits, EXCEPT Handmade® are:

Saturday – Tuesday        August 15 – 18       9:00 AM – 6:00 PM        Wednesday August 19 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM*

Handmade® exhibits hours are:

Saturday – Monday       August 15 – 17         9:00 AM – 6:00 PM         Tuesday August 18 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Dates + Hours By Product Collection

HOME:

Accent on Design®
Home Furnishings + Textiles
Tabletop + Gourmet Housewares
August 16-19 (Sunday-Wednesday)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3
9 AM – 6 PM daily; 9 AM – 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19

LIFESTYLE:

Baby + Child
Gift
Personal Accessories
Personal Care + Wellness
August 16-19 (Sunday-Wednesday)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 1
9 AM – 6 PM daily; 9 AM – 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19

HANDMADE:

Handmade® Designer Maker
August 15-18 (Saturday-Tuesday)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Javits North
9 AM – 6 PM daily; 9 AM – 5 PM on Tuesday, August 18

Handmade® Global Design
August 15-18 (Saturday-Tuesday)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, River Pavilion
9 AM – 6 PM daily; 9 AM – 5 PM on Tuesday, August 18

Artisan Resource
August 16-19 (Sunday -Wednesday)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3
9 AM – 6 PM daily; 9 AM – 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19

ACCENT ON DESIGN

The industry’s leading resource for innovative, design-led merchandise for more than 30 years, Accent on Design presents nearly 150 established and emerging design brands that continually push the creative envelope and change the way we look at the everyday.

Curated by an independent selection committee of professionals in the contemporary design community.  Criteria for acceptance includes: original, creative and authentic product design; new and innovative use of materials and/or process; products which address and solve problems; a focus on contemporary design (as perceived by the committee); functionality; and consistent and continuous new product introductions.

A critical resource for unique and forward-thinking design across all categories of products and mediums.

Emerging Designers Establish Themselves With New Materials

Contemporary Design is Celebrated for Innovative Home Decor

For nearly 30 years, Accent on Design® has been the pre-eminent marketplace for unique and forward-thinking design – changing the way we look at our living spaces, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, turning everyday objects into expressions of personal aesthetics, pushing the creative envelope.

The home and gift industry\’s leading resource for innovative design for more than 30 years, Accent on Design showcases nearly 150 domestic and international brands both established and emerging designers. From furnishings and decorative accessories to audio accessories and state-of-the-art kitchen gadgets, Accent on Design presents the latest in modern design across all categories of product.

Curated by an independent selection committee of professionals within the contemporary design community, criteria for acceptance into this juried section of NY NOW includes: original, creative and authentic product design and/or design concept; new and innovative use of materials and/or process; products which address and solve problems; form and function; and consistent and continuous new product introductions.

A critical resource for thousands of leading design retailers such as the Museum of Modern Art, The Future Perfect, and Matter – Accent on Design continues to feature the latest in innovative design from established design brands such as Tom Dixon, Chilewich, Stelton and Jonathan Adler to emerging design talent like Elyse Graham, Souda, Pelle and Finell.

Each market, the selection committee recognizes select exhibitors for their exceptional level of design. Previous awards have been given for excellence in product design, outstanding booth design, overall excellence, rising star, best new collection and innovative use of materials.

Be inspired this summer at NY NOW in the heart of New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Center, Sunday, August 16 – Wednesday, August 20!

BABY & CHILD

Baby + Child presents a comprehensive collection of well-designed, innovative, sophisticated, functional and fun products for babies, toddlers, kids and their families. This juried neighborhood is located within the Lifestyle collection on Level 1 of the Javits Center.

HANDMADE

Handmade® Designer Maker showcases 350 designer maker resources from across the United States and around the world, with a focus on limited-production makers across all categories and media. Handmade Designer Maker is located in Javits North.

Criteria for acceptance includes:
– A developed line of unique and original work
– Products designed and hand-made by the artists with a focus on limited production
– Quality craftsmanship

Emerging Makers showcases talented designers of handmade product lines in the Handmade Collection. New designers (in business for one year or less) and artists entering the wholesale marketplace for the first time, are invited to submit their designed-driven handmade product line for consideration.  Selected participants will be awarded prime display space in the Emerging Makers display next to Handmade Designer Maker where they will showcase a limited portion of their pre-approved product line

PROGRAMS:

NY NOW presents a full range of educational programming and industry events. Seminars address color/design trends, sustainability, digital media and retail strategies. NY NOW’s sessions are hosted either by leading trade and consumer publications, or by industry associations.

NY NOW also offers a number of “Only in New York” after-hours activities for market participants, such as A Night on Broadway and the Retail Excellence Awards.

Details about Summer 2015 programs and events will be available in mid-May.  Please check back for details.

