If the first month is any indication, live events will thrive in 2023. Three mdg  clients held shows in January and all met or exceeded projections. The renowned Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held Jan. 5-8, drew over 115,000 attendees and 3,200 exhibitors to Las Vegas — marking the largest audited global tech event since early 2020. A week later (Jan. 16-19), more than 2,600 distributors and suppliers came to Grapevine, Texas for Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW). The biggest North American gathering for industry professionals saw a 27% increase in attendance from 2022, along with a sold-out Product Expo and the highest level of participation in its popular One-on-One Business Meetings program to-date. At the same time, Informa Markets’ World of Concrete, the largest trade show for the concrete and masonry construction industries, brought 48,009 professionals to Las Vegas. The 49^th annual event also generated record-breaking funding (more than $2.1 million) for educational programs that serve the concrete workforce through its silent and live auctions.

“The 2023 edition of World of Concrete far exceeded our expectations. The crowded show floor and packed educational sessions prove how essential meeting face to face is,” said Jackie James, vice president, World of Concrete. “In-person attendance is on its way back to pre-pandemic levels.”