The Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show has changed quite a bit since the first event held more than a half century ago.
About 30 golf course superintendents attended that inaugural show held in 1962 at Clemson University. This year, about 1,900 professional turf managers attended the 53rd annual conference and show held in November at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
In fact, while declining attendance has marked the national Golf Industry Show since 2009, the reverse has been true for many regional shows, indicating that the desire for ongoing education is still there even if travel dollars are not.
Attendance at this year's show is slightly ahead of last year's show that drew 1,885 and is approaching the record of 2,018 set during the 2008 show. This year's show also included 190 vendors and about 100,000 square feet of convention center floor space.
The numbers also were up this year at the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show held earlier this month.
More than 1,600 attendees were hand as 100 speakers conducted 140 education sessions. A total of 111 vendors occupied nearly 20,000 square feet of exhibit space on the trade show floor at the Great Columbus Convention Center. All represent increases over last year's show held in Sandusky in the shadows of Cedar Point amusement park.
More than 9 of 10 attendees and exhibitors also indicated they plan to attend next year's show.
Numbers also were up at the New York State Turfgrass Association Conference and Show where 64 vendors showcased their wares to 611 total attendees, both of which are up from last year's event.
In contrast, attendance and participation at the Golf Industry Show has been on a downward slide since the 2008 show in Orlando attracted 25,737 attendees and 965 vendors. A total of 12,400 attendees and 551 exhibitors were on hand this year in San Antonio, compared with 14,147 and 561 last year in Florida.
Statistics for the Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association show held in early December were not yet available.There still are several regional shows yet to come, including the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show.
After this year's show in January was plagued by a blizzard that all but canceled the event, the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show has been moved to its historic early March time slot.
Scheduled for Feb. 29-March 3 at the Rhode Island Conference Center in Providence, the 2016 show will feature a lot of changes for attendees. A total of 13 separate two- and four-hour seminars will start at 1 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Tuesday. In previous years all seminars were held on Monday of show week. Thursday educational sessions will begin at 8 a.m. rather than 9 a.m.
There also will be a two-day trade show opening at 8 a.m. on the Wednesday and Thursday of show week.
Attendees who registered for the 2015 show will receive a 50 percent credit when they register online."
Sports radio personality John Dennis of WEEI-FM in Boston will be the keynote speaker again this year. His address last year was canceled due to the inclement weather.
Attendees who registered for the 2015 show will receive a 50 percent credit when they register online. Online registration will begin later this month. Exhibitors also will receive a discount. Details will be in the vendor packet.
We will have more information on this show as it becomes available.
Other upcoming shows include: Michigan Turfgrass Conference, Jan. 5-7, Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, East Lansing; Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference and Show, Jan. 12-14, Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro (keynote speaker is former University of Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer); Nebraska Turf Conference, Jan. 12-14, LaVista Conference Center; Arkansas Turfgrass Association Trade Show and Conference, Jan. 13-14, Hot Springs Convention Center.