KEY EXHIBITORS:

Lifestyle collection on Level 1 of the Javits Center.

NY NOW’S “OPEN HOUSE” DISPLAY PREVIEWS DESIGN & COLOR TRENDS
Project Partnership with Pantone and Progressive Business Media

WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 17, 2015… Key trends in home and lifestyle design and color will be showcased in an exclusive “Open House” display to be presented at the summer 2015 edition of NY NOW^®, the Market for Home+ Lifestyle, to be held August 15-19, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.  The colors and concepts, as forecasted by the Pantone Color Institute, will be brought to life in a product display curated by Progressive Business Media editors and explored in more detail in a special on-site seminar.

“NY NOW has always delivered emerging trends to its audience and this Open House display cements our emphasis on being at the cutting-edge of design and color trends,” said Scott Kramer, NY NOW co-director and vice president, “we hope seeing these themes translated into product will excite attendees and help them source products they might otherwise have missed.”

Now in its fourth annual iteration, the 2015 Open House display will showcase four key themes – Bijoux, Ephemera, Footloose and Mixed Bag – taken from the PANTONEVIEW home + interiors 2016 color forecast. Editors from Home Accents Today, Home & Textiles Today, HFN and Gifts and Decorative Accessories, will review exhibitor submissions in each of these categories and select products most representative of each trend for display.

Trend descriptions follow:

Trend #1: Mixed Bag

Eclectic patterns and prints drawn primarily from diverse cultures and a multi-national influence, when used together produce a dynamic and eye-arresting array of colors and combinations. Violet and florid orange hues are offset somewhat by a sugary ginger shade, while a sultry hot pink and robust wine tone are intriguingly complemented by a plush, mossy yellow-green.

Trend #2: Ephemera

Softly tinted, breezy, lighter than air, and as transitory as an evanescent bubble, Ephemera expresses a lightness of color that is often described as pastel. The delicacy of the shadings speaks volumes about its translation into the softness of tone and touch. Colors such as Wan Blue, Pale Peach, Pink Dogwood, Tender Yellow, Orchid Ice, Frosted Almond and a clarifying white called “Cloud Dancer” more than aptly describe these disarmingly charming tints.

Trend #3: Bijoux

From the French, Bijoux literally means “jewels” a fitting title for a palette that gleams with drama and intensity. The light reflective quality expressed in this grouping lends itself beautifully to pellucid transparencies in glass, resins, acrylics, mosaic tile and various lighting effects. Jewel tones such as Prism Pink, Amethyst, Topaz and Amber Yellow are artfully reflected or mirrored when juxtaposed next to equally striking tones of Violet, Dark Citron, Ember Glow, Rich Gold and a taupe that is one of the complex colors found within a tiger’s eye.

Trend #4: Footloose

Expressing the need to throw off the constricting schedules of everyday lives and simply enjoy the freedom of the outdoors, Footloose showcases the pleasurable pursuits that bring recreation and relaxation to life. Colors make for capricious combinations like Winter Pear and Strawberry Pink; Blazing Orange, Deep Periwinkle and Meadow Green, in addition to vacation-destination blues and blue-greens with tempting names like Capri and Vallarta Blue.

The “Open House” trend display, which is located in the North Concourse at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Center, will be open Saturday, August 15, through Wednesday, August 19, 2015, during all NY NOW Market hours. A complete list of products selected for the display will be available in late June.

A related seminar, Open House Seminar – What’s Hot In Home, sponsored by Progressive Business Media and Pantone, addressing color and design trends presented in the Open House display, will be presented on Sunday, August 16, at 8:30 am. Speakers will include Warren Shoulberg of Progressive Business Media, Laurie Pressman of the Pantone Color Institute and others.  Information and registration will be available online at www.nynow.com/programs, after May 1.

Pantone is the global color authority and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. Today Pantone’s universal language of color is used by 100 million design professionals worldwide to access color trends, communicate color choices and control consistency of color across every imaginable surface, texture, material and finish. Through the Pantone Color Institute Pantone continues to chart future color direction and study how color influences human thought processes, emotions and physical reactions.

Progressive Business Media is the leading business-to-business media resource in the home furnishings industry, offering print publications, online editions, conferences, events, research, marketing services and more. Its titles include Gifts and Decorative Accessories, HFN, Home Accents Today, Home & Textiles Today, Furniture Today, Casual Living Today and Kids Today with more than 100,000 industry readers in print and online.

NY NOW’s three comprehensive collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors – encompass 100,000 products in myriad product categories. Attendees from all 50 states and around the world are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

ARTISAN RESOURCE EXPECTS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH FOR SUMMER 2015

Exhibit Space Tripled From Winter, Energized Market Expected

WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 10, 2015… With significantly expanded exhibit space and a strong slate of new and returning exhibitors, the seventh semi-annual edition of Artisan Resource®, is poised to deliver its strongest market to date, August 16-19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Presented as part of the HANDMADE Collection of NY NOW®,, The Market for Home + Lifestyle, Artisan Resource is a first-of-its-kind market offering U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers, designers and wholesalers the opportunity to meet with international artisanal producers.

