Portland, ME, November 13, 2019 – The Running Event, the premier trade show in the running specialty industry that is produced by Diversified Communications, is excited to share that to-date, exhibitor and attendee registration numbers are pacing far ahead of any past year’s event. The Running Event will be held in Austin, Texas from December 3-5, 2019 and is North America’s largest running specialty trade show, hosting over 260 exhibitors and over 2,500 total attendees.

“We have been running this show for years, and I can confidently say that the 2019 event is tracking to be the best one yet – in attendance and in format,” said Christina Henderson, event manager for The Running Event. “This year, we really honed in on the feedback provided by our exhibitors and retailers, and we made some significant changes to The Running Event that we are all very excited about.”

The newly adjusted three-day event is comprised of breakout conference sessions for both retailers and race directors, two days of exhibitions, demos and much more. The 2019 show will also debut new opportunities to learn, share ideas and even engage in friendly competition. 

Noteworthy to The Running Event in 2019 include:

  • New Product Showcase – set up on the trade show floor, attendees can scope out what’s new and vote on their favorite product. One winner will be announced at the Industry Awards Party and will be gifted $1,000 to the charity of their choice.
  • The Big Pitch – attending retailers have a chance to win up to $5,000 for presenting a winning idea to some of the best in the running business. The challenge: develop and share a campaign that would attract younger customers to their stores.
  • Training Camp at TRE – an area on the trade show floor will be dedicated to bite-sized learning opportunities and product demos. Wednesday will be all about the Wide World of Run, and Thursday will focus on all things trail running.

New sustainability initiatives will also be taken at The Running Event in 2019 and moving forward to reduce the carbon footprint that trade shows leave behind. Some notable practices include no more aisle carpet as well as no longer providing carpet for booths in the standard booth packages. The Running Event concessions will no longer be selling single-use plastic cups and water bottles, and everyone will now receive a reusable water bottle courtesy of Nathan to use during the event and beyond. There will be various water “Filling Stations” strategically placed throughout the Austin Convention Center. Additionally, two new education sessions will highlight sustainability from a business standpoint as well as for race directors and the future of diminishing environmental impact at races. 

“It is at our core to improve and curate The Running Event to be so much more than just another trade show, but rather a platform to share best practices and learn new techniques that can benefit those in the running industry for many years to come,” said Anne Gray, event director for Diversified Communications. “We look forward to seeing all the familiar faces and meeting the news ones at The Running Event next month!”

For retailer or exhibitor questions and information, contact Christina Henderson, TRE event manager, chenderson@divcom.com or visit therunningevent.com/register. 

For attending media registration, visit here.