Reefing trade shows, conferences and YOU! Why or Wht Not?

[Plauri55]

So we're getting ready for our final show of the year, the Carolina Reef Experience, and it got me wondering about some things for today's Question and Poll of the Day!

1. Have you attended any aquarium trade shows this year?

2. What's your favorite thing about going to these aquarium trade shows?

We're excited about this final show. For us (Reef2Reef) it's a chance to get to meet new people, see old friends, and just keep our fingers on the pulse of that "side" of the hobby. So that being said we would love to meet/see you at the Carolina Reef Experience this weekend in Columbia, SC.

At the Reef2Reef booth we will have some R2R Swag to give you as well as free tickets for a chance to win a Red Sea Reefer 170 System, LED Light and Skimmer! FREE TICKETS!

The Carolina Reef Experience will be held at Gala Event Center – 533 Clemson Rd, Columbia, SC 29229. Join us as over 30 industry leading vendors come together to bring the best livestock & Dry Goods to the southeast for the inaugural event. The 2019 Carolina Reef Experience will be held at the 13,000 Sq. Ft. Gala Event Center on Clemson Rd. The venue is a short 3 minute drive from the I-20 Clemson Rd exit and a 10 minute drive from the I-77 Killian Rd exit. The event is also Located 25 minutes from Columbia Metropolitan Airport and about 15 minutes from downtown Columbia, the Riverbanks Zoo, Fishy Business and Palmetto Reef. More Info Here




My wife and I will be there at the Carolina Reef Experience. Looks to be good!

 

[EmilyXLC]

I sure did! I actually got to attend AND work my first show-- MACNA!

 

[ZoWhat]

Honestly, btwn travel costs and it being one big infomercial.... I'd rather stay at home, save my money for corals....and watch new products reviews on youtube.

If conventions are your thing, I get it.

For me, very little benefit weighing out travel costs vs the information I return home with.

If I spend $1000 to attend a conference....do I come home with $1000 worth of knowledge?

I'll save my money for additions to my tank

 

[psychobilly07]

Thought about going to Aquashella in chicago. I went last year and it was good but it was $54 just for my daughter and I to enter this year so decided against it

 

[AZMSGT]

Well, I wanted to go to Reef A Palooza in LA but couldn’t. The calendar year is almost over but in Dec there is a little show in Phoenix. I’m gonna attend that. Next year we are blessed with Macna here in Phoenix so.. that’s going to get my attention for sure.. Already got my tickets.

I think R2R should come to Phoenix in Dec .

Phoenix Coral Show 2019

December 7th 2019 in Phoenix ! Great place to end the CFM Coral Show calender year. Just announced and signing up vendors. Email [email protected] for inquiries. http://www.coralfarmersmarket.com/cfmprotour_phoenix_2019.htm

www.reef2reef.com

CFM Pro Tour Phoenix Coral Show 2019

 

[Mrs. Herbert]

I would love to attend a saltwater reef show if the events where a little closer to home. For instance, the Sacramento area or Folsom area would be nice. I would need at least a 3 week notice to put the time off request in for work.

 

[jsker]

I always have a great time, but plan on make my next show a destination trip. This way I have more time to look around and also can make the trip into a mini vacation.

 

[andrewkw]

I would love to go for the talks / meet people I've either conversed with online or better yet read their work for years BUT

I think bare min it would cost me about $2k to go probably more. I would probably bring my wife and since I live in Canada I would be limited to bringing back soft corals only. I already travel 7hrs to buy most of my livestock. It's just too much for me to spend at this point. That being said I'm seriously considering the Niagara Coral Show, I could probably do that for under 1k and even bring back coral.

If only I had more money...

 

[LiveWire]

I always go to as many as I can each year. I did skip MACNA this year but did hit RAP NY for the first time and think I will be hitting that one every year now. Thought about Philly splash but did not make that one. Would be nice to have at least one in the DC/Baltimore area once a year as I would be at that one as well.

 

[Heabel7]

Went to Reefapalooza Chicago (my 1st reef event). Only an hour away. I would love to have more shows in Chicago area or at least know when they are occurring. My favorite thing was seeing so many SPS in person and getting a great deal on Sunday. Without SPS vendors in Chicago it seems the same only place to see a selection is at a show.

