ORLANDO — On June 15, Alliance Nationwide Exposition announced that it will produce an event in conjunction with the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) that will take place on July 24.
The event, called Together Again Expo, will provide guidance to industry professionals on new products and tactics for live events during the pandemic recovery period.
“As leaders in the exposition industry, it is our responsibility to provide our customers and stakeholders a vision for the future,” said Alliance Nationwide Exposition CEO Mark Yuska. “Expositions are vital to the business community and the U.S. economy at large. Together Again Expo seeks to advance these interests while promoting hope and safety.”
The group expects more than 300 exhibitors and 5,000 attendees at the expo, which, for many, will be their first live event since COVID-19 travel restrictions and sheltering-in-place orders were implemented across the country.
“We will be featuring multiple 15‐minute educational presentations, guest speakers and exhibitor video commercials on a centrally-focused Main Stage,” said Nicole Unger, CMP, Vice President of Sales at Alliance Nationwide Exposition. “A product showcase will also be featured with select exhibitors to showcase new innovative health and safety products and services for the industry. Attendees will also be able to explore a Restaurant Row Pavilion, Hotel Pavilion, Safety Services Pavilion and General Event Services Pavilion.”
Related. Orange County Convention Center Readies for Return of Events
In addition to the in-person experience, the Together Again Expo will offer an online component that includes highlights from the live event and content unique for the virtual audience.
“The Together Again Expo will provide a live stream by Technisch Creative to give virtual attendees a valuable experience, allowing them to view the live presentations from their homes,” Unger said. “In addition to the live presentations, the online experience will include interviews with exhibitors and attendees, entertainment, and video highlights from select exhibitors and sponsors. Our goal is to provide fast-moving, engaging content that demonstrates the future of events.”
This fast-moving content will include presentations from various industry leaders. For example, Mark Tester, the Executive Director of the Orange County Convention Center, will discuss how cities, airports, hospitals, venues and hotels are creating multiple measures that will collectively ensure reopenings are handled in a safe manner to protect convention attendees in a post-COVID-19 world.
In addition, the Together Again Expo will introduce attendees and exhibitors alike to tools that will help them implement safety procedures during events.
“This will essentially be a live demonstration where attendees and exhibitors will be the cast and they will experience for themselves multiple new safety tools and practices, including temperature monitoring, touchless registration and social distancing, as well as new food and beverage and sanitation practices throughout the entire facility and event,” said Unger. “These tools will allow the attendee to implement these safety strategies into their own events.”
Alliance Nationwide Exposition is offering complimentary 10×10 booths for Together Again Expo exhibitors, as well as enhanced sponsorship opportunities to organizations that purchase 20×20 booths and larger. In addition, attendees can receive complimentary registration. According to Unger, the role of the exhibitors and sponsors at the event is going to be especially important as professionals navigate their way through the necessary changes that are expected to take place in the industry.
“Sponsors of Together Again Expo are the catalysts for moving our Industry forward. Their donated resources are allowing us to demonstrate to everyone that we can host successful events safely and responsibly,” she said. “In addition, there are many exhibitors who have been working hard to develop new tools for the new events environment of tomorrow. They will have the first opportunity to demonstrate these products to industry colleagues and leaders, as we collaborate and continue to develop strategies that will allow us to bring the live events industry safely back together.”
The Together Again Expo has been scheduled to take advantage of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 recovery in Florida. During this phase, large venues like sporting arenas, auditoriums, concert halls are allowed to reopen at 50% capacity.
“The OCCC is proud to host the Together Again Expo to help instill confidence throughout our industry as we begin to incrementally host modified events,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester.
Reach Mark Tester at (407) 685-9800 or info@occc.net, Mark Yuska at mark.yuska@alliance-exposition.com; Nicole Unger at nicole.unger@alliance-exposition.com.
