This Show’s For You!
If you’re on the fence about whether to participate in the upcoming Concrete Decor Show Oct. 28-31 at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas, here’s a little nudge that may push you toward the gate.
“It’s an event without distraction,” says Bent Mikkelsen, organizer of the show and publisher of Concrete Decor magazine, “an event solely dedicated to those whose livelihood centers on the business of decorative concrete.”
The biennial show covers the segments of decorative concrete in more depth than anywhere else, he says. “You can spend a weekend learning about one manufacturer’s products or four days with us comparing an array of similar products and deciding for yourself which one is better for a particular job. Because there’s not just one way to do a job; there is a number of ways.”
Whether your client has $10,000 to spend or $100,000, you should be able to offer solutions for the project at hand and deliver as promised, Mikkelsen says.
“The Concrete Decor Show helps the industry gain an increasingly competitive advantage,” he says. Because when it’s all said and done, “we’re not competing with each other. We’re competing with the other solutions out there.”
To that end, Mikkelsen says, “This year’s show is all about us — our industry coming together on a platform that Concrete Decor has the privilege to provide.”Emphasis on products and demos
Attendees can learn about the industry’s latest products and techniques through face-to-face visits with manufacturers and distributors on the exhibit floor from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, and Thursday, Oct. 31. Throughout the show in specially designated areas, supply store representatives will conduct demos with products on display at their booths.
Educational offerings taught by the “best of the best” headline the show. Designed for beginners and veterans alike, hands-on workshops from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Oct. 28-31, will further explore uses of products displayed in the exhibit hall.
Technical seminars taught in classroom settings Oct. 28-31 will be presented at various times.
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned contractor whose native language is English or Spanish, there will be opportunities to help you refine your current skills and learn new techniques. See pages 6-7 for a short synopsis of the scheduled educational offerings. More may be added.
Costs and events
The cost to attend the 2019 Concrete Decor Show is $350 for full-conference attendees before Oct. 28 and $425 at the door. This fee covers the two-day exhibition, and your choice of seminars and workshops. Full-conference attendees are eligible to receive $150 rebate if they spend $500 or more on products displayed at the show using the online Marketplace at store.concretedecor.net. Some restrictions apply.
Admission to the exhibition hall is $25 before Oct. 28 and $40 at the door.
Registered attendees are invited to attend the Concrete Decor Show Tailgater at 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 28, at area four on the show floor. Chris Sullivan of the American Society of Concrete Contractors/Decorative Concrete Council will address how you can win the support of co-workers in building a job site environment that’s safe and free of hazards. Coffee and doughnuts will be served.
All registered attendees are also invited to help kick off the show at a welcome reception in the convention center Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 5:30 p.m. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served while guests peruse the exhibits and mingle with the exhibitors.
Special events for this year include:
Hall of Fame dinner, 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28. Advance tickets $85.
Women in Decorative Concrete Reception, 6:30 Wednesday, Oct. 30. Tickets $20.
Daily Devotion, 6-7 a.m., October 28-31, Super Bowl Room. Fellowship dedicated to strengthening spirituality. All welcome.Hotel and travel
The 2019 Concrete Decor Show has secured a nightly room rate of $145 plus tax at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel, which can be reached at (817) 261-8200 or . The facility is located adjacent to the convention center near the new indoor Texas Ranger stadium, the Dallas Cowboy stadium, a new sports district called Texas Live and Six Flags amusement park.
If you’re flying to the show, plan on arriving at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Shuttle service from DFW to the Sheraton Arlington can be arranged by calling (817) 261-8200 after you receive your luggage. A shuttle back to the airport after the show can also be arranged.
Registration for the show is open. For more information about the show or on how you can exhibit, call (877) 935-8906. For general information, visit www.concretedecorshow.com