Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group has cancelled four upcoming restaurant, foodservice and specialty coffee events in their portfolio due to the California, Florida and Illinois state government-issued State of Emergency orders. One remaining 2020 event, Coffee Fest PNW, scheduled to take place October 24-25, 2020 at the Greater Tacoma CC, Tacoma, WA is scheduled to run as planned. The events that have been cancelled include:
- The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo /Healthy Food Expo West, which were scheduled to take place August 9-11, 2020 at the Anaheim Convention Center, CA.
- Coffee Fest Anaheim, which was scheduled to take place Aug. 9-11, 2020 at the Anaheim CC, CA.
- Coffee Fest Chicago, which was scheduled to take place Aug. 28 – 30, 2020 at the Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.
- The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show /Healthy Food Expo Florida, which were scheduled to take place September 22-23, 2020 at the Orange County CC in Orlando, FL.
“We have seen the impact COVID-19 has had on the food and beverage industry and our hearts are with our friends and colleagues,” says Tom Loughran (pictured right), VP for the Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “We are saddened and disappointed we have to cancel our industry events, however, in light of both government direction and general public health advisories we believe it is not possible at this time for a safe public gathering,” adding, “With the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the California, Florida and Illinois state government-issued State of Emergency orders, we have put the health, safety and well-being of our team, customers, partners, family and friends above all other priorities.”
The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group face to face connections will resume with the following events:
- Coffee Fest PNW – Oct. 24-25, 2020 at the Greater Tacoma CC, WA.
- The NGA Show – March 7-9, 2021 at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.
- The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York/Coffee Fest New York/ Healthy Food Expo New York – March 7-9, 2021 at the Javits Center, New York City.
- Coffee Fest San Antonio – June 18-19, 2021 at the Henry B. Gonzalez CC, San Antonio, TX.
- The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo/ Coffee Fest Anaheim/Healthy Food Expo West – Aug. 22-24, 2021 at the Anaheim CC, CA.
- The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show/Healthy Food Expo Florida – Sept. 19-20, 2021- at the Orange County CC, Orlando, FL.
“Although our next event is scheduled for October, we are working on new concepts to support the industry—through both our original and world-class education that is practical and relevant for today’s foodservice professional; and by bringing vendors together with restaurants, foodservice and retailers. We look forward to bringing to operators and manufacturers both virtual and potentially more intimate face-to-face gatherings when the timing is right,” Loughran continues.
“In the meantime, we continue to be committed to providing operators and the overall restaurant, foodservice, catering, and coffee/tea industry with tools to connect and rebuild their business. We are pleased to continue to support the marketplace with our COVID-19 Resource Center, an online platform providing access to both uniquely produced education focused on operators’ most relevant needs, along with aggregated industry education, plus association resources, industry links, and more.”
Clarion Events produces 37 events across 13 sectors of both trade and consumer events. The shows that are part of the Food & Beverage portfolio include the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, Healthy Food Expo, CoffeeFest and The NGA Show. Clarion Events, backed by The Blackstone Group, has become one of the fastest growing event companies in the U.S. with aggressive growth through both acquisition and launch. Clarion acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ. For more info, visit https://clarionevents.com