“Artisan Resource’s integration into Javits last winter and its direct adjacency with NY NOW created a dynamic new floorplan offering new buyer-seller synergies, as well as increased awareness and order-writing,” said Allison Garafalo, Artisan Resource sales director. “That success prompted significant expansion of Artisan Resource – which will growe to 10,000 from 3,000 net square feet of exhibit space– this summer. Since its launch in 2012, Artisan Resource has firmly established itself as a market that delivers results for participants.”

A strong mix of new and returning exhibitors is expected to bolster excitement on the exhibit floor for the summer 2015 edition. Key newcomers include the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) pavilion with 6 companies; Philippines – CITEM (Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions) with 18 booths; AGEXPORT (The Guatemalan Exports’ Association) in 300 square feet of exhibit space; Indonesia in 250 square feet of exhibit space; and CAP EXPORT Madagascar with at least 8 exhibitors. In addition, the following countries will return, and in some cases expand, following a hiatus from the Market: Panama, expanding to 400 square feet of exhibit space; South Africa, also is planning to return and expand. In total, the summer 2015 edition of Artisan Resource is expected to feature approximately 150 companies from nearly 40 countries.

Beyond expansion of the exhibit floor, Artisan Resource will present a comprehensive suite of educational seminars for exhibitors and attendees alike. Exhibitor education begins with pre-show webinars addressing buyer demographics, sales and marketing materials for American buyers, and changing U.S. distribution channels. At market, a series of sessions will address Importing Basics for beginners and intermediate-level importers; as well as double-track sessions addressing design, ethics and more. Details and registration will be available online at www.nynow.com/programs by May 1.

The summer 2015 edition of Artisan Resource will take place Sunday, August 16, through Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Show hours are 9am – 6pm daily Sunday, August 16, through Tuesday, August 18; and 9am – 2pm on Wednesday, August 19.

Presented as part of NY NOW’s HANDMADE Collection, Artisan Resource offers a production-sourcing venue for overseas artisan enterprises to showcase their products and production capabilities – at export terms – from their country of origin. The semi-annual tradeshow is managed by Emerald Expositions and organized with the assistance of ByHand Consulting. Additional information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.

Link to original article

NY NOW SET TO DELIVER EXCLUSIVE “ONLY IN NEW YORK” ACTIVITIES

Events Offer Unique After-Hours Networking & NYC Attractions

WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 3, 2015… Capitalizing on the vibrancy of New York City, the summer 2015 edition of NY NOW®, The Market for Home + Lifestyle will host a series of exclusive “Only in New York” events, offering Market participants unparalleled industry networking, as well as unique after-hours cultural and entertainment experiences. Special events to be offered in connection with the forthcoming Market include NY NOW’s perennial favorite “Night on Broadway,” Gifts and Decorative Accessories’ Retailer Excellence Awards, and free admission to MAD (Museum of Arts and Design) and shopping discount at The Store at MAD during Market Week, August 14-19, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

“Our ‘Only in New York’ events offer NY Market participants the best of New York City nightlife and entertainment, along with unparalleled industry networking,” said Randi Mohr, NY NOW co-director and vice president. “We invite all exhibitors and attendees to enjoy these exclusive offerings as a complement to their overall Market experience.”

NY NOW’s signature “Night on Broadway” event will feature specially-priced tickets to the Monday, August 17, performance of HAMILTON, a dynamic new musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) opening on Broadway this summer.  The musical follows Alexander Hamilton, the scrappy young immigrant who forever changed America, from bastard orphan to Washington’s right hand man, rebel to war hero, loving husband caught in the country’s first sex scandal to Treasury head who made an untrusting world believe in the American economy.  Tickets, normally priced at $142, are specially-priced at $110 before August 14, and $120 after, for NY Market participants. Information is available at www.hamiltonbroadway.com and tickets can be purchased online at www.nynow.com/programs after April 15.

NY NOW is a proud sponsor of the 64th Annual Retailer Excellence Awards, to be presented on Sunday, August 16, in New York City.  These prestigious industry awards, which are presented by Gifts and Decorative Accessories, recognize retail achievement in four categories (Store Design, Marketing Achievement, Visual Merchandising/Display and Store Events), as well individual achievement for “Rep of the Year” and “Rising Star.”  As part of this very special evening, Gift For Life, the industry’s sole charitable organization, also will present its 2015 Industry Achievement Award.  Information, as well as tickets, tables and sponsorships, are available through www.giftsanddec.com.

