Getting into conventions/trade shows - Uninvited

I would like to get into a trade show in Vegas with out an invite. I'm still trying the proper channels but so far no luck. Who would think a "Pizzeria Operators" convention would be that hard to get into.

I've heard of people in other cities watching as people discard their credentials grabbing them from the trash and using them to get in. My brother in law did this at the Indy 500 to get into a VIP tent. One of them even had a women's name but no one really was checking that close there. Have any of you heard of this working? (I know this is unethical and maybe illegal)

Just found out I won't be able to go this year anyway, so I have a year to keep trying.

Thanks

TomTWI

 

We go to the SEMA Show every year and just walking down the strip, I have had people offer to buy my credentials. We did give ours our last day when we were leaving to the nicest waiter ever in Vegas. NYNY at Gonzales y Gonzales. He just wanted to see the fancy cars outside which anyone can do outside without the credentials.

 

I had SEMA/AAPEX credentials (my group was AAPEX only). There was nobody at the door checking credentials, and one day I wasn't wearing them and nobody batted an eye.

Could be because there were WAY too many people that it just didn't stand out.

 

Most vendors have extra passes for most shows for the exhibit floor only - usually not for the sessions.

If you can convince a vendor you might be interested in their product, you might be able to get one.

 

Out of principle, I don't pay for trade show admission. Sometimes you can google the name of the trade show and "promo code" and you might come up with vendor that can get you in for free or a discount. Looks like this pizza show is a bit pricey @ $200. For what it's worth, there is a bakery show in October, it's held every three years. They have several exhibitors with pizza related equipment, ingredients.

 

I dont now why but every year SEMA says they mail my passes out and every year I never get them, always have to get them at the show

2014 people were everywhere walking in and out the show with no pass on. the outside area is mostly free for all

2015 I didnt want to wait in line to get my passes so I just walked in and walked around till the line shortened up. no issue. later in the day and throughout the week at a few areas they had some guys checking passes and turning you back out the door if you didnt have them, once in your good, the way around that was to just walk to a door in one of the other hallways where they werent checking

I keep my passes from each year and if I have a friend not signed up or my bartender friends that live there I let them use it

 

More than once I have walked into a show with a pass being visible. Had it in my pocket, or whatever.

And other times, the power hungry rent a cop was checking everyone up close.

It all depends.

 

The first trade show I attended with my husband was in Vegas - we're vendors. It was at lvcc and the pizza guys were in the rooms across the hall. It smelled so good and I was so envious of everyone over there eating pizza and drinking beer while I demonstrated a hand truck. It was awful. Thankfully it hasn't happened again (that was january 1999

 

Why would anyone want to go to a "Pizza Operator's" Convention? In fact, why would anyone want to get into most of the various conventions held in Vegas? I used to sell industrial knives- why would anyone want to go into a convention of industrial woodworking machinery and accessories? Please enlighten me!

 

I got into a fight with a guy from the "Building Maintenance Show".

 

Pizza or Industrial knives.........let me think about that..........I vote for pizza. Maybe the OP wants to make better pizza at home.

My neighbor used to attend the World of Concrete trade show, I would take a pass on that one. I've observed paint drying. But SEMA, the Consumer Electronics Show, the AVN show, I would walk these shows if a free pass were available. I have walked the Boston Seafood show and one of the best things I ever ate was Alaskan salmon jerky from a wrinkled old indigenous woman.

 

Did he make a disparaging comment about your tool?

 

Certainly there are a few shows that would be of interest to many- like the electronics show- but I'm thinking the vast majority of shows there are specific enough to not interest those having little or nothing to do with the trade in question- and might not be of great interest to those that ARE in those trades!

 

More samples than Costco before the Super Bowl? Does it really matter? This is the internet. People ask questions, other people answer them.

 

I think it depends on the person. Some people are interested in some of the conventions but cannot attend because they don't belong to this or that. I would love to attend the SHOT show but I don't have the credentials to attend (anybody wanna take me with them the next time?) but I'm only a weekend shooter and don't belong to any organizations.

The CES is a good show to attend basically because of the freebies that they give away and learning all the new things coming out for the year. This year I got free 4 gb flash drives (but nowadays they are only a few bucks at most), cel phone cases and the shell protecting the cel phone case, they had drawings for free wifi speakers, even free electronic equipment. On the last day of the show you can make deals with the vendors because many don't want to take a lot of things home so if you are a vegas resident you can get some awesome deals on big screen TV's and other things that would be expensive for the vendor to ship back home. you may be able to negotiate with the vendors to buy some of their wares at reduced prices.

The AVN convention is good to attend, well most of you know why (porn starlets).

I guess if you are interested in pizza stuff then the pizza operator convention might be worth your while, same as industrial woodworking convention, some people are interested in that kind of stuff so would want to attend although they may only be a weekend warrior or a weekend handyman. Some people might get some good ideas on what to do or how to fix up their house or buying something that could help them out.

 

Why do people buy Lexus over Toyota, a Benz when a Subaru would probably suffice?

I don't see as a lot of folks are clamoring to get into all sorts of shows, as was your premise. We have a guy interested in pizza. Who doesn't like pizza? It's not like he's asking for admission to the Washer and Bolt Show. I'm doing Interbike for the first time this year, and my sometime annual appear at the golf show. Those seem more interesting to me than MAGIC but that sucker is WELL attended.

 

Interesting... a number of us trip over each other making posts. But, no additional input from the OP.

 

The OP has another year to wait.

 

I went to a local food vendor convention at home, was amazing, I bet the pizza convention has awesome things. Now a Simpson's level candy convention....sign me up... just watch where the Gummy Venus de Milo ends up!

 

de gustibus non est disputandum!