Orlando Monthly Happenings on I-Drive! - December / January / February Events at the Orange County Convention Center

Year after year, The ASI Show Orlando is the place where thousands of distributors go to find the newest products, catalogs and pricing for the start of the sales season. As the largest event on the East Coast, ASI Orlando attracts distributor companies representing over $2.7 billion in industry sales.

Located in one of the top tradeshow cities in the country, Orlando is a popular destination during the cold winter season. The action-packed, three-day schedule includes dozens of free education sessions, three free Keynote presentations, 800 leading exhibitors on one easy-to-navigate show floor and top-notch networking events. There is no better way to launch 2009 than by participating in ASI Orlando!

At Stampin' Up! we are excited to share our exclusive line of decorative rubber stamp sets and accessories for handmade cards, scrapbooking, craft projects, and home decor! Since 1988, our wide assortment of rubber stamp images, stamping techniques, and designs have been helping crafters discover and express their creativity.

The Florida United Numismatists is host of the nation's largest coin Convention, held annually at the beginning of January. Over 15,000 collectors and dealers from around the U.S. and the world converge in the sunny climate for the first bellwether gathering of the year.

Welcome to Surf Expo, where since 1976, manufacturers and retailers in the surf, skate, water sports, swim and resort industries have come together in a business-first buying and selling environment.

Surf Expo traces its beginnings to a 1975 board meeting of the Eastern Surf Association when a group of ambitious sales reps rented out rooms to show their lines to the buyers who had congregated in Virginia Beach, VA, to attend the meeting. The following year, Ross Houston, a board member, decided to make this more than just a “show and tell” and launched the first Surf Expo at Cocoa Beach’s Cape Colony Hotel. By its fifth year, Surf Expo moved into Orlando’s Tupperware Auditorium with 150 booths.

Today Surf Expo is produced twice annually by dmg world media for manufacturers and retailers in the Board, Beach and Fashion industries. Held in January and September in Orlando, Florida, Surf Expo draws buyers from specialty stores; surf and skate shops; wakeboard, waterski, windsurf and kiteboard shops, resort, swimwear and urban apparel boutiques; department stores; and sporting good stores across the U.S., the Caribbean, Central and South America and around the world.

Surf Expo features more than 2,400 booths of apparel and hardgoods and a full line-up of special events, including fashion shows, annual awards ceremonies, and skate and other boardsport demos. Average buyer and exhibitor turnout exceeds 15,000 attendees including retailers, exhibitors and media per show.

Surf Expo is endorsed by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA); the Board Retailers Association (BRA), the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) and the Association of Wind Sports Industries (AWSI).

The SHOT Show is the world's largest showcase of firearms, hunting and outdoor products. It provides a forum like no other for the industry to show off its newest products that will adorn the shelves of gun and sporting goods shops in the coming year. Plan to be there!

FETC, a division of 1105 Media Inc., is one of the largest, most successful conferences in the United States devoted to educational technology. The conference program is carefully shaped to provide educators and administrators an opportunity to explore ways to integrate different technologies across the curriculum – from kindergarten to college – through exposure to the latest hardware, software and successful strategies on student technology use. FETC is designed for teachers, principals and deans, district administrators, curriculum designers, media specialists, technology directors and various other educators.

UMA Motorcoach Expo, the most anticipated yearly event in the private motorcoach industry, is quickly approaching. UMA has announced the topics for the Expo Solution Sessions! These learning and networking opportunities are always a highlight of Expo!

Returning January 24-26, 2009, to the Orange County Convention Center, the semi-annual Orlando Gift Show will offer Florida retailers an opportunity to explore more than 500 booths filled with some of the biggest and best-selling product lines. As the largest and longest running temporary gift event in Florida, the Orlando Gift Show features an unrivaled selection from resort and souvenir to stationery, table top, home furnishings and more. Managed by Urban Expositions and George Little Management, LLC (GLM), the Orlando Gift Show is central Florida’s only gift industry event with hundreds of booths featuring the latest introductions from top manufacturers and major Southeastern sales representatives in every product category. In addition to outstanding product selection, retailers can benefit from cross-market buying opportunities at the Jewelry & Accessories Expo running concurrently with the Orlando Gift Show.

