IDDBA Show Sets Attendance Record

Roseanne Harper

MADISON, Wis. — The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association hit record attendance at its 46th annual Seminar & Expo in Houston on June 6-8, with an estimated total just shy of 8,000, officials said.

That easily beats last year's final count of 7,200 attendees.

“We had more people preregistered this year than we had at the close of the show last year in Atlanta,” Carol Christison, IDDBA executive director, told SN last week.

What's more, the association had to turn away exhibitors this year, because the floor plan was sold out early.

“We sent their checks back. I hate sending money back, but we had run out of room,” Christison said.

Some exhibitors who had been turned away, however, kept their hopes up that they'd get in.

“They actually came to Houston with pop-up booths and told us to contact them immediately if we had any cancellations,” Christison said. “They were ready to fill in.”

Christison had high praise for the city of Houston and for the convention center for helping to make things run smoothly.

“They wanted us there, and we were glad to be there. We'll go back.”

Setting up the Show & Sell Merchandising Center was easier this year, thanks to the convention center's management, she said.

“They turned the a/c on early on their own dime as soon as we got there,” Christison said. Calif.