The Event of All Events: The Special Event Show in Tampa, Florida

February 1, 2012 1:12pm PST

I am back from an exciting week at The Special Event (TSE) in Tampa. If you're not familiar with TSE, it is an annual conference and trade show for event professionals. This show draws thousands of planners and suppliers from around the world looking for the latest and greatest in events.

It was my first time attending the show, and I was impressed by the information that was being shared, the conversations inside and outside the 'classrooms', and meeting lovely people from around the world. During the week, I attended a few of the educational sessions, the trade show, the two opening parties and the gala. Here are my reviews of the event:

- The educational events: Interactive, informative, and thought provoking. There were seven tracks to choose from: Business & Professional Development, Design, Event Management, Event Tools & Resources, Food Services & More, Sales & Marketing, and Wedding Trends. The courses were then broken down into basic, intermediate, and advanced. My advice to anyone attending the show in the future would be to pay attention to the ability levels for the educational events. From the TSE website, you can see an example of an educational overview http://thespecialeventshow.com/specialevent2012/Public/SessionDetails.aspx?SessionID=1005767.

- TSE Starts Here at the Ritz Ybor: I thought the venue was an excellent choice for this event. The band, SING!, was great and the dance floor was packed.

- The trade show: The trade show floor was filled with hundreds of event suppliers flaunting the latest products and services. I enjoyed chatting with our friends at CORT Event Furnishings and testing out all of their new products. CORT was showcasing two new lines of outdoor furniture, and their booth was full of bright, colourful ottomans and tables.

- Opening Night Celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion: Of the events I attended, this was definitely my favorite. The entertainment, food, and atmosphere made for a night to remember. A video of the event by Voila Cinematic can be found here http://vimeo.com/35776841.

- 26th Annual Gala Awards and Celebrations: The awards ceremony featured all of the who's who of the special event industry. I watched on and was proud of all of the Canadians who took home awards. Congratulations to Alison Silcoff Events, Cava Rose, E=MC2 Event Management, and POP Kollaborative Inc. After the awards were over, attendees stopped by the gala park and enjoyed drinks and fireworks before heading over to the dinner tent and experiencing Restaurant 20.12. The dinner was set-up restaurant style, and you could order what you wanted, when you wanted, while enjoying a performance that combined cabaret and corporate burlesque.

Overall my experience at the TSE was a pleasant one and I look forward to staying in touch with everyone I met in Tampa, and sharing my experience with the Loungeworks team. For any event professionals who have not attended the show, I would highly recommend you check out next year's show which will take place January 15-18th in Chicago.

Until next time,

Andrea

View from the Tampa Convention Center.

The entrance hall at the opening night celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion.

A unique, tasteful twist on classic Plexi Bars at the opening night celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion.

Another unique bar counter at the opening night celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion.

This stunning tree was the focal point at the opening night celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion.

Enjoying the scenery and sunshine on the walk to to the Convention Centre.

The new Blofield Air Design by CORT Event Furnishings. This line is inflatable, comfortable, and can be used at indoor or outdoor events.

Tabletop gallery "Temptation.

Custom cut-out drape from Rose Brand.

These chalk board tables were at the AFR Furniture Rental attendee lounge, and then used again at the again at the closing night gala with magnets. Very cool!