by Marlena Sullivan, Editor, Exhibit City News
Today, I am pleased to announce that the Quarter 4 2024 issue for Exhibit City News is officially live, today October 1st. You can access the edition by the link on our homepage or here. For those of you who will receive our physical print, look forward to it in the coming weeks. Hopefully you can enjoy during your down time in this eventful tradeshow season.
Fall is in the air. The leaves are changing their shades. For many, approaching the end of the year is about slowing down, bundling up and bracing for winter. However, for many of us, the Q4 season is the beginning of the sprint to the end of the year. Whether attending a variety of the large events in November and December, end of the year parties, new acquisitions or announcements of new partnerships, we are all racing towards 2025 at full speed.
Here at Exhibit City News, we are completing our Q4 edition, preparing to publish our 30-Year Anniversary Book, and crafting a whole host of additional (super-secret) projects for 2025. While I can’t reveal too much, I can hint at things like trophies, calendars, and digital innovations. But, of course, the future is always full of surprises!
As Lewis Carroll wrote in Through the Looking Glass, I have but a “poor sort of memory that only works backwards.” Let’s recap, shall we?
2024 has been a whirlwind. I started at Exhibit City News in November of 2023, and four magazines (plus our 30-Year Anniversary Book) later, I may not feel like a pro, but this industry feels like a home. A year ago, I started without a clue of the names, jargon, or companies. As ECN continues to expand and grow, I find myself training people and assuring them that while it all seems so overwhelming at first, it gets easier. The people who make tradeshows happen are always ready to support newcomers through the initial confusion, as I’ve discovered. The support network in this industry is strong and reliable.
I have seen a host of acquisitions across the industry, as well as new businesses being introduced or even renamed. Hundreds of people have moved to new jobs (congrats) and new events have sprung up. We have heard our voice, as an industry, represented in larger numbers on Capitol Hill. We have created a whole host of new podcasts and content series. And potentially, most importantly, a whole host of new trades people are being welcomed in, supported, and guided by the old guard who have stuck with this industry through thick and thin.
It is with much pride and excitement; I present our Quarter 4 issue of 2024.
Exhibit City News’ Quarter 4 issue is one of the familiar issues for our long-time readers and a staple of what makes ECN, well… ECN. As this is our Transportation and Warehousing issue, we have decided to dive deep into the topics that are affecting the people who get these exhibits to and from the convention centers.
Inside you will find stories about design, transportation considerations, and insights into labor. Our writers address topics concerning the industry: labor shortages, rising prices, competition in a market that does not have much room for growth, technology, sustainability, and so much more.
We complete our Show Floor Etiquette series (pg. 36). We spotlight the city of San Francisco, its rich history and what it has to offer the modern tradeshow. As always, we focus on those who make tradeshows happen: the people.
Whether you’re already ready for a vacation or just gearing up to an excellent fall and winter season, we at Exhibit City News support you. We will see you in the new year, with fresh ideas, new considerations for your design and tradeshows, and as always, a focus to remain true to the trade.
Whatever your plans may be, we wish you the best. Remember to stay warm as the chill of winter begins to form. And as always, we are in the business of cultivating experiences that are remembered, so don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Make memories worth remembering.
