SAVETHEDATE

March 19-21

Northstar Fashion Exhibitors St Paul, Minnesota www.northstarfashion.com

March 21-24

Dallas Apparel & Accessories, Kidsworld Market & Total Home & Gift Market Dallas www.dallasmarketcenter.com

March 23-25

Impressions Expo Atlantic City, New Jersey www.impressionsexpo.com

March 26-29

Shoptalk Las Vegas www.shoptalk.com

March 10-14

Minneapolis Mart Home & Gift Show

Minneapolis www.mplsmart.com

March 11-12

Atlanta Jewelry Shows Atlanta www.atlantajewelryshow.com

March 11-13

New England Made Portland, Maine www.nemadeshows.com

March 12-14

Mix Gift & Lifestyle Show Des Plaines, Illinois www.silverliningshows.com/ rev-chicago-boutique-show

March 12-16

CMC LA Kids Market Los Angeles www.californiamarketcenter. com/lakidsmarket

March 17-19

Greensboro Gift & Jewelry Show

Greensboro, North Carolina www.gtshows.com

March 27-29

New England Coastal Creative - Bloom Newport, Rhode Island www.necoastalcreative.com

March 28–April 1

Atlanta Apparel Atlanta www.atlanta-apparel.com

APRIL

April 3-5

Gaylord Gift Show Gaylord, Michigan www.petoskeygiftshow.com

April 4

TMC- The Merchandise Center Chicago & Schiller Park, Illinois www.tmcexpo.com

April 19-20

Mid-Atlantic Merchandise Mart

Philadelphia www.midatlanticmart.com

April 22-26

High Point Market Week

High Point & Thomasville, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

April 23-25

Minneapolis Mart Home & Gift Show Minneapolis www.mplsmart.com

April 25-27

Trendz Palm Beach, Florida www.trendzshow.com

April 26-27

Magic Nashville Nashville www.magicfashionevents.com

April 27-28

Noted: The Greeting Card Expo San Francisco www.greetingcard.org

High Point Market Week

Surf Expo January records 21% increase in total attendance

Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle trade show, saw a robust 21% year-overyear gain in attendance for its January 2023 edition, hosting more than 8,500 industry professionals at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, from Jan. 4 to 6 for an incredible buying experience.

“The surf, coastal and resort markets are thriving and vibrant,” says Roy Turner, Surf Expo senior vice president and show director. “We were thrilled to see that qualified buyer attendance was up 20% at this show over the previous year, with more than 4,100 qualified buyers attending. These retailers from the U.S. and more than 60 different countries got to check out more than 750 brands.”

The surf section was larger than at the September 2022 show, with 27 new exhibitors in the surf section alone and many brands attending their first trade show ever. Other notable brands that participated included BN3TH, Birkenstock, VISSLA, Keen Footwear, Hey Dude, Salty Crew, Katin, Brixton, Dickies, Firewire Surfboards, Sharp Eye Surfboards, Xcel Wetsuits, Pura Vida, Jetty, Havaianas, Sperry, Sun Bum, AFTCO and many more.

“Surf Expo is a great show for chasing the wow!” says Jeff Glik, CEO of Glik Stores in Granite City, Illinois. “Retail is about constant change, and new vendors give us an opportunity to inject the WOW! The highlight for me at the show was I-SEA sunglasses. We met with the owner and sales manager and boy did they dial me in.”

Many buyers were looking for those newer brands to stay in tune with the latest trends. Jim Archibald, owner of Archie’s Surf Shop in Grand Bend, Ontario, says, “Having these niche brands really arms us in battle in this evolving market. Hopefully these newer, small- to medium-sized companies will be the big brands of tomorrow. This show is great at giving them a better chance to showcase their wares.”

Other retailers valued the opportunity for face-to-face meetings with brand executives. “We definitely had a productive show,” says Timothy McKevlin, owner of McKevlin’s Surf Shop in Folly Beach, South Carolina. “It’s always valuable to meet with brands in person, especially since that has been a challenge in the last two and a half years.”

Surf Expo will return to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Sept. 7-9.

