CHICAGO (BRAIN) — Organizers of the 2018 CABDA Expo opened registration for dealers on Monday.
The trade-only event will be held at the 100,000-square-foot Schaumburg Convention Center. Jim Kersten, the show's director and the president of CABDA, said that the new venue allows for a larger floorplan that can accommodate the increased demand for booths and demo space.
"Last year we crammed as many booths into the halls as we could; it was really packed. But we still had to turn away companies that wanted to exhibit. We just didn't have the space," Kersten said.
The new venue also allows for larger seminar and breakout room capacity. Clinics and workshops at the CABDA Expo are being organized by the Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association.
"Demand for our clinics last year caught us off guard. The rooms were overflowing. Most were standing room only, and we had folks crowding in doorways," Kersten said. "With the PBMA running the seminars we anticipate even more interest, and this time we'll have the capacity."
The 2017 event drew nearly 2,000 attendees from 485 shops across 22 states.
"In the beginning, I took out a map and drew a 200-mile circle around Chicago, and then I called every shop in the circle. Things have certainly changed," Kersten said. "We're continuing to grow our base in the Midwest, but we're also getting interest from dealers from the East Coast, the Rust Belt, and the South. We'll be doing direct mail to 38 states."
The expo is Feb. 14-15. Registration is free to bike dealers and their staffs until Jan. 31. The event also features a free industry party and a free keynote breakfast.
Exhibitor information and dealer registration can be found at cabda.com.
