With all due respect to Texas, everything is also bigger in Las Vegas, and this year’s The Car Wash Show™ will be one to remember for many reasons. After initially rescheduling and then ultimately canceling The Car Wash Show 2020, International Carwash Association (ICA) is gearing up for another impressive event filled with the industry’s latest innovations, subject matter experts, industry-leading discussion panels, networking opportunities and so much more.
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According to ICA’s website (www.carwash.org), “The Car Wash Show brings operators, vendors and distributors together to connect with others, see the latest in carwash equipment and learn from the best both inside and outside the industry.”
This year’s show, which is scheduled for Nov. 15-17 in Las Vegas, comes back to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Over 370 exhibitors have signed up to answer operators’ most common and complex technical and business questions and to present their latest innovations on the expo floor. From water treatment to marketing and wash equipment to real estate consultants, attendees will find solutions and opportunities that they can implement at their businesses immediately after departing Las Vegas upon the show’s conclusion.
Something for everyone
During the 2019 show, more than 9,500 attendees and over 400 exhibiting companies ultimately made ICA’s trademark event the largest in its history. Momentum in this industry has been building for over a decade, and the result has been a next-level version of the professional carwashing industry.
Express carwashing has revolutionized the industry, and the innovators who are considered pioneers of developing this game-changing wash format will be in attendance and on the show floor. Our industry is notorious for sharing success tips, so part of your attendance strategy should be to seek out the experts we feature in this publication and on Carwash.com to ask your most pressing questions about succeeding in the professional car care markets.
Changes to keep in mind
There will also be plenty of opportunities to sit back and listen to numerous business and industry leaders in the many planned educational sessions. For example, early arrivals can take advantage of the pre-show opportunities, including Management Fundamentals and Meet the Market. Additionally, as noted in our Exhibit Product Guide, attendees will also have access to show floor education seminars, partner programming, PITCH Theater, Partner Solution, Car Wash Magazine Live panels and much more.
Access to special guest speakers, such as author and futurist Shawn DuBravac, are also on the schedule and offer different perspectives on our industry and how to succeed in business and life. While the basic pass offers many great reasons to attend, only by upgrading to the Premium Pass will attendees have access to the more comprehensive planned agenda.
How can you keep track and schedule your time while in Las Vegas? Once again, the association is offering its show mobile app for attendees’ convenience. After downloading this user-friendly app from the App Store or Google Play, attendees will have access to a visual account of the floor plan, sessions and more. Users can even create an itinerary, so they don’t miss a thing.
The world continues to feel the effects of a global pandemic. As a result, there are some guidelines and restrictions of which to be mindful when attending The Car Wash Show 2021. In September, ICA issued a memo on its website promising to deliver a safe event by following federal, state and local regulations.
The policy for this year’s show requires all participants to wear masks, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. In addition, ICA has modified the setup of the show floor, featuring wider aisles to allow for social distancing as well as increased cleaning protocols.
As of writing this in mid-October, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority website (www.lvcva.com), “In an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Las Vegas, effective July 30, the State of Nevada has mandated that everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, wear a mask in public indoor settings, including resorts and casinos, restaurants, bars, showrooms and meeting spaces. The directive aligns with the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance related to mask requirements.”
Furthermore, registration for this year’s show is touchless. Attendees who did not register online prior to the start of the show will have the opportunity to do so while in Las Vegas but only from a mobile device or an on-site, self-serve kiosk.
Excitement is building for the show, and it will be one to remember after missing out last year. The exhibitors and operators that we have spoken with in recent months are ready to get back together once again at the industry’s largest trade show. And, ICA organizers are equally enthusiastic.
“I have said it before, but I think we are all just so excited to be together in person and in Las Vegas. We have worked so hard with all our partners and the proper authorities to bring the show to life and ensure a safe environment to do business. There is so much to look forward to. I cannot wait to see it all come to fruition,” remarked Kim Vinciguerra, ICA’s chief experience officer, in a recent interview with Professional Carwashing & Detailing (PC&D) magazine.
The PC&D/Carwash.com team will be at the show at booth 250, where you can sign up for free to receive our monthly magazine and complimentary Carwash.com content offerings. We’ll also have copies of our recent issue and Exhibit Product Guide, which includes show information, as well as some giveaways.
As with seemingly everything over the past two years, the months and days leading up to The Car Wash Show 2021 have been filled with changing mandates and evolving pandemic developments. We hope everyone remains safe and mindful of risk while visiting Las Vegas this year.
For the latest updates about The Car Wash Show 2021, please visit www.thecarwashshow.com. For more information about state, local and convention COVID-19 guidelines and requirements, please visit www.lvcva.com.