As part of NY NOW’s popular New York Market “On the Town”, New York Market participants can receive free admission to MAD (Museum of Arts and Design) during and through the summer 2015 Market Week (August 14-21).  Through this special arrangement, visitors also will receive a 20% shopping discount (on regularly priced items) at The Store at MAD.  Exhibitions on view at MAD this summer include “Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft and Design, Midcentury and Today,” which highlights the significant contributions of women to modernism in postwar visual culture; and Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin, which will include over 30 of his most important mannequins, as well as an in-gallery recreation of Pucci’s sculpture studio.  More details are available at www.madmuseum.org.

A comprehensive slate of educational seminars will complement these “Only in NYC” events as part of the summer 2015 Market. Information is available now at www.nynow.com/programs, and registration will be available online after April 15.

In addition to these NY NOW-sponsored activities, Market participants can also take advantage of countless low-cost, or no-cost, New York City attractions.  Select highlights include Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the 9/11 Memorial Museum – both free on Tuesdays; and The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Socrates Sculpture Park and The Bronx Museum of the Arts – all of which are free every day.  A full listing of events in and around New York City during Market Week is available through NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization.  Visit www.nycgo.com for details..

The summer 2015 edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, will run Saturday, August 15, through Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW’s three comprehensive collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors – encompass 100,000 products in 400+ product categories. Attendees from all 50 states and around the world are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.

Link to original NYNOW article

This is the franchise industry’s premier annual event.

The IFE brings together hundreds of the franchise industry’s hottest concepts, and thousands of the most qualified prospects from across the United States and over 80 countries around the world. For domestic or international expansion, selling single units, area developments or master franchises – this is the industry’s one stop franchise event. Sponsored by the IFA , assisted by the U.S. Department of Commerce/U.S. Commercial Service, the IFE also offers the industry’s most comprehensive conference program.

• Category: US Expo
• Date: June 18, 2015 – June 20, 2015
• Location: New York City, NY USA

Show Hours and Admission

March 19-22, 2015

• Thursday: 11AM – 7PM – (Open to Design Trade and VIP Ticket Holders)
• Friday & Saturday: 11AM – 7PM – (Open to the Public and Design Trade)
• Sunday: 10AM – 6PM – (Open to the Public and Design Trade)

Show Location

PIERS 92 & 94, 55th Street at 12th Avenue, NYC 10019

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SHOP. BE INSPIRED. CELEBRATE DESIGN.

A world of design inspiration awaits at the 14th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show on March 19-22, 2015. SHOP the latest furniture, accessories, lighting, art, and kitchen, bath, and building products for all your design projects. BE INSPIRED with seminars offered by leading talent from the world of design. CELEBRATE DESIGN at North America’s premier design show for the luxury market.

• Thousands of products from more than 400 brands.
• Design lectures hosted by Architectural Digest, keynote presentation by Margaret Russell, Architectural Digest Editor in Chief, along with seminars presented by The New York Times. All four days of programming present panels of star talent from the design world and leading industry experts.
• Special daily events, book signings, cocktail receptions, culinary demonstrations and more.

To see a list of 2015’s exhibiting companies, click here.

___________________________________________________

THE ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST HOME DESIGN SHOW is produced by MMPI, a division of Vornado, in partnership with Architectural Digest and co-sponsored by The New York Times.

MERCHANDISE MART PROPERTIES, INC. (MMPI), a division of Vornado Realty Trust, is a leading owner and operator of integrated showroom and office buildings, as well as trade show facilities, bringing buyers and sellers together through market events, trade and consumer shows, and conferences each year. MMPI is committed to creating sustainable environments in the properties it manages and the communities it serves.

VORNADO REALTY TRUST, owners of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real-estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO. ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST is the international authority in design and architecture. AD provides exclusive access to the world’s most beautiful homes and the fascinating people who create them, bringing its audience a wealth of information on architecture and interior design, art and antiques, travel destinations, and extraordinary products; its AD100 list of top architects and designers is one of the industry’s most relied-upon indexes of talent.

Every day Architectural Digest inspires millions of affluent readers to redesign and refresh their lives through a multiplatform presence that includes print and digital editions, social media, signature events, and its website, archdigest.com.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY (NYSE: NYT), a leading global multimedia news and information company with 2013 revenues of $2.8 billion, includes The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, nytimes.com, and related properties. The company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting, and distributing high-quality news.

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The Architectural Digest Home Design Show is an annual four-day event that features hundreds of manufacturers, showrooms, galleries, artists and designers that are highlighting products and services for the luxury design market. The Show also offers lectures and seminars with design world luminaries, culinary demonstrations with world famous chefs, book signings, special events and more!

