LIGHTFAIR International, billed as the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, will return May 7-11, 2017, to Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center in 2017 for its 28^th annual staging, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., vice chairman, president and COO of LFI managing partner AmericasMart Atlanta.

Produced annually alternately on the East and West Coasts, LFI was last staged at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in 2013. 

Walking the packed showfloor for the American Society of Association Executives’ Annual Meeting, held this week at Detroit’s Cobo Center, it was abundantly clear that the busiest booths, by far, were ones that created a really fun, engaging attendee experience.

Some booths went for the straight up business approach with salespeople standing at the ready to talk with customers about the company’s latest offerings, other booths had the traditional promotional items – stuffed animals, pens, water bottles, etc. – and others stepped it up a notch.

Two hundred attendees experienced the best that Dallas has to offer during three days of networking and education at the Society of Independent Show Organizers’ 2015 SISO Leadership Conference, held Aug. 3-5.

“Dallas as a destination should be considered by anyone in the industry,” said Lew Shomer, SISO’s executive director.

He added, “We put a program together to encourage young professionals to become leaders. The content was directed toward them, and we achieved that goal.”

Continuing the tradition of recognizing individual show managers across the industry, nominations are actively being sought for the 2015 edition of The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year Awards.

Since 2000, the crystal SMOTY obelisk has been presented to those people creating amazing experiences within their exhibition and convention.

“These awards began in order to honor show managers who make our industry great, who exemplify a can-do spirit,” says Ray Pekowski, president and CEO of The Expo Group.

International Carwash Association (ICA) and Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) will collocate AOCA’s annual convention and trade show with The Car Wash Show, beginning next year.

The Car Wash Show, the world’s largest car wash convention and trade show, attracted nearly 7,000 car wash and related business professionals this year – a 22 percent increase in attendance, compared with last year.

AOCA’s iFLEX, the international fast lube exhibition, regularly attracts more than 700 attendees.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society partnered with Interbike, an annual bicycle show, to present Bike MS: Las Vegas.

The fundraising cycling event will return to the Las Vegas community Sept. 19 and bring together hundreds of cyclists, volunteers, and people who want to change the course of MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system.

The second quarter of 2015 was a good one for Phoenix-based Viad, the parent company of Global Experience Specialists, with revenues surging 23.7 percent to $317 million, compared with $256.4 million during the same time period the year before.

GES had a particularly strong quarter, with revenues increasing to $286.6 million, a 26.5 percent increase, compared with $226.6 million during the same time period the year before.

“GES delivered much stronger results in the second quarter than we had previously expected,” said Steve Moster, president and CEO.

The Association of Women in Events, a new organization launched in March 2015, recently announced its founding board of directors.

The association received more than 65 applications for membership on the inaugural board, and founders spent several weeks vetting candidates for these important leadership roles.

The Board of Directors is expected to guide the vision of the association throughout the first formative years and shape the community surrounding the organization.

Reed Travel Exhibitions’ IBTM Americas spent this year in Chicago and will head to Nashville, aptly named “Music City”, June 15-17 next year.

ibtm america 2015 featured more than 5,200 pre-scheduled appointments with mutually matched suppliers and buyers in a closed show environment that mixed business with networking and education.

Following on the heels of the North American Meetings Industry Day, Meetings Mean Business will launch the first-ever Global Meetings Industry Day April 14 next year, which  will showcase the impact that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions have on people, business and communities.