For the last 14 years, I, like many others, have poured my heart and soul into face-to-face marketing, trade shows, and events. In 2010, I started my business, Event Driven Solutions, to act as a liaison between my clients and their exhibit house, effectively becoming their trade show manager and on-site supervisor. I also work with clients as a marketing strategist, helping them set and reach measurable, tactical results across their marketing programs. Since COVID-19 hit, the majority of my business's projects have been cancelled or postponed, and I've been facing a future filled with uncertainty and fear about what trade shows and events will come to look like. In my daily life, I have been advocating for masks and sharing the importance of safety. While I have limited scientific knowledge, I have chosen to trust science and avoid letting politics sway my choices – as much as a naturally biased human can, at any rate. I also want with all of my heart to advocate for the exhibitions industry and the success of our industry's future. So why am I telling you all of this? On July 24, I decided to go check out the Together Again Expo in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center. To be perfectly honest, just a week earlier I was urging industry friends to stay away from Florida and avoid this event for their own well-being. But as the expo drew closer, I became more and more curious to see what steps show organizers would take to keep attendees safe. I'd like to share my experience with you not to create positive or negative impressions of the event itself, but hopefully to learn, to grow, and to save our industry. Upon arriving at the OCCC, I was able to park right behind the hall in the main lot. There weren't a ton of crowds, so I wasn't too worried about the show floor being congested. Outside the entrance to the building, a pair of show staffers took our temperatures and gave us stickers that granted us admission. I was never asked if I had any recent symptoms or illnesses, or if I had traveled across state lines. (According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' Executive Order 20-80, a 14-day quarantine is required for those traveling from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.)

Inside, another show rep pointed out directions, and stanchions and arrows told us which way to go. I took an escalator up (being mindful not to touch the railings), crossed the West Hall skybridge, and descended another escalator to get my badge. There was not a line at the registration counter, and stickers on the floor ensured that any future queues would be socially distanced. The registration rep, sheltered behind a sheet of Plexiglas, handed me my badge, along with a cellophane bag containing a lanyard and mask. While I appreciated that the lanyard and mask were bagged, it also felt like an extra touchpoint for fingers other than mine. That being said, I'm not sure if there is a better way.

As I neared the exhibit hall, I discovered signage that marked one set of doors as the entrance and another set as the exit, so as to not have people bumping into each other. The crowds were minimal, so there wasn't too much concern for this. On the show floor, booths were set up in a traditional 10-by-10 style. Personally, I would have allowed for wider aisles, but organizers chose to put arrows on the floor indicating that each aisle should have one-way foot traffic. Unfortunately, I didn't even notice these arrows until someone pointed them out to me after being at the show for an hour.

All of the presentations took place on a main stage on one side of the hall. Audience seating was spaced 6 feet apart, and most people were respectful of the distance. It was easy to hear the presenters over the audio system, and two large monitors made it easy for those seated farthest away to see what was happening onstage. I was hoping the Industry Leaders Opening Session would encompass detailed information as to exactly what the venue, airports, and hotels are doing to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but instead it was more about Orlando's tourism industry. As a trade show and event manager, I wanted to gain specific data and executable steps that I could use and share with my clients. I'm sad to say I didn't walk away with enough tools and info to be comfortable with planning events or reopening trade shows in Orlando after seeing this.

I didn't participate in any of the other sessions, as I really just wanted to see the opening presentation and observe what was being done in regard to social distancing. I did use the restroom, which was immaculate, largely due to a custodian scrubbing surfaces and spraying the floor with disinfectant. When I left the facility, I passed another worker sanitizing the escalator railings. What's more, I only saw two people not wearing masks the entire time I was in the OCCC. However, I have yet to be contacted by a show rep, so I don't know if management plans to follow up with guests to make sure that we remain free of COVID-19.

While attending the event felt about as safe as a trip to my local grocery store, I believe a number of measures provided a false sense of security. For example, temperature checks won't identify asymptomatic attendees or staffers. And while Florida is already seeing a spike in infections, what if people had flown in from other states with as high or higher rates? What if a number of attendees refused to wear masks in their everyday lives and only donned one for the event because they were mandatory? And what if an attendee comes down with COVID-19 after the event? Is this show-goer obligated to contact show management, who is in turn obligated to inform all of the registrants? Unfortunately, I don't know, as expo organizers didn't communicate any of these policies. Based on what I saw, the future of our industry is going to require extreme attention to detail to make everyone as safe as possible. I do not believe we are ready for large shows, but I'm cautiously optimistic that small events might be able to be navigated safely.