The mission of the PGA Merchandise Show is to ensure that: Every individual attendee will leave equipped with effective tools, skills and strategies to be a better professional. Every facility and management team that attends will leave with new ideas, programs and partners to promote sell-through and drive profits, increase the number of rounds played and grow participation in the game of golf. Every participating exhibitor leaves with new orders, retail partners and insights to grow their business in the coming year.

A biennial trade show featuring more than 650 North American manufacturers displaying the latest equipment and supplies designed specifically for the world s foodservice industry; products for food preparation, storage, cooking, table service and related information technology.

Open to the public - Welcome to the Orlando Spring Interior Design and Remodeling Home Show, the show that offers consumers everything for in and around the home, from landscaping to window draping.

This show will feature Central Florida’s elite contractors from all categories including irrigation, garden displays, tree experts, pools & spas, interior design specialists along with outdoor design consultants. Other feature exhibits include custom cabinets, kitchens & baths, sunrooms, awnings & decks, HVAC services, windows, doors & siding, water treatment, home theatre, home security, insulation, energy management and so much more.

The Orlando Spring Home Show is geared for homeowners in all stages of remodeling, landscaping and decorating their homes. You’ll see hundreds of new products, thousands of new ideas. Our center stage will feature celebrities from the home improvement industry as well as informative seminars.

With a combination of new products and expert advice from the pros, the Orlando Spring Home Show inspires homeowners with countless ideas on enhancing their home's comfort and functionality, as well as its aesthetic appeal and overall value. Speak to the experts and find just the right designs at just the right price for your home improvement budget!

Twice annually, all of Orgill's programs, services and products are brought into focus during our Dealer Markets. These markets provide you with an ideal forum to talk to vendors, find out about new Orgill programs and take advantage of market-only deals.

Open to the public - Welcome to the 2009 Central Florida Boat Show now in it’s 42nd year! You are invited to the largest and longest running boat show in Central Florida. Whether you join us for one of our informative seminars, or just to check out the latest and greatest in boats, products, and accessories. Mark your calendars now February 19 - 22, 2009 this is one show you don’t want to miss!

It’s not only Florida anymore. Exhibitors and attendees from all over are welcome to be a part of this experience. This annual Show will continue to bring professionals from throughout the United States together to learn about new products, new technology, new trends and new practices. The Show also offers CILB approved continuing education courses taught by industry experts. This two-day event lets you experience free hands-on courses and allows you to meet directly with manufacturers. The Thursday evening Welcome Reception includes awards presentations to outstanding industry members and the recipients of the annual design awards.

Surface Fabrication & Design Expo is the only international trade event primarily focused on the Countertop surface industry. Owned and produced by Cygnus Expositions, the event provides fabricators, designers, architects, specifiers and other surface professionals the opportunity to gain the education, product knowledge and contacts necessary to stay competitive in this ever-evolving industry. Whether you are looking for unparalleled education or a comprehensive product showcase, Surface Fabrication & Design Expo is your complete resource.

For over 30 years, hundreds of equipment, apparel and supplies exhibitors have come to the ISS shows to show the latest in technology and techniques to the decorated apparel industry. ISS covers embroidery, screen printing, sublimation and direct-to-garment printing. In addition to the exciting trade show atmosphere, ISS offers educational session and hands on workshops with top industry speakers. Come to ISS!

The ISS shows have focused exclusively on the imprinted decorated apparel industry for over 30 years. Our partnership with Impressions Magazine and co-locations with PPAI make us unique to this dynamic industry. The trade show brings together buyers, suppliers, manufacturers and industry leaders in regional setting to explore screen printing, embroidery, sublimation, graphic design and digital printing. Workshops and sessions are provided to showcase new technology and techniques with top industry leaders.

Pilot Travel Centers LLC is the nation's largest retail operator of Travel Centers, catering to the professional driver and traveling motorist in 41 states with over 300 retail interstate properties. Customers will find nationally recognized fast food restaurants serving hot meals 24/7, and many travel conveniences such as showers, ATMs, internet kiosks, check cashing, money orders, laundry, game rooms, public pay phones with data ports, audio book rentals, Western Union, pre-paid phone cards, and truck washes, truck service centers, and CAT Scales.