With cold but mostly clear weather across most of the U.S. during the travel and actual show dates, the 2015 Expo enjoyed record attendance on Saturday. Sunday was down a bit from last year but as so often happens, most vendors reported their best and largest sales occurred on Sunday. Most were very pleased. I have yet to hear from any vendors saying they wouldn't be back.

Of course, much of the business takes place behind the scenes between the various companies in attendance. Some of the deals struck over dinner and in the aisles absolutely dwarf that of the retail sales volume done at the event, although that's nothing to shake a stick at, either. The Expo is not only a consumer event, but serves as a trade show for the rod building industry as well. One exhibitor told me that by Saturday noon, they had done everything they came to the U.S. to do, and had been able to see every manufacturer and potential dealer they needed to in the span of just a few hours. And all without having to travel all across the U.S. to do it. This is partly why the Expo continues to be so successful - it's important to our industry as a whole.

The amount of new product and technology advancements unveiled at this year's event resulted in what I felt going in was going to make this edition of the Expo the very best ever. More than a few attendees and exhibitors agreed with this assessment once the show doors opened. The show has always been good sized (huge by rod building event standards) but there is generally a good bit of product duplication with many exhibitors showing and selling roughly the same product. Not so this year. It seemed as if every booth offered something different, often completely new, from the next one.

For the first time since we started the Expo, the seminar rooms weren't "standing room only." This puzzled me as the overall event attendance was as good as any we've ever experience. Upon conversations with a few attendees, the consensus seemed to be that even as good as the seminars are, and even though we change them up a bit each year, long time attendees have by now seen just about everything the event seminars offer. It was suggested that we install some radically different seminar topics and presentations in order to keep the interest level up among the more experienced builders and frequent attendees. I think the folks who shared this with me are absolutely right and therefore have enlisted a couple folks to help conjure up some completely new ideas for future seminars. (Don't worry - I'm not scraping any of Morris Schlesinger's seminars. In fact, we'll probably add another one for him. Now there's a popular guy!)

There are always a few comments about the ICRBE and the BassMaster Classic being on the same weekend. There's not much I can do about them always setting their event dates on top of mine. I always announce first and they set their dates afterwards, although I doubt they're doing this on purpose. We all have to work within the confines of what our host facilities can offer in terms of open dates. The Classic surely doesn't hurt us the vast majority of rod builders are going to come here so we no doubt pull more from them than they do from us. but I do indeed recognize that some attendees and exhibitors would like to be able to attend both.

The RodMaker Reception on Saturday night was again held in the beautiful Grand Pavillion Ballroom. We've always held the reception in a nice facility, but this ballroom just beats the stuffing out of all prior others. Attendance held steady at about 400 +/- subscribers and guests. Some of the tables and chairs were set a bit too far towards the sides of the very large room, requiring my guys to walk a bit further to reach the prize winners each time a name was drawn. We've never had the luxury of having this much space for the Reception and are still working on the best room set-up, but that's a far better problem to have than wondering if everyone is going to fit in the room. Food was great, again. We estimated we'd need enough to feed about 450 people. It did run out but not before everyone got their share.

The winner of the Renzetti Lathe was a young man that had taken a rod building class from Mud Hole just two weeks prior. A full 15 minutes after winning the lathe he was still hugging it like a father of a newborn baby.

I fouled up on two items and want to apologize to Danny Metcalf and Bill Ballou for misplacing their donations in the shuffle during set up. The bulk of the U-40 stuff was set out and awarded, but there were a few smaller kits of U-40 product that got lost in the shuffle. The beautiful hand turned/painted fish lure grip set that Bill donated failed to reach the prize tables as well. I found that one this morning at the bottom of our large plastic reception supply box. We'll do something to give these away in a future or new drawing of some kind. For now I just want to acknowledge that these donations were indeed made.

Overall, this was quite simply the very best ICRBE in our history. If I'm neither crashed nor drowned at some point in the next year I may do it again and with a new angle for what would then be our 13th annual event. I have a magazine to finish up this week and once that's done I'll set to work in deciding on a possible 2016 event. Thanks to all that came out. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

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Best ICRBE I've ever attended. Great product variety this year. Also I think your vendors booths are more professional and better looking than at any time in the past. The place looked first class.

