Jul 1, 2015
Book your hotel early for the 2015 Great Lakes EXPO

Planning is underway for the education programs, trade show and special events for the 2015 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO and Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO. The two conventions will be held concurrently Dec. 8-10 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More than 4,200 growers, farm marketers, industry associates and family members registered for the two conferences in 2014.

This will be the 15th annual Great Lakes EXPO, which gets bigger and offers more each year. In 2001, the Michigan State Horticultural Society and Michigan Vegetable Council combined their shows into one large event for fruit and vegetable growers and farm marketers. Brett Anderson, an apple grower from Sparta, Michigan, is serving as president of the EXPO’s board of directors this year.

“The board is committed to making the EXPO the premier show for fruit and vegetable growers and farm marketers in the Great Lakes region and beyond,” Anderson said.

For the past six years, the Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO has been held concurrently with the Great Lakes EXPO. The Metropolitan Detroit Flower Growers Association and Western Michigan Greenhouse Association sponsor this conference.

“Holding the conferences together has worked well,” said Scott Stiles, president of the Western Michigan Greenhouse Association. “It has made it possible to expand the educational and networking opportunities for greenhouse growers.”

Michigan State University Extension works with the sponsoring organizations to plan the education programs for both conferences. All sessions in both conferences, except those requiring a separate registration fee, are open to all attendees. This year’s education programs will offer three full days of sessions and workshops covering fruit and vegetable crops, greenhouse production and marketing, farm marketing ideas and issues, as well as a number of general topics of interest to growers. About 70 educational sessions and workshops will be offered over the three days of the two conferences.

Once again, a pre-conference bus tour for farm marketers is being offered. Last year, 152 people from 20 states and two Canadian provinces participated in the tour. This year’s tour will be held on Monday, Dec. 7. This is a great opportunity to see and learn marketing ideas and to network with other farm marketers from around the United States and Canada.

Last year’s trade show had a record 452 companies and organizations exhibiting products and services for growers and farm marketers. The trade show is open to the attendees of both conferences. This year the trade show is being expanded further with a new area for farm marketing exhibitors. The EXPO’s trade show is one of the largest offered anywhere specifically for fruit, vegetable and greenhouse growers and farm marketers.

Many special events are being planned for the 2015 Great Lakes EXPO. On Tuesday afternoon, the Meet the Buyers reception provides an opportunity for fresh fruit and vegetable growers to meet with retail and wholesale buyers. Wednesday’s activities start with the Prayer Breakfast in the morning and conclude with the EXPO Banquet that evening. There will be a contest to select the best cider produced by a Michigan maker.

The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is the headquarters hotel for the EXPO. Reservations are already being taken for the 2015 conference. Other downtown hotels with room blocks and special convention rates are the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown, the JW Marriott and the Holiday Inn Downtown. Since the downtown hotels fill early, several hotels north of the downtown area will be offering a bus shuttle during the conferences this year. Watch the EXPO’s website for these and other hotels offering convention rates.

As information on the 2015 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO and Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO becomes available, it will be posted at GLEXPO.com.


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