Get a Preview of the Nearly 50 Events Taking Place at Las Vegas Market

A photo of Las Vegas Market’s campus.

Las Vegas Market is set to host nearly 50 presentations, webinars, tours, seminars, award ceremonies and events during its July 24-28 summer edition at World Market Center Las Vegas.

“With offerings ranging from intensive multi-day seminars to one-hour sessions and tours, Las Vegas Market attendees can engage with our business-building education in the way that best meets their market schedule,” said Dorothy Belshaw, International Market Centers (IMC) executive vice president and chief customer and marketing officer. “Combined with networking events, award ceremonies and after parties in Las Vegas’ top venues, the Las Vegas Market’s summer 2022 programming is the home furnishings and gift industry’s ultimate opportunity for education and celebration.”

Top Trend Resources

Leading the summer schedule is Las Vegas Market’s proprietary First Look and Ahead of the Curve trend programming. First Look explores current and coming trends through a series of three pre-market and at-market events starting with a webinar led by First Look Curator and Editor Julie Smith Vincenti of Nine Muses Media. Vincenti will present the program’s trends and explore new product, noteworthy collections and best-selling designs as a pre-market planning tool at 1 p.m. PST on July 13. Registration is required and can be completed online.

In Las Vegas, Vincenti will repeat her presentation in-person with a special focus on shifting consumer priorities, especially those of Millennials and GenZ shoppers, at 11 a.m. on July 25. Buyers can see First Look products in showrooms and in the First Look trend displays located in The Expo and Building C walkway via the “First Look: Summer 2022 Tour” led by Vincenti on from 12:30-2 p.m. on July 26.

Other trend programming taking place at market includes Sherwin-Williams color experts Sue Wadden and Laurie Clark discussing the future drivers influencing color and design trends and research that supports the 2023 forecast at 1 p.m. on July 25 with their presentation, “Exclusive Insider Preview of Sherwin-Williams Colormix Forecast 2023.” Ahead of the Curve will present four interior designers – Eva Bradley and Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein of studioHEIMAT in San Francisco, Sarah Kennedy of CLB Architects in Jackson, Wyo., and Monica Wilcox of M Wilcox Design in Dallas – in a discussion of favorite market finds and emerging trends at 11 a.m. on July 26 followed by a meet and greet with the designers at 12:30 p.m. in the Hubbardton Forge showroom.

Tours For Market Exploration

Six cross-category guided tours over two days through Las Vegas Market’s three showroom buildings and temporary exhibits in the Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas will be a key element of the market’s education offerings, according to a release. All tours require an RSVP and will proceed as follows:

“Attendee 101: Orientation & Tour” will be an overview of Las Vegas Market with IMC Buyer Services Team Lead JD Whitehead from 10-11:30 a.m. on July 24.
Shell Brodnax, CEO of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), will host “Product Tour of RESA’s #LVMkt Showrooms” to provide insider tips for home stagers to help those buyers navigate Las Vegas Market from 10-11:30 a.m. on July 24.
“Lighting the Way with Linda Allen – Lighting Highlights Tour” will explore lighting innovations at Las Vegas Market with Linda Allen of Linda Allen Designs in Las Vegas and Live Anywhere Wireless Lighting starting at noon on July 25.
“Expedition Expo! With Kelli, Keith & Evan” is a tour of favorite finds from the Las Vegas Market temporary exhibits with HGTV’s “Bargain Block” stars Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas and Kelli Lamb, editorial director of Rue Magazine, from 2-3:30 p.m. on July 25. All attendees will receive a copy of Lamb’s recently released book, “Home with Rue: Style for Everyone.”
“ASID Industry Partner Market Tour” visits the American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) industry partner showrooms with members from the California Central/Nevada Chapter and other chapters throughout the region from 3-5 p.m. on July 25.

Retail and Design Experts Lead Market Programming

Buyers at the market will also have the opportunity to learn from top retail and design experts via 10 programs over three days of market.

Retailer programming will give buyers tools for smart sourcing with content on selecting new vendors and the opportunity to hear from gift and home furnishings veterans. Sister publication Gifts & Decorative Accessories will host “Retailer Excellence Award (REA) Finalists – Challenged to Thrive!” and bring together 2022 REA finalists to discuss what they have accomplished, what is next and their thoughts on best sellers and merchandising tips in conversation with Editor in Chief Lenise Willis at 1 p.m. on July 26. “Retail Tips From the Stars” will feature top retailers recognized by Home Accents Today as Retail Stars discussing how they manage customer expectations, recruit and retain motivated employees, shop the markets as consumer demand shifts, and generally thrive in an increasingly competitive retail landscape. The conversation will be moderated by Home Accents Today Editor in Chief Allison Zisko at 1 p.m. on July 25. In “Dough Commerce for Good: The Importance of Values-Based Sourcing,” Vanessa Bruce, Juniper by IMC’s vice president of social impact and founder of Dough – a platform for women-owned brands – will lead a panel of emerging makers as they discuss the importance of weighing a brands’ ethics and values when sourcing at 2 p.m. on July 24.

