CHICAGO – The winners of Trade Fair ManagerTSE’s Gold 100 awards honoring last year’s top trade shows are now available in the newly released TSE Gold 100 Honorees list. This honorary list recognizes the executives and their trade shows that set the gold standard in a tumultuous 2021. Each show’s ranking on this coveted list will be revealed at the TSE Gold 100 Awards & Summit, September 21-23 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, California.
“The accomplishments of the Gold 100 organizers are a major feat during the ups and downs of the pandemic. They were presented with many challenges and new protocols, and they prevailed. All of us at TSE are thrilled for them and proud to honor them at this year’s awards gala,” said Gabrielle Weiss, TSE Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. “We also look forward to what will be a great gathering of the country’s top organizers, from associations and independent producers. We will come together, network and gather insights that will aim to help shape a new and exciting era in our industry.”
Some of the shows that will be recognized and honored include the SEMA Show, hosted by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, Coverings, hosted by Taffy Event Strategies, and Vision Expo, hosted by RX.
The 100 trade shows held in the United States in 2021 were ranked based on paid exhibit space. The collective total of paid exhibit space for the 100 ranked shows was 19,148,888 square feet, with an average of 191,489 square feet. Total reported attendance for the 2021 Gold 100 honorees was 1,297,884.
The winners will be recognized at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit in September, which not only celebrates this year’s Gold 100 winners from the Class of 2021, but also recognizes the industry’s strong recovery. This year’s Summit education will be future-focused with peer-led discussions to help inspire the winning ideas that will usher in a new era in the trade show industry.
Related. TSE Grand Prix nominations are open
This year, new Grand Prix categories reflect the current landscape of our industry and include the Return to “Normal” Award, which recognizes a show that overcame pandemic challenges and returned in-person in 2021. The new Staying Connected Award recognizes the show with the best programs launched to stay connected with show partners during the pandemic. Another post-pandemic award this year is the Show Must Go On! Award for the most impressive pivot during the pandemic, highlighting a show that overcame obstacles and delivered against all odds.
There is still time to submit nominations for the Grand Prix here.
The latest in the Grand Prix winners was the 2019 shows recognized in 2020. Honorees included the Consumer Technology Association’s CES as the Most Innovative Show of 2019, Informa Markets as the Best Show Organizer of 2019, and the Slam Dunk Award: Best New Idea of 2019, which went to RX’s Vision Expo East.
It’s time to name the next generation of exceptional women in the industry
The Gold 100 Awards & Summit will also recognize TSE’s Women to Watch program, created by Weiss to identify and encourage the next generation of leaders in the trade show industry. Criteria include business acumen, integrity, problem-solving skills and demonstrating a high level of excellence in show management. There’s still time to nominate Women to Watch here.
“Now more than ever, we need to recognize the talent within our ranks. For our industry to continue to succeed and thrive in the future, we must support and reward our employees who go above and beyond and demonstrate true talent and leadership qualities,” said Rick Simon, Chairman of the Board of TSE and President and CEO of United Service Companies.
To see the full list of this year’s Gold 100 winners, visit
Contact Gabrielle Weiss at (312) 493-7753 or [email protected]; Rick Simon at (312) 922-8558 or [email protected]