Upfront: GIE+EXPO news, reminders
By Steve Noe
Before making my annual pilgrimage to Louisville for the Green Industry and Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO) — slated for Thursday, Oct. 27, through Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Kentucky Exposition Center — I wanted to share with you the latest news and last-minute reminders about the show.
Be sure to check out the Dealer Resource Pavilion, which will be located on the show floor and feature excellent educational opportunities for dealership owners and managers, a dealers-only lounge, an Internet café, new products and best-practice advice. Only dealers, distributors and retailers will be admitted to the Dealer Resource Pavilion. Admission to the Dealer Resource Pavilion is free with a tradeshow pass, with the exception of Friday’s 8 a.m. Dealer Resource Roundtable Breakfast, which will cost $25 per person. For more details on the Dealer Resource Pavilion, please read the article written by Bob Clements on page 20.
Stealing Angels, which will be performing a free concert in downtown Louisville at 4th Street Live on Thursday at 9 p.m., will be in the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute’s booth #3216 on Thursday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (Don’t forget that the legendary Charlie Daniels will be celebrating his 75th birthday with a free concert at 4th Street Live Friday at 9 p.m. The opening acts will be the Monarchs Thursday at 7 p.m. and the Davisson Brothers Band Friday at 8 p.m.)
After you visit with Stealing Angels at the show and before you go see them in concert, be sure to stop by the Dealer Resource Pavilion for a 25-cent beer and hot dog reception that will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Can’t beat a beer and a hot dog for just 50 cents! All dealers, distributors and retailers are welcome to attend.
I also recently received the following preliminary schedule of press conferences, which are open to the public and will be held on the New Products Arena stage:
Thursday
10-10:20 a.m. Ariens Company
11-11:20 a.m. Avalanche Snow and Ice Control
Noon-12:20 p.m. B3C Fuel Solutions
1-1:20 p.m. Kawasaki
1:30-1:50 p.m. Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
2-2:20 p.m. Case Construction Equipment
3-3:20 p.m. Techo-Bloc
4-4:20 p.m. Honda Power Equipment/Honda Engines
Friday
8:45-9:30 a.m. Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
10-10:20 a.m. New Holland Construction
11-11:20 a.m. Brock Paver
2-2:20 p.m. Kohler Engines
If learning what’s exciting and new in the industry isn’t enough incentive for you to attend the press conferences held on the New Products Arena stage, you will have an opportunity to win a $500 gas card during each staged press conference in the “Trucks of the Industry Gas Card Giveaway.” No purchase is necessary, but you must be present in the New Products Arena stage area to win. More press conferences may be scheduled between press time and GIE+EXPO, so be sure to check for a complete schedule posted in the New Products stage area once you arrive at the show. Incidentally, dealers and retailers will have access to the show floor each day at 8 a.m., which is an hour before the show will open to everyone else.
If you would like a chance to win a free iPad2 from Green Media/M2MEDIA360, which publishes Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), be sure to tear out the “Touching Base” game card that was attached to page 7 in September 2011 OPE and bring it to the show to participate in our promotion. All of the rules of the “Touching Base” promotion can be found on the game card, but if you have any further questions or need another game card, feel free to drop by Green Media’s booth #474.
Remember to register for GIE+EXPO in advance! A three-day pass to GIE+EXPO is $25 for those who pre-register but $50 for those who wait to register at the show. You may register for GIE+EXPO online at www.gie-expo.com or by calling Sellers Expositions at (800) 558-8767 or (812) 949-9200. Hope to see you at the show!
OPE Editor Steve Noe
snoe@m2media360.com