Audience

The Show is attended by more than 40,000:

Architects . Interior Designers . Set Designers . Landscape Architects .  Developers . Contractors . Stagers . Visual Merchandisers . Gallerists . Entertainment Industry Designers . Builders . Luxury Retail Buyers . Stylists . Affluent Homeowners . and more

Exhibitor Categories

Accessories . Art . Antiques & Mid-Century Furnishings . Building Products . Cabinetry . Carpets . Cooktops .  Countertops . Decorative . Design Services . Electronics . Flooring . Contemporary & Classic Furniture . Hardware . Lighting . Outdoor . Ovens . Ranges . Stone & Tile . Textiles . Ventilation Systems . Windows and Doors

Industry Support

The following industry associations support the Architectural Digest Home Design Show:

• Thursday: 11AM – 7PM  – (Open to Designer Trade and VIP Preview Guests)
• Friday & Saturday: 11AM – 7PM – (Open to the Public and Designer Trade)
• Sunday: 10AM – 6PM  – (Open to the Public and Designer Trade)
  • American Institute of Architects (AIA)
  • American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
  • American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
  • Association of Contract Textiles (ACT)
  • Decorative Fabrics Association (DFA)
  • Foundation for Interior Design Educational Research (FIDER)
  • Furniture New York
  • Green Demolitions
  • Illuminating Engineering Society of New York
  • Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
  • International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
  • National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)
  • Rugmark Foundation
  • United States Green Buildings Council (USGBC)

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Welcome to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show online press room. Please check below to access 2014 Show press releases, images and logos.

PRESS ROOM

Journalists who would like to receive additional information about the event, request an interview with Show executives or obtain media credentials to attend the Show, should contact:

Novita PR
Danielle McWilliams
Phone: (212) 528-3160 x11
Email: danielle@novitapr.com

Alexandra Zwicky
Phone: (212) 528-3160 x14
Email: alexandra@novitapr.com

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Sales and Marketing

Jeff Petersen
Director of Exhibitor Sales
Phone: 212-644-0833
Email: jpetersen@mmart.com

Michael Rabatin
Director of Marketing
Phone: 646-388-8902
Email: mrabatin@mmart.com

Julia Haney Montanez
Exhibitor Sales Manager
Phone: 646-778-3236
Email: jhaney@mmart.com

Operations
Glenn Charles
Managing Director of Tradeshow Services
Phone: 312-527-7919
Fax: 312-527-7809

Sergio Camargo
Trade Show Operations Manager
Phone: 312-527-7587
Fax: 312-379-6122
Email: scamargo@mmart.com
Maricela Padilla
Exhibitor Relations Specialist, Trade Show Finance
Phone: 312-527-7880
Email: mpadilla@mmart.com
Wendy Confrey
Director of Registration Services
Phone: 312-527-7603
Email: wconfrey@mmart.com
Liz Waters
Director of Special Events
Phone: 312-527-7061
Cell: 312-671-8388
Email: ewaters@mmart.com
Novità Communications
Danielle McWilliams
Phone: 212-528-3160 x11
Email: danielle@novitapr.com
Alexandra Zwicky
Phone: 212-528-3160 x14

Official Show Directory
For the Exhibitor Listing in the printed Architectural Digest Home Design Show
Directory, we will use the information provided by exhibitors in the Directory Information
section of their Show Contracts. If you would like to change how you are listed, please
contact Jeff Petersen for reFRESH or Furniture & Furnishings listings at
jpetersen@mmart.com or Julia Haney Montanez for MADE and SHOPS listings at
jhaney@mmart.com.

Advertising in the Official Show Directory
Exhibitors who would like to purchase ads in the Official Show Directory can contact
Phillip Russo at phillip925@gmail.com. Advertising rates can be viewed on
ADHomeDesignShow.com in the For The Exhibitor section.

Sponsorships
Exhibitors interested in partnering with the show may contact Michael Rabatin, Director
of Marketing, at 646-388-8902 or mrabatin@mmart.com.

Hosting Events
Exhibitors are encouraged to host events in their booth spaces. Please contact Michael
Rabatin, Director of Marketing, at mrabatin@mmart.com. Include company name,
booth number, day of event, time of event, a few sentences inviting show visitors to
attend, and describing what will be featured or served. This listing will be published in
the Schedule By Day which will be made available on the show’s website.

TICKETS
Tickets for the Design Trade are complimentary when pre-registering on the website
ADHomeDesignShow.com. These tickets are for entry and re-entry Thursday through
Sunday.

VIP tickets allow consumers entrance and re-entrance Thursday – Sunday for $95.
General Admission tickets for entry and re-entry Friday – Sunday are $30 in advance,
and $40 on site.

Complimentary ticket codes for guests of exhibitors will be emailed along with
instructions on how to use the code to register online in February.

