*Formerly Garden & Floral Expo*
Toronto, Ont. – Novelty is exciting. Excitement is what you’ll find at Landscape Ontario‚s Expo 2011, Canada‚s premier fall show for the floral and garden industry. Following a decade of success, Expo is launching a host of initiatives, from a new venue to spotlighted merchandise, intended to bring vendors and buyers closer together on October 19 and 20, 2011 in the North Building of the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Vendors are encouraged to create spectacular merchandise displays that will interest, inform and entice visitors. Promotional tools, advertising, sponsorships and online invitations are available to vendors to help them invite their customers and potential customers to the show. Engagement opportunities to reinforce existing customer relations; to start new relationships and stimulate the buying process between suppliers and buyers will be plentiful.
**Overview:**
Expo 2011 moves to the Toronto Congress Centre‚s state-of-the-art North Building. The new venue boasts twelve loading docks, spacious, sound-proofed meeting rooms that transform to accommodate meetings of any size and a richly appointed lobby to shelter delegates during the registration process.
More than 3,000 retail horticultural professionals and mass merchants participate in Expo. Buyer-vendor connections will form as a result of better dates and show hours. The show will move to Wednesday and Thursday, and open at 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on October 19th and to 4 p.m. on October 20th.
Enhanced lighting throughout the show will create a unique ambience. By putting the spotlight on products, the show hopes to draw visitors into booths and stimulate buying.
“With the focus on the flowers, plants and products offered by exhibitors at Expo, instead of carpet and walls, visitors will experience a new face-to-face interaction with suppliers to the floral and garden trades. At Expo, the focus is on what matters: the visitor and the product.” notes Expo‚s artistic director Albert Graves, president of Bloemen Décor.
A popular event, the Garden Centre Symposium, traditionally held the Monday prior to the show, is being revamped to become the opening morning breakfast event for Expo 2011 on Wednesday, October 19th starting at 7:30 a.m. Hosted by Landscape Ontario‚s Garden Centre sector group, the event will feature a keynote address by Karl Stensson, president of Sheridan Nurseries, entitled *Taking a Good Garden Centre and Making it GREAT!*. Join retail expert Karl Stensson as he walks you through his journey at garden centre locations from around the globe.
The ticket price includes breakfast, admission to Expo 2011 and the Awards of Excellence Ceremony. Denis Flanagan, Landscape Ontario‚s public relations director will present the awards to the winners in the garden centre and grower categories. Retailers will enjoy the cost savings – ticket prices start at $55 for Landscape Ontario members and $75 for non-members who purchase by October 7th. After October 7th prices will increase. The affordable pricing ensures that owners and their entire retail team can learn how to create great retail environments.
The best things we’ve learned were in kindergarten, including an afternoon break for cookies. Landscape Ontario‚s Interior Plantscape sector group offers a new event *Coffee and Cookies‚* on Wednesday, October 19th from 1 to 3 p.m. Besides the delicious treats, delegates will be enthralled with food for thought as acclaimed horticulturists Dr Casey Sclar and Lorrie Baird, of Longwood Gardens, present *Living Walls at Longwood Gardens.*
Growing your business is top of mind with everyone. On the morning of Thursday, October 20th at 8 a.m., delegates are invited to attend an interactive presentation that will cover closing sales, overcoming objections and how to build value instead of price chopping. The 3rd annual Landscape Designers Breakfast and Networking Event will feature Rory Sheehan, of Positive Strategies Inc, as he shares tactics s for achieving results in *Close More Business & Have Happy Clients.*
To take advantage of cost savings for both the Wednesday Coffee Break and Thursday Breakfast Event plan to purchase tickets by October 7th. Prices for Landscape Ontario members start at $50, non-members at $70.
Florists and business owners are invited to join Flowers Canada (Retail) for a technology seminar entitled Are you Hooked-Up?‚ This session is not for the faint of heart. This is where Ryan Freeman, a fifth generation florist with Martin‚s and president of Strider Search Marketing, will lead you through the practicalities of how to maximize website content, e-marketing and how to use Twitter and Facebook to build your business, make connections and enhance sales. Entry for this seminar is included with trade show admission. The session will take place on Wednesday October 19th at 4:00 pm at the Main Stage.
Industry professionals in the garden, floral and outdoor living sectors will benefit from the educational programming and the 250 plus vendors spotlighting the latest products and services.
**Show highlights include:**
• New venue – North Building, Toronto Congress Centre
• New show dates and hours:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Thursday, October 20, 2011 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
250 plus vendors including live good growers
New Product Showcase featuring hundreds of innovative products and recent plant introductions
• Power Breakfasts and Breaks to boost retail professionalism and connect you to powerful keynote speakers
• *Taking a Good Garden and Making it GREAT‚* presented by Karl Stensson, Sheridan Nurseries and hosted by the Garden Centre sector group on Wednesday, October 19th at 8 a.m.
• *Living Walls at Longwood Gardens‚* presented by Dr Casey Sclar and Lorrie Baird, Longwood Gardens on Wednesday, October 19th at 1 p.m. Landscape Ontario‚s Interior Plantscape sector group will host the event.
• *Are You Hooked-Up?* A technology seminar hosted by Flowers Canada (Retail) and presented by Ryan Freeman, Strider Search Marketing on Wednesday October 19th at 4 p.m.
• *Close More Business and Have Happy Customers‚* hosted by the Landscape Designers sector group and presented by Rory Sheehan, Positive Strategies Inc. will start at 8 a.m.
• Live demonstrations: *Creating Excitement with Your Window Displays*. Featured retail designers will recreate each of the four seasons, building maximum impact for customers. Presented by Suzy Caiger of Ada‚s Flowers, the demonstrations will take place on Wednesday 19th at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and again on Thursday 20 at 11:30 a.m.
• Recognition ceremonies of outstanding achievements will take place during EXPO
• Landscape Ontario‚s Awards of Excellence Ceremony
Wednesday, October 19th ˆ 8 a.m.
• Canadian Academy of Floral Art‚s (CAFA) Induction Ceremony
Wednesday, October 19th 6:30 p.m.
• Communities in Bloom – Ontario’s Luncheon and Provincial Awards
Ticketed Event
Thursday, October 20th 1 p.m.
• The Annual Garden Party on Wednesday, October 19th runs from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Main Stage. The event is the ideal environment to strengthen business relationships and make connections in a face-to-face social setting.
Show Dates and Times:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 20, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
*Location:*
Toronto Congress Centre, North Building, 650 Dixon Rd., Toronto, Ontario M9W 1J1
*Website:*
Additional information on EXPO 2011 can be found at: www.loexpo.ca
*About EXPO 2011, Landscape Ontario and strategic partners:*
*EXPO 2011* is Canada’s fall show for the floral and garden industry. Over 3,000 buyers will attend the expo, which showcases new products, recent plant and floral introductions and product demonstrations. Information is available at http://www.loexpo.ca
