A Message and an Announcement from the Executive Vice President of AWFS®
October 2025
We Hear What You Have to Say and Are Taking Action!
 |
Dear AWFS® Members and Exhibitors:
I would like to begin this message by stating that AWFS® wants nothing more than to see our exhibitors leave our show trusting that their time and money were well spent. Knowing the nature of trade shows, we realize that certain factors are not always going to be under the direct control of show management. Sometimes it takes the very people we serve to give us the voice necessary to make changes to a trade show model, that I personally believe has been broken for a very long time. This is why last spring the AWFS® staff decided that we would conduct focus groups, interviews, and surveys, following our latest event to determine what needs to be changed or improved upon, which was unanimously supported by the AWFS® board. The results of this research have been shared with the AWFS® Board of Directors and all vendors that have a significant impact on the AWFS®Fair. AWFS® management felt it was important to not only listen to feedback from our stakeholders but share that information with those that can help AWFS® take significant steps in bringing our event back to where it rightfully belongs in 2027 and beyond. Increasing Exhibitor ROI is Our Priority! Based on our findings, the one overriding subject that kept resurfacing was improving exhibitor ROI. In fact, as a result of exhibitor feedback we received during our show and shortly thereafter, AWFS® had already begun proactively working on plans to bring ROI in line with exhibitor expectations. The comments we’ve received from focus group and interview participants further solidified our position and is enabling us to move through the process with the urgency and attention it deserves. As a result, AWFS® anticipates sharing the outcome of this effort with all existing and prospective 2027 exhibitors very soon. |
Maximizing Your Time Spent at the Fair While Reducing Your Exhibit Costs
One modification, that was already being considered prior to this year’s event, is based on the changes we’ve seen in buyer behavior over the course of several shows. Attendees have more tools at their disposal to research products and plan their events than ever before. They value and plan their time away from their homes and businesses effectively and attend shows with specific goals in mind. As a result, buyers are conducting their business with greater efficiency and returning home to their shops and families with little downtime in between.
Therefore, as a first step, in not only reducing exhibit costs but making time spent at our show as productive as possible, the AWFS® staff recommended the reduction of one show day, which the board unanimously approved. The 2027 AWFS®Fair will now run from Tuesday through Thursday, July 13-15, 2027.
Even though the staff were instrumental in making this change, the input we received from our exhibitors was the deciding factor that led our board to unanimously approve this recommendation.
Traffic was down but quality was up
This theme was also repeated frequently during our research and during one-on-one discussions with exhibitors. Interestingly enough, excluding the drop in attendance from Canada, which we expected and was mainly attributed to trading policy concerns, traffic was down proportionately when comparing the size of our show floor in 2025 vs the 2023 Fair. In fact, the correlation was 1:1, which brings me to my next point.
When it comes to attendance, please keep one thing in mind. Our staff can (and) do their very best to bring people to the Fair, show after show. However, the biggest factor influencing attendance at any industry event is the exhibitors that choose to support the show, and the industry itself, through their participation. It’s that simple and worth repeating. For any trade show (regardless of industry) to reach its true potential in attracting buyers, exhibitors choosing to support the show can make a significant difference in helping drive overall attendance.
It’s the old saying of a rising tide lifting all boats. As more exhibitors decide to support an event, it becomes a cumulative effect from which everyone benefits, especially attendees that are given the opportunity to see the very best and latest the industry has to offer, all under one roof over the course of “three” days. This is what buyers want to see when they decide to spend their time and money attending an industry trade show and it’s the best way that we can collectively serve our industry.
As far as hearing what exhibitors had to say about the quality of attendees in the audience, the way we see it, it gives us something to continue building upon while we undergo the necessary adjustments that will ultimately bring both quantity and quality to our exhibitors/members.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all our exhibitors that participated in our research and provided such valuable feedback. Although there are many more things I wish I could share at this moment, I will leave you with one final message.
Please stay tuned.
My best to everyone,
Angelo Gangone
Executive Vice President
Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers®
