The Canadian Home Furnishings Market Already Sold Out - Months Before Opening Day

Furniture World Magazine

The 2003 edition of Canada's top furniture showcase, The Canadian Home Furnishings Market, is coming up from January 11 to 14, 2003, at the International Centre in Mississauga, near Toronto. Nearly 475 exhibitors (including exhibitors from the 75 permanent showrooms at Canada's Furniture Mart) are getting ready to show off their home furnishings, bedding, accessories, lighting, juvenile furniture, appliances, and related products and services, and rolling up their sleeves to do business with thousands of buyers planning their new season. This year's show will cover a larger area: Hall 5 has been expanded in response to demand from both regular exhibitors who want more space and new exhibitors who are eager to join the show. Notwithstanding the expansion, the show is already sold out, several months before opening day. In terms of traffic, attendance should be terrific if current trends continue - last year's edition of the show, a must for Canadian buyers, attracted 12,000 visitors, with twice as many U.S. buyers as the previous year turning up in search of manufacturers' latest products. Besides clinching some savvy deals, buyers who attend this year will have an excellent opportunity to strengthen business ties and rub shoulders with exhibitors as well as fellow buyers. The night before the show, at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 10, buyers are cordially invited to attend the Kick Off Cocktail Party, made possible through the generous sponsorship of Furniture Today magazine - a great way for visitors to rev up for opening day! At 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, a Cocktail Party will be held to launch the Trends Display 2003, 18 great new windows designed by experts Pierre D'Anjou and André Caron. For the third edition of the Trends Display, our dynamic designing duo has come up with a fresh new concept that's right in step with the latest trends to showcase exhibitors' latest wares. The Trends Display 2003 and the cocktail party will both be sponsored by InFurniture magazine (U.S.). At 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, buyers are invited to put on their glad rags for the 2003 Canadian Home Furnishings Awards Gala, on site in the Aviation Ballroom (Hall 5). These awards, being presented for the first time at the show, replace the Trillium Awards, presented elsewhere for many years on the Friday before the show. The 2003 Canadian Home Furnishings Awards, organized by the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers' Association, are designed to recognize the excellence of products from manufacturers across the country. The competition and the event have been completely refurbished, with prizes in all product categories and winners' names to be announced at the Gala. The show is reserved for industry professionals. For further info: www.tchfm.com