DIFFA’s DINING BY DESIGN
DIFFA’s Dining by Design will be located in Pier 92 which is adjacent to Pier 94. The
exhibit will be open during the same hours as the show with the exception that it will
close at 3:00 PM on Thursday for Cocktails by Design.
To participate in DIFFA’s Dining by Design please contact DIFFA directly at
swilliams@diffa.org or call 212-727-3100.

INDEX
Advanced shipments to warehouse………………………………………………………………………6
Advertising…………………………………………………………………………………………………15
Advertising in the show directory…………………………………………………………………………17
Audio ordering………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Badges……………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
Booth cleaning ordering…………………………………………………………………………………….3
Booth design………………………………………………………………………………………………11
Carpeting……………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Cocktails by Design……………………………………………………………………………………..18
Complimentary tickets…………………………………………………………………………………..17
Contacts list………………………………………………………………………………………………18
Corner booths…………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Covered booths…………………………………………………………………………………………..12
DIFFA’s Dining by Design………………………………………………………………………………17
Digital advertising…………………………………………………………………………………………17
Direct to facility shipping…………………………………………………………………………………6
Directions to Pier 92/94…………………………………………………………………………………..14
Dismantling………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
Drayage………………………………………………………………………………………………………8
Electrical code requirements………………………………………………………………………………5
Electricity………………………………………………………………………………………………..4, 5
Endcap booths……………………………………………………………………………………………12
Exhibit space design…………………………………………………………………………………….11
Exhibitor appointed contractor…………………………………………………………………………10
Exhibitor listing……………………………………………………………………………………………17
Exhibitor registration and badges………………………………………………………………………14
Exhibitor set-up……………………………………………………………………………………………..9
Fireproofing……………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Floor load……………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Flooring………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Freight delivery……………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Freight desk…………………………………………………………………………………………………7
Furniture rental………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Gratuities……………………………………………………………………………………………………14
Height restrictions…………………………………………………………………………………………11
Hosting events…………………………………………………………………………………………….17
Hotels………………………………………………………………………………………………………15
International exhibitors…………………………………………………………………………………….7
Internet ordering…………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Island booths………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Labor ordering………………………………………………………………………………………………4

Lead retrieval………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
Lighting………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Lighting adjustment and focus…………………………………………………………………………..5
List of forms………………………………………………………………………………………………18
MADE lighting/electricity…………………………………………………………………………………..4
MADE walls………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Marketing……………………………………………………………………………………………………15
Mass transit directions……………………………………………………………………………………15
Modenus……………………………………………………………………………………………………17
Morris Bothers Printing……………………………………………………………………………………13
Move-in………………………………………………………………………………………………………8
Move-out…………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
Online exhibitor listing……………………………………………………………………………………17
On-site shipments…………………………………………………………………………………………7
Ordering services……………………………………………………………………………………………3
Ordering services forms………………………………………………………………………………….18
Painting………………………………………………………………………………………………………11
Parking………………………………………………………………………………………………………15
Phoenix International………………………………………………………………………………………8
Press kits……………………………………………………………………………………………………16
Press room, online…………………………………………………………………………………………16
Press room, on-site…………………………………………………………………………………………16
Press, media and P.R……………………………………………………………………………………..15
Printers in NYC…………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Rigging……………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Security………………………………………………………………………………………………………14
Service desk…………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Shipping………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Shipping guidelines…………………………………………………………………………………………7
SHOPS lighting/electricity…………………………………………………………………………………4
SHOPS walls………………………………………………………………………………………………11
Show dates and hours……………………………………………………………………………………..2
Show directory……………………………………………………………………………………………17
Show location………………………………………………………………………………………………2
Shuttle buses to Pier 92/94………………………………………………………………………………15
Signage……………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Social media………………………………………………………………………………………………16
Sponsorships……………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Standard Hall lighting/electricity……………………………………………………………………………5
Standard Hall walls………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Storage………………………………………………………………………………………………………8
Tickets……………………………………………………………………………………………………..18
Tools and hardware…………………………………………………………………………………………9
Transportation to Pier 92/94……………………………………………………………………………..14

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST HOME DESIGN SHOW – EXHIBITOR MANUAL
23
Travel and accommodations……………………………………………………………………………15
Union labor………………………………………………………………………………………………….9
US Customs…………………………………………………………………………………………………8
Variable Graphics…………………………………………………………………………………………12
Video ordering………………………………………………………………………………………………3
VIP tickets…………………………………………………………………………………………………17
Wall construction…………………………………………………………………………………………11
Wallpaper………………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Walls……………………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Walls weight limitations………………………………………………………………………………….11
Warehouse address……………………………………………………………………………………….6
Wi-Fi ordering……………………………………………………………………………………………….3
YRC Freight Terminal………………………

Custom & rental displays – graphics | signage for fashion, retail, windows, trade shows and exhibits.