I truly enjoyed myself at this one. I managed to meet & greet all of the people I intended to meet at the ICRBE especially Steven Pratts from CTS I may get a booth my self next year to promote my rod building classes & some other things I have been contemplating on introducing to my fellow rod builders. all I can say is thanks Tom for a real great show I am looking forward to coming next year 2016

Tom,

I really enjoyed myself again this year and plan to continue to attend future events. There is one thing though that's really a problem you might want to consider for future years. There are not enough tables and chairs at the reception for people to sit down and eat their meals. All the chairs set out were filled, but about 100 people or so had no table and chair to sit at. The narrow shelf in front of the entire glass wall of the reception room was filled with people and if you did choose to sit there instead of standing, you back was up against the glass. With below freezing temps just outside the glass this was really uncomfortable especially for older folks who didn't get a seat at one of the tables. Even with the glass wall filled with people, still others had to stand and try to hold a plate, a drink, and manage to use a fork. After looking for a place to sit and unable to find one, some of us just stood near the serving table resting our drinks there so we could eat from our plates.

Is there a reason there can't be a chair set at a table for each person in attendance? is there an extra cost you would have to bear above the number of tables and chairs set out to accomplish this?

Otherwise, great show and I appreciate the effort you put in each year to make it happen.

John,

I do understand, but the reception was never intended to be a sit-down affair. I only provide a few tables (8) and chairs (125) for the elderly and infirm. Those chairs cost me $25 EACH. Multiply that by 400 and suddenly the reception is no longer possible. Nothing you see or use there is free. I pay for the trash cans, carpet, microphone, etc., etc., etc., etc.

The whole thing lasts just 1-1/2 hours and has always been intended as a stand-up social event. I've actually thought maybe I should go the other way and put out fewer so the intent would be obvious. We had no chairs when the event was in Charlotte, and only about a third this many when we were in High Point. By putting out more I'm afraid I've given people the idea that they're all supposed to be able to sit down. We put up small signs on each table asking that they be reserved for the elderly and/or infirm, but that request goes mostly unheeded.

What we'd like to see, and I forgot to announce it this year, is for the people coming in first to use the tables and chairs and then relinquish them as they finish up so the next group of folks can sit down to eat. So on and so forth.

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Ok Tom, I understand. I figured the pricing structure might be something other than just the cost of the food. Maybe next year right before the event you could make a post in the forum and include a request on the ticket page informing/reminding people about the elderly and infirmed seating and ask the younger builders to free up the seats.

I gave up my spot on the icy glass wall to someone who appeared to be in their 60s, I doubt it was much of a comfort to them. Later on I did find a seat that someone vacated so at least some people sat at the chairs for only part of the time.

I bet there are at least a few people who would pay the cost for a reserved seat... just an idea...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2015 02:58PM by John E Powell.

Courtesy to the elderly and infirm goes a long way. Was there room/ opportunity for people to bring/ set up camping chairs?

I may indeed put a note on the tickets next year. That's a good idea.

Folks could indeed bring camping chairs (plenty of room) although for a 1-1/2 hour event it's not hardly needed, provided those who do need such a thing are able to get one of the supplied chairs. Remember, there were 125 chairs out and the back wall ledge, even against the cold glass, seats another 100 full length.

I'd prefer not to have to get involved in leasing chairs or making reservations and all that - just too much work for everything else that's going on that weekend. I know it's a small issue for some folks, but the event is free after all and I'm not sure you'd find any other publishing or forum entity in the rod building world that does as much for its subscribers and their guests. But I will keep an open mind towards various ideas. Thanks.

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I thought the reception was great. Walking around talking for a few hours works for me. Tom, thanks for all your hard work putting on the show, it was a lot of fun as usual. My only suggestion is to get Billy V. to have a booth. I've learned a ton watching him do his wraps at the show. Improving my skills is most important to me. Hope you do it again next year, I've met so many great people at the show.