The 9^th Annual 2018 TSNN Awards: Celebrating Trade Show Excellence will head Aug. 10-12 to Louisville, Ky., to celebrate the top U.S. fastest-growing trade shows in net square footage and attendance just days after the massive transformation of the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville is unveiled.

The completely renovated center is just one piece of an extensive development project that includes several new hotels and renovations to existing ones, such as the Marriott Louisville Downtown, the host hotel for award attendees, as well as a bevy of new distilleries and other attractions.

“Louisville is honored to host this exclusive industry event once again in 2018. We are truly excited to welcome the trade show industry’s ‘best of the best’ to Louisville alongside our great colleagues at the Trade Show News Network,” said Karen Williams, president and CEO of the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

She added, “As one of the first events in our newly expanded convention center, I can think of no better premium showcase for our convention product to the industry. In partnership with Kentucky Venues, I assure you we’ll be rolling out the red carpet.”

This is the second time the TSNN Awards weekend will be held in Louisville. The first time, in 2012, was one of the highest-rated cities in which the awards were hosted.

“The 2018 TSNN Awards attendees are going to be absolutely blown away by the ‘new’ downtown Louisville and everything it has to offer trade shows coming to town,” said Rachel Wimberly, president of Tarsus Media.

She added, “The new KICC venue has not only added exhibit and meeting space, but also the entire venue is transformed on the interior and exterior to a gorgeous, light-filled place. We are excited for 2018 TSNN Awards attendees to see everything that has transformed in downtown Louisville!”

The awards weekend will kick off on Friday night with an opening reception at an exciting venue and a post-party at the Marriott to keep the networking going, followed by a breakfast and education conference at the center the next morning at which the focus will be on how show organizers can ‘transform’ their own shows.

After the conference will be lunch at the center with a keynote by a prominent person sponsored by the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Saturday night will be the 2018 TSNN Awards Gala in the Marriott ballroom at which the top overall fastest-growing association and for-profit shows in net square footage and attendance will be unveiled, along with the overall winner of TSNN’s “Best of Show” award.

In addition, the 2018 TSNN Industry Icon Award honoree will be feted, as well as The Expo Group’s Show Manager of the Year (SMOTY) Awards, at which four people from different-sized shows will be awarded.

The Afterglow will be at the Marriott following the awards, and the three-day weekend will wrap up with a Sunday Brunch in a special location.

The fastest-growing shows will be announced in early April.

The shows are ranked in fastest-growing net square footage and attendance by averaging show organizer-submitted data from the years 2015-2017.

This weekend-long celebration is where the best and the brightest in the business gather to network, connect and celebrate working in an industry like no other – and acknowledging and embracing the success that they have mutually achieved.

Please submit your fastest-growing show HERE. Last year’s list of 50 winners can be found HERE.

The 2018 TSNN Awards would not be possible without the amazing support of our sponsors every year. Please check them out HERE.

For sponsorship information, please contact John Rice, mailto:jrice@tsnn.com (617) 207-7088.

For more information on the overall awards, visit www.T-awards.com.