I will say that I did not see many of the rare or exspensive sps, a lot of common popular items. Maybe all the rare stuff was bought on Saturday. Wouldn’t buy it for $300 a frag but would have like to seen what the hype is about.

 

[hooligan76]

Did Aquashella in Dallas early this year & will hit up the smaller TX Coral Fest in a couple weeks, a local reef club frag swap or two as well throughout the year. I prefer the smaller local/regional shows though to the larger ones, too many crowds for my taste these days.

 

[Christopher Peters]

So we're getting ready for our final show of the year, the Carolina Reef Experience, and it got me wondering about some things for today's Question and Poll of the Day!

1. Have you attended any aquarium trade shows this year?

2. What's your favorite thing about going to these aquarium trade shows?

We're excited about this final show. For us (Reef2Reef) it's a chance to get to meet new people, see old friends, and just keep our fingers on the pulse of that "side" of the hobby. So that being said we would love to meet/see you at the Carolina Reef Experience this weekend in Columbia, SC.

At the Reef2Reef booth we will have some R2R Swag to give you as well as free tickets for a chance to win a Red Sea Reefer 170 System, LED Light and Skimmer! FREE TICKETS!

The Carolina Reef Experience will be held at Gala Event Center – 533 Clemson Rd, Columbia, SC 29229. Join us as over 30 industry leading vendors come together to bring the best livestock & Dry Goods to the southeast for the inaugural event. The 2019 Carolina Reef Experience will be held at the 13,000 Sq. Ft. Gala Event Center on Clemson Rd. The venue is a short 3 minute drive from the I-20 Clemson Rd exit and a 10 minute drive from the I-77 Killian Rd exit. The event is also Located 25 minutes from Columbia Metropolitan Airport and about 15 minutes from downtown Columbia, the Riverbanks Zoo, Fishy Business and Palmetto Reef. More Info Here

I live in Canada, the land of no reef shows lol.

 

[Opus]

Did Aquashella in Dallas early this year & will hit up the smaller TX Coral Fest in a couple weeks, a local reef club frag swap or two as well throughout the year. I prefer the smaller local/regional shows though to the larger ones, too many crowds for my taste these days.

Same for me. I'm hearing Aquashella will be in a different building so hopefully they won't have the crowd issues like they did for this one. I just hope they have more freshwater stuff to see. Uchin does a good job on putting on the TX Coral Fests though the attendance isn't always there. I've also driven down to Houston for their big frag show in the spring which was a good show. I mainly go for the vendors. Like talking to a couple of the vendors that have been around for many many years. Wish Reefkoi and Josh still made it out this way. MACNA is too family unfriendly so I will probably never make it to their show.

 

[Roosterjack]

There was one in Cleveland last weekend. Fraggenstein by C-SEA. I think it about this time every year.

Yes, but talking about one of the big shows. I was unable to make it to the CSEA swap but do get to others here and there.

 

[Dragon52]

Yes I will be at the Carolina Reef Experience this Sat.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I had everything set up to go to MACNA this year but there was a hurricane that kind of ruined my plans.

 

[Mike weymers]

Going to Carolina reef show. This will be my first ever show

 

[DarthSimon]

David,
I love coming out the the Reef Shows. For one, I get to see you once a year and spend some time with my reefing family. ReefaPaloza is simply Awesome. You get to see some really nice gear, corals, and fish. All under one roof.

 

[jlanger]

I have attended two major shows (Aquashella - Chicago and Reef-A-Palooza - Chicago)and our local club (TCMAS) expo all in the last four weeks or so.

My favorite thing about attending any show is meeting up with people I've befriended within the hobby and forums!!!
My second favorite thing is listening to the speakers' talks. Since it seems like we're past the days of new books being written, the talks are our source for the latest information concerning the hobby.

 

[X-37B]

Hubby and I were just talking about how it would be too dangerous to our pocketbook to attend a show. We are going to curb our reptile shows, too, as we just don't have the restraint to "just look." ha! The last show cost us $150+ but I love our new pet. (another crested gecko, that includes new enclosure and supplies, but it wasn't even something I didn't already have!) We are just so impulsive sometimes.

I know the feeling. Never been to a reef show but we go to reptile shows and have 10 snakes.
The reef shows are never close as we live in Norcal.
Definatly got to make it to one if one ever comes to the Sacramento or even San Jose area. Both are 150-200 miles away.