The Displayers is located directly across 11th Avenue from The Javits Center, The Displayers is a third generation business that caters to the exhibit, fashion and retail industry of New York City assisting with marketing events, window displays and temporary and permanent installations.

Rental and onsite services include:

– Mannequins, props, furniture, show cases, hanging racks, grids, slatwall and more

– Graphics, signage, logos and installation

– Exhibit / Display walls, Hard Walls, Flats, Systems, fabric, Orbus, Octanorm and rentals

– Light systems small and large

– Installation and  Dismantle labor

– Show management – Pre event and onsite

– Shipping, storage and coordination

__________________________________________________________

Sole Commerce ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015   http://enkshows.com/sole

Coterie ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015   http://enkshows.com/coterie

TMRW ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015   http://enkshows.com/tmrw

EDIT ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015   http://www.editshows.com/

STITCH ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015   http://www.stitchshows.com

MODA ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015    http://www.modamanhattan.com/

Accessories The Show ▪ Feb 23 – Feb 25, 2015    http://www.accessoriestheshow.com/

FAME ▪ February 23, 2015 – February 25, 2015    http://www.fameshows.com

CURVENY ▪ February 22, 2015 – February 24, 2015    http://www.curvexpo.com/

Accessorie Circuit ▪ April 27, 2015 – April 29, 2015    http://www.enkshows.com/circuit

Intermezzo Collections ▪ April 27 – 29, 2015   http://www.enkshows.com/intermezzo

Intermezzo Collections ▪ April 27 – 29, 2015   http://www.enkshows.com/intermezzo

Intermezzo Collections ▪ April 27 – 29, 2015    http://www.enkshows.com/intermezzo

Accessories The Show ▪ April 27, 2015 – April 29, 2015    http://www.accessoriestheshow.com/

Accessories The Show ▪ April 27 – 29, 2015    http://www.accessoriestheshow.com/

MODA ▪ April 27, 2015 – April 29, 2015   http://www.modamanhattan.com/

FAME ▪ April 27, 2015 – April 29, 2015    http://www.fameshows.com/

Fashion 2 Go ▪ April 27, 2015 – April 29, 2015    http://www.fameshows.com/

Worth a Visit: Toy World Exhibit Opens Dec. 6

 NY Now announces 2015 dates

Chicago’s Studio Gang Architects have been selected to design a new Center for Science, Education and Innovation for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Named after its largest donor, the $325 million Gilder Center will include 218,000-square-feet of existing and new space. It is slated to open on Columbus Avenue at 79th Street on the west side of the Museum campus, in conjunction with its 150th anniversary in 2019–2020.

“It was apparent that Jeanne Gang embraced the Museum’s legacy in science and education, and she has demonstrated a pervasive sensitivity to sustainability and the relationship between nature and the built environment, particularly in urban settings,” said Ms. Futter. “Jeanne’s approach could not be more appropriate, since introducing New Yorkers and visitors from around the world to science and the natural world is what the Museum has done since its founding in 1869. Throughout her career, Jeanne has shown a special passion for projects that combine innovative, mission-driven design, with a commitment to creating community spaces that facilitate onsite and digital access.”

“I was immediately struck by the immense range of work the Museum is already doing as an educational facility to reach learners of all ages,” said Jeanne Gang, founder and design principal of Studio Gang. “This project and collaboration with the Museum is incredibly important to me and my entire team. The Gilder Center’s holistic mission closely aligns with Studio Gang’s interdisciplinary practice of integrating architecture, nature, science, and art. Designing spaces that facilitate interaction between science, education, and exhibition experiences will make possible the learning the new Gilder Center aspires to generate.”

Ralph Appelbaum of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, who previously designed the exhibits in the Museum’s Rose Center for Earth and Space, the fourth-floor fossil halls, and the Hall of Biodiversity, has been chosen to design the exhibition experiences for the Gilder Center.

Link to original Archdaily.com  article

Get Ready..

Over 500 exhibitors representing 150 countries separated into 14 Pavilions will be on hand for you to speak with about booking your next dream vacation. Over 40% of the exhibitors are new for 2015, so whether you looking for a local family getaway or finally going to your bucket list destination, you will find it on the show floor.

Pavilions include: Adventure, Africa, Asia, Australia/South Pacific, Canada, Caribbean, Cruise, Europe, Latin America, Mexico, Products/Services, River Cruises, Sponsors and the USA.

Plan Ahead..

Whether you are looking to go on a River Boat Cruise, or book a family vacation at a 5 star all-inclusive  resort, you can now preview the exhibitors prior to the show that match your needs and print out a list of the ones that you want to speak with. There are over 40 different ways to search for exhibitors including, by destination (Asia, Europe), type of activity (Adventure, Cruise) or by type, (family vacation, Luxury, Gay).