Designer-focused programming will provide inspiration and give tactical tips for marketing and new revenue streams in presentations like “Expert Styling Tips to Showcase your Portfolio to its Finest” and “5 Ways to Skyrocket your Business with Smart Design of Short-Term Rentals.” A full listing of designer programming can be found online.

Industry Awards and Gatherings

Las Vegas Market will also hold three awards ceremonies and gatherings for the following gift and design industry groups this summer:

GC Buying Group will hold a festive “Sip & Shop” meet-up for members and all market attendees interested in housewares and gourmet product from 3-6 p.m. on July 25 in the Expo. The event will introduce the GCX: Expo and Education event set to launch at Las Vegas Market in Winter 2023.
Gift Shop Plus and Stationery Trends magazines will honor 40 young professionals at the “Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards” to be held in-person at 4:30 p.m. on July 24. A casual cocktail reception will be followed by the awards presentation recognizing the 40 honorees who are the new generation of shop owners, managers, stationers, company founders and more making countless contributions to the gift industry. Gift Shop Plus and Stationery Trends also will host a fundraiser to support Gift for Life’s “Come Together” fundraising efforts in support of World Central Kitchen.
The California Central/Nevada Chapter of ASID and the Las Vegas Design Center will host a series of three events on July 24 around the annual ANDYZ Awards which recognize exceptional interior design across 12 different residential, contract and student categories. Programming kicks off at 2 p.m.

Furniture and Designer Events

New for summer 2022, Las Vegas Market will introduce six seminars over three days as part of the nationwide Science in Design Summit produced in partnership with Visionary Design Marketing. The Summit explores how the convergence of science and design – called neuroaesthetics – is changing the future of the design industry with evidenced-based presentations around biophilia, human-centric design, the impact of color and cognitive architecture and how all they positively impact health. Sessions will take place over three days starting on July 24.

Tickets for the Science in Design Summit are $40 per day. Hospitality is provided and registration is required.

Las Vegas Market will also partner with the Home Furnishings Association (HFA) to present 13 seminars over three days in the HFA Retailer Resource Center, Building B, B-1050. The programming will provide actionable tips for furniture retailers on a range of topics including marketing, logistics, value-adds, team management and more. Sessions are offered at no cost and are open to all Las Vegas Market attendees beginning on July 24 with the following five sessions:

“Cutting Through The Clutter: Effective Ways to Activate a Sales Promotion” at 9 a.m.
“3 Ways to Enable Your Sales Associates to Drive Repeat Business” at 10:30 a.m.
“Advanced Digital Marketing Techniques: Learn About Your Competitors” at 1 p.m.
“In Synch with your Customers” at 2:30 p.m.
“The Connection Between Culture & Employee Retention” at 4 p.m.

The following five sessions are scheduled for July 25, too.

“Using 3D to Create the Ultimate Hybrid Shopping Experience and Sell More Online” at 9 a.m.
“A Brand Conscious Home Delivery Experience Starts with Drivers” at 10:30 a.m.
“Automation is the Key to Business Efficiencies” at 1 p.m.
“Cut Through the Visual Merchandising Noise and Drive Conversion” at 2:30 p.m.
“Best Practices for eCommerce Fraud Prevention” at 4 p.m.

The final day of programming on July 26 will consist of the following three sessions:

“Furniture Protection Plan Strategy and Analysis” at 9 a.m.
“The Inventory Journey Through Your Business” at 10:30 a.m.
“Learn How Evolving Customers Want to Shop for Goods” at 1 p.m.

Official After Parties

Las Vegas Market attendees can celebrate with official after-market events like the Market Kick Off Party with music and drinks in the World Market Center Courtyard from 5-7 p.m. on July 24. Five official Market after parties will take place at nightclubs throughout Las Vegas. Attendees will receive complimentary entry with a market badge from 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan Hotel on July 24 and July 26, the Jewel Nightclub at Aria Resort & Casino on July 25, the Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino on July 26 and TAO Nightclub at The Venetian Resort on July 28.

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