Equip Expo has record breaking attendance
With more than a million square feet of exhibits and 30 acres outside, Equip Exposition once again broke records in attendance and exhibit space sales. The trade show expanded its usual footprint at the Kentucky Exposition Center to add the west wing this year due to space demands. The trade show takes place every October in the Derby City and brings more than $21 million to Louisville.
“The 2023 show was our largest to date — in attendance, in booth sales, sponsorships and in education sessions,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which owns Equip Exposition. “It shows you how much companies and manufacturers want to be part of Equip Exposition and showcase their products to landscapers, dealers, and the entire industry.”
With co-location partner Hardscape North America, Equip Expo fully occupied the north, east and south halls of the KEC with newly added square footage in the West Wing.
Kiser added, “We’ve now grown to fill all of the halls and have added a big part of the west wing to our footprint. Not to mention, we have maxed out on outdoor demo space, which is one of our most popular features. This year we also added select workshops in Spanish, a women’s reception and an expanded UTV track outside.”
This year’s Equip Expo brought together more than 27,000 registered attendees from all 50 states and 46 countries. Landscape contractor registrations increased by 20% over last year, and dealers were up 5%.
Plans for 2024 are well under way, including a welcome reception at Churchill Downs, which will mark the 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby in May 2024 with upgrades to the racetrack, as well as another arena concert at the Yum! Center in downtown Louisville.
“Building on the success of this year’s show, we continue to incorporate new experiences for 2024. We’re currently looking for talent for another Yum! Center concert and building out the slate of speakers for our education series,” said Kiser.
Registration for the 2024 show is now open. Admittance to the 2024 Equip Exposition is currently at the early bird price of $25 per person. Register here.
