Emerald Eyeing 20% CEDIA Expo Attendance Dropoff but Cites Positive Feedback
CEDIA Expo owner Emerald is expecting a 20% falloff in exhibitor numbers from 2019 due to the pandemic and people’s “comfort levels for in-person events,” a spokesperson emailed Wednesday. The trade show company is hoping for about 300 exhibitors, she said. The event is Sept. 1-3 in Indianapolis. Last year’s expo, scheduled for Denver, was canceled.
Feedback has been positive among exhibitors, attendees and media who registered for the September show, and they're looking forward to an in-person event and networking, the spokesperson said. They're "excited to get back to business," she said.
Emerald updated its health and safety plan for CEDIA Expo, said a Tuesday email to its mailing list that included a seven-question survey. Questions focused on willingness to attend trade events, what people miss about attending shows and how far they’re willing to travel for an in-person event. A CEDIA Expo-specific question asked about plans for attending: “If the COVID-19 pandemic is diminished, the U.S. has achieved herd immunity, and the safety precautions being taken at the show are satisfactory, what are your intentions regarding attending CEDIA Expo 2021?"
Emerald is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines saying fully vaccinated attendees are “encouraged but not required to wear masks.” Emerald has been following CDC and local health guidelines since announcing in April the return of the custom electronics industry’s annual event. Emerald said in April that face masks would be required at all times at CEDIA Expo 2021. Daily temperature checks would be required, and anyone with a high temperature wouldn't be admitted, it said, citing CDC guidance then. As of the July update, temperature checks will not be required for admission, the spokesperson said.
Tuesday’s email referred to a revised health and safety plan that's based on current CDC guidelines and developed in conjunction with state and local officials and the Indiana Convention Center. The latest CEDIA Expo guidelines say attendees who aren't fully vaccinated must wear a face mask at all times. The spokesperson said Emerald “will not be asking for proof of vaccination. You can come with or without being vaccinated.” Responding to our question on how the mask rule for unvaccinated attendees will be enforced, she said, “Rules are continually changing due to the CDC and state health and safety guidelines” and referred us to the CEDIA website. On what would happen if an unvaccinated person refused to wear a mask, it would “be up to the individual,” she said. Masks will be provided if needed, she said.
The CEDIA Expo health and safety plan says Emerald “reserves the right to remove any attendee from the event for failure to adhere to the required COVID-19 health and safety measures and other protocols for attendance at the event.” If an attendee isn't fully vaccinated, he or she “agrees to wear a face mask at all times and maintain appropriate social distance at CEDIA Expo,” it said.
The Expo organizer continued to urge attendees to follow recommended health and safety measures including washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and “staying home if you are sick.” Exhibitors will have access to enhanced cleaning and disinfection services for booths, and daily disinfecting will take place to sanitize seating, restrooms and frequently touched public areas, it said. Medical personnel will be onsite to help anyone feeling ill, Emerald said.
An informal industry poll on Facebook last week revealed varied responses about CEDIA attendance. A majority of responding exhibitors indicated they're planning to attend the September event. Ray Kimber, founder of Kimber Kable, was an exception. Kimber cited rising COVID-19 cases and positivity rates in his home state, Utah, and said, “Nope. Feels too soon.”
About half of journalists who responded to the poll said they won't attend CEDIA Expo this year. Audioholics founder Gene DellaSala said his online publication is going “full force” and doing virtual coverage and education for three days on its YouTube channel, in what he called a first.
CEDIA Expo exhibitors Savant and AudioControl are moving “full steam ahead,” WIRC Media President Micah Sheveloff emailed, regarding his clients’ plans for Expo. Savant will exhibit for the first time with GE Lighting, which it bought last year (see 2005270047). Savant also plans a virtual component for the show, said Sheveloff.
Kim Lancaster, president-Caster Communications, is expecting 100% attendance for her CEDIA-channel clients, including Crestron, Powerhouse Alliance, Vanco and the Z-Wave Alliance. The PR firm has just started organizing demonstration tours and booth flows. “We aren’t worried about size of groups at this point,” she said. Lancaster expects “less volume” overall at the show, “but the people attending will want to be purposeful about what they want to see and do in order to make their investment in attending worthwhile. That should be very good for exhibitors,” she said.