Atlanta Apparel kicks off 2023 with strong order writing

Atlanta Apparel’s February 2023 edition started the year with 15% growth in temporary exhibit offerings, as well as strong order writing across children’s, shoes and young contemporary categories. “Atlanta Apparel buyers and brands brought the energy to educational and networking events, temporary exhibits and permanent showrooms this February,” says Caron Stover, International Market Centers (IMC) SVP, apparel. “Throughout this market, including the successful extra day of temporary exhibit sourcing on Floor 1, attendees discovered products, connected with exhibitors and wrote orders across 11 floors of show space.”

Attendees traveled to Atlanta Apparel from 11 international countries, 43 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, with more than 87% of the buyers hailing from the Southeast. Nearly a quarter of Atlanta Apparel attendees were first-time buyers to the market.

Atlanta Apparel kicked off the year offering 360plus permanent showrooms, 14 of which were new, and 380-plus temporary exhibits, 58 of which were first-time exhibitors.

The next Atlanta Apparel market is March 28 to April 1 (temporary exhibits March 29 to 31, and select showrooms April 1 by appointment.

Las Vegas Market experiences major attendance growth

Throngs of optimistic retailers, designers and specifiers gathered for Las Vegas Market’s first market of 2023 to place orders for new products, explore new technologies and embark on new opportunities. A 25% year-over-year increase in attendance combined with a wealth of new introductions created an unmistakable energy throughout the market’s 1,000 gift, home decor and furniture permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits, Jan. 29 to Feb. 2, at World Market Center Las Vegas.

“The unbridled optimism of buyers and suppliers at Las Vegas Market was reminiscent of pre-pandemic market conditions and is a great indicator of our industry’s future,” says Bob Maricich, International Market Centers (IMC) CEO. “Business was brisk and new relationships forged as the right buyers and the right sellers came together to kick off 2023 on a very positive note.”

Las Vegas Market’s 25% percent year-over-year attendance growth was driven by an influx of new buyers, the return of many for the first time since the pandemic and a strong fourth quarter. Ultimately, it attracted attendees from all 50 states and 68 countries.

Some 33% of attendees were new to Las Vegas Market with 12% returning for their first market since the beginning of the pandemic. Growth was evident in all the industries Las Vegas Market represents with an 18% increase in home decor attendance, 11% increase in gifts, a notable 50% increase in furniture buyers, and 40% increase in interior designers.

The Summer 2023 Las Vegas Market is July 30-Aug. 3.

Bulletin brings reimagined energy to NY Now

NY Now and Bulletin’s reimagined February 2023 Winter Market included a fresh crop of brands and makers coupled with a sense of innovation and transformation.

Emerald X recently acquired the curated wholesale marketplace, Bulletin, whose team and leadership played a key role in planning, marketing and staging the country’s largest gift and home show. The show featured elevated lounges, packed networking happy hours and engaging panels. Bulletin’s B2B marketplace and commitment to small businesses will continue to play a significant role in making NY Now a more tech-powered event, with even more changes slotted for Summer 2023, organizers say.

Alana Branston, group vice president, gift and home, Emerald X, attributes the event’s growth to category expansion with the launch of the Play category, which caters to the growing toy selection, as well as the introduction of cannabis brands to NY Now.

Atlanta Market sees double-digit growth

Strong order writing, expanded discovery opportunities, standing-room-only events and significant participation from industry organizations brought energy to the bustling Winter 2023 Atlanta Market staged Jan. 10 to 16 at AmericasMart Atlanta.

“Atlanta Market is thriving,” says Bob Maricich, International Market Centers (IMC) CEO. Atlanta Market attendance posted double-digit growth over the Winter 2022 staging, attracting buyers from all 50 states and 56 countries. International traffic significantly increased, nearly doubling year-over-year. Domestically, attendance from the Northeast grew by over 40% and the Southwest by over 70%.

The soft launch of AmericasMart’s new casual/outdoor furnishings collection was a major draw at Atlanta Market this winter. Some 41 showrooms opened for their first Atlanta Market with expansive presentations for retailers and designers.

Driving Atlanta Market’s attendance growth was the return of major buying groups, associations and key accounts for the first time since Winter 2020. Some 15 buying groups and associations hosted member meetings and presented programming at the Winter 2023 Atlanta Market.

The Summer 2023 Atlanta Market is July 11 to 17 at AmericasMart Atlanta.