By Clint Thompson
The upcoming Florida Ag Expo event, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9, will feature a new format for interested attendees.
Instead of a typical tradeshow, the one-day Expo will host a tailgating experience for participating exhibitors and those attending the event. It was a concept that was well received at the Florida Grower Citrus Show in Fort Pierce, Florida. Josh McGill, show director at AgNet Media, believes it will play well at this year’s Expo.
“This is a new fun idea for us. We did try it back in our April show, the Florida Citrus Show, for the first time. It was where we turned the tradeshow into more of a tailgating format. Exhibitors pulled their trucks in and prepared food right at the back of the truck,” McGill said. “Anything from burgers and hot dogs to chips and dip to people even making paya fresh on site. It was a really fun atmosphere.
“There was a lot of interesting food that came out. Some exhibitors really got into it and really brought their ‘A’ game to showcase their cooking abilities. It made for a better environment where they got to have engaging conversations with the grower attendees. Exhibitors all seemed to love it, and growers all seemed to love it.
“We’re excited to see this work and excited for a new beginning for the show.”
This year’s Expo will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. The tailgating experience will be held amid other educational sessions that are still being finalized.
“The exhibitors are really looking forward to it. I think they wanted to see some new life in that show, especially on the tradeshow portion of it. There are always great field tours and great seminars but something to really revive the tradeshow portion,” McGill said. “They’re excited to fire up the grills, bring out their best and have a good conversations and good food with some good growers.”
