Hundreds attend hospitality expo
Fish tacos, pumpkin cheesecake, roulette tables and reggae music were just a sampling from exhibitors at the largest suburban hospitality expo in the suburbs Thursday.
More than 500 people mingled amid 75 vendors at the upscale event at Abbington Banquets in Glen Ellyn.
Exhibitors ranged from area hotels and restaurants to entertainment centers and promotional product suppliers. Desserts, appetizers, meal samples and beverages were included in the mix.
“The expo is designed to showcase the services and venues in the suburban Chicago marketplace,” said Chris Craven, Business Ledger hospitality expo director.
“It's a way for event and meeting planners to make connections,” he added.
In addition to an array of food and drink options, other exhibitors displayed other hospitality possibilities. For example, Casino Planners in Addison showed their LED casino equipment, roulette table and photo booth. “We're the largest casino company in the country,” said managing partner Alan Brown. He said they do about 900 events a year in Illinois and hope the expo will give them even greater exposure.
Bill Reddy exhibited artwork and design features that he provides. “We are geared toward the hotel and restaurant industry,” said Reddy, who operates his business in the Dundee area. The Cheesecake Factory is one of his prime clients.
Other exhibitors and guests, many in the hospitality industry, said the event provides a tremendous chance to network.
“The opportunity to network was perfect. It was a good mix of hospitality, restaurant and other professionals,” said Lauren Young, CEO of Freshly Baked Communications in Crystal Lake.
She added that the atmosphere was enthusiastic. “That's not always the case at these type of shows,” she said.
The Daily Herald Business Ledger sponsored the event with the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau.
In an effort to accommodate businesses further north, another expo is planned in Rolling Meadows on Nov. 13. That event takes place at the Meadows Club.
To incorporate the entire Ledger footprint, earlier this year, an expo was held at the Tinley Park Convention Center where 60 exhibitors and hundreds of guests attended. Breweries, country clubs, casinos and sporting venues joined restaurants and event planners at that event.