CLICK HERE to view the floor plan and review the drop down menu list of the Product Category Field to help find who is offering your dream vacation.

DATE Friday, January 23 thru
Sunday, January 25, 2015

TIME Friday 9am – 7pm
Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 11am – 5pm

LOCATION Jacob Javits Center
Get Directions

COSTConsumer Tickets: $17
Trade Day: $35 in advance;
$45 on-site

Trade Day: January 23, 2015

Register here for Trade Day. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 on-site. The price of admission will give you access to the Travel Industry Focus On Sessions, taking place in Hall 1E from 9 am – 5 pm, as well as lunch and the Keynote session. Access to the Exhibition Hall is free and will begin at 2 pm on Friday.

Consumer Days: January 24 – 25, 2015

Purchase consumer tickets here. Tickets are $17 for the general public and are good for one day only. Children 18 and under are free.  Consumer tickets will give you access to all aspects of the show on Saturday and Sunday including travel seminars, 500+ exhibitors, Taste of the World culinary demonstrations, book signings, one-on-one advice in our Meet the Experts area and much more.

*Children 18 and under are free

Floor plan map

Link to Show Website

– See more at: http://nyttravelshow.com/press/?url=launch/the-new-york-times-announces-speakers-and-events-for-2015-travel-show-tickets-now-available-f#sthash.vCdL1gQa.dpuf

5 unique museums to visit outside of New York City

Weekend getaways aren’t just made for shopping sprees and boozy brunches. They can be spent soaking up culture, too. While New York City boasts some of the best museums in the country, it’s fun to explore another city’s quirky arts scene.

So on your next quick trip out of town, plan a visit to a unique museum in one of these Northeast and New England cities just a short drive away

American Visionary Art Museum

Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum celebrates the work of self-taught artists and is home to a permanent exhibit of one of Charm City’s little known folk art traditions — painted screens. The art has adorned the screen doors of row houses on the city’s eastside since 1913, and the “Painted Screens” display in the museum’s Jim Rouse Visionary Center includes a replica row home and accompanying documentary. Through Aug. 30, 2015, visitors can also marvel at the museum’s original exhibition, “The Visionary Experience: Saint Francis to Finster,” featuring the work of celebrated self-tutored artist and Baptist minister, Rev. Howard Finster. $15.95 adults, $13.95 seniors, $9.95 student/child, free for children 6 and under; 800 Key Hwy., Baltimore, Maryland, 410-244-1900, avam.org

International Spy Museum

James Bond fans will geek out at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., which contains the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever seen by the public, as well as clever interactive spy experiences. The “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains” exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 007 films and displays more than 100 creative objects and gadgets from the films. It also addresses the connection between the Bond films and real-world events and spy tactics. $21.95 adults, $15.95 seniors, $14.95 youths (7-11), free for children 6 and under; 800 F St. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-393-7798, spymuseum. org

Mutter Museum

Not for the faint at heart, the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia is America’s premier museum of medical history. The museum’s mission is to help the general public gain an appreciation for the human body and learn the origin and treatment of disease. Macabre collections of well-preserved anatomical specimens, models and medical instruments are housed in a formal 19th century “cabinet museum” setting, and the Mutter Museum is only one of two places in the world where you can see pieces of Albert Einstein’s brain — preserved in glass slides in the main Museum Gallery. $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 youth (6-17), free for children 5 and under; 19 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 215-560-8564, mutter museum.org

New England Maple Museum

The history of maple sugaring is brought to life at this Pittsford, Vermont, museum, in more than 100 feet of murals created by painter Grace Brigham. The museum has the most complete collection of sugaring artifacts in existence — including an ancient block of wood with a sap collecting gash made by Native Americans — and guests get to sample grades of pure Vermont maple syrup in the tasting room. Plus, the gift shop carries the best maple syrup Vermont has to offer. So get the pancake and waffle batter ready. $5 adults, $1 children, free for children under 6; 4578 U.S. 7, Pittsford, Vermont, 802-483-9414, maplemuseum.com

Museum of Bad Art

The 600 or so pieces in the permanent collection of this community-based museum are so bad they’re good. Between 50 to 70 works are exhibited at a time, each accompanied by a written interpretation, at two Boston-area locations — the Somerville Theatre and the offices of Brookline Access Television. Bizarre works include the creepy, bold color portrait “Mama and Babe” and the Picasso-esque oil painting “The Better to See You With, My Dear.” To take a piece of bad art home with you, the Brookline gallery sells official MOBA merchandise. Free (donations welcome); Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Massachusetts; BATV, 46 Tappan St., top floor, Brookline, Massachusetts, 781-444-6757, museumof badart.org

By TRACY E. HOPKINS. Special to amNewYork December 1, 2014

Link to original article at amny.com