The lack of in-person trade shows in 2020 has forced a lot of the regular shows to go virtual, but there seems to be hope that things will return to normal sometime in 2021, and two of the larger conventions will now be teaming up to present one giant megashow in Las Vegas in October 2021.
NAB Show and the Audio Engineering Society (AES) have announced that their 2021 shows will take place adjacently to each other with a number of dates crossing over between the two. The 2021 AES Show will move from its usual New York location to Las Vegas, taking place on October 11 to 13, 2021, sharing the back-half of NAB Show, which was already delayed to October from April, taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from October 9 to 13, 2021. AES Show will take place at the Westgate Hotel, which is adjacent to the convention center.
In previous years, the AES fall convention took place with the NAB Show New York at the Javits Convention Center in New York City in October but with the Vegas NAB Show moved to October, it made more sense for AES Show to follow suit. When you also add in NAB’s Radio Show and Sales and Management Television Exchange, which will also take place in October in Las Vegas, it’s likely to make this one of the biggest trade shows of 2021.
In a normal year, the AES Show can draw more than 300 exhibitors and 15,000 attendees on average. It’s the preeminent pro audio convention comprising leaders in audio engineering, exclusive technical presentations, as well as education and networking opportunities. The event focuses on myriad audio disciplines and applications, including cinema, broadcast and online delivery, immersive audio, sound recordings, productions and live events.
AES Executive Director Colleen Harper made a statement on the decision to move the show: “Our October co-location with NAB Show New York for the past few years has proven mutually beneficial for attendees and exhibitors alike. We all miss the engagement and excitement of the in-person AES Show and look forward to once again interacting at the convention with professional audio manufacturers and our colleagues.”
NAB Executive Vice President of Conventions and Business Operations Chris Brown concurred. “We are excited to be building the most significant, in-person media and entertainment event of 2021 and are ready to bring the industry together once again at NAB Show in October. Together with AES, we will provide unparalleled access to critical information, inspiration and solutions for audio engineers and content creators.”
If you haven’t had a chance, check out Below the Line‘s report on the future of trade shows with a panel of experts, and you can learn more about shows at NABShow.com and AES.org.
