In a little more than a month, the Great Lakes EXPO will be making its return to Grand Rapids with some new features.
Greg Bird, executive director of the event, says the first is improving attendees’ experiences.
“We’ve implemented a new website which has a complete tradeshow booth map that includes vendor contact information,” he says. “It is very much expanded compared to what we had in the past—people will really enjoy looking at that website and checking it out so they can find certain vendors and get information while they’re there.”
Registration for the EXPO is open, and early rates end November 15.
“If you register after mid-November, your badge will be available for pickup at a kiosk in the registration area in the Grand Gallery,” says Bird. “We mail out badges if you get registered early enough.”
Bird says the biggest change will be a new stage for events at the back of the trade show hall.
“We’re going to have ‘Ask The Experts Genius Bar’ presentations,” he says. “The 40 Under 40 Awards will be in the stage in the back of the trade show hall Tuesday at 4:30. Then there’s going to be a vegetable industry event with the retirements of John Bakker and Brian Bursiek at Wednesday afternoon at 4.”
The final change compared to years past will be with pesticide credits.
“We used to have people submit their information by filling out bubble sheets at the end of education sessions,” says Bird. “We’re not using bubble sheets anymore and people will use a personal mobile device to submit the information to get their pesticide credit. If we have any troubles or people still want to fill out a form, there’s going to be a booth to help people with credit questions in the Grand Gallery.”
This year’s event will run from December 7 through the 9th. For more information, click here.
