GIE+Expo combines lawn, garden, power – and fun

“This is the No. 1 opportunity for industry members to see suppliers’ full lines and latest innovations, all in one place,” said Warren Sellers, GIE+Expo show director. “The combination of new products, exciting exhibitor-sponsored events and educational opportunities make GIE+EXPO an extremely valuable business investment.”

The second annual GIE+Expo returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville Ky., where 650 exhibitors will showcase the latest lawn and garden products, outdoor leisure products, rental lines, outdoor power equipment and related products in a 425,700-sq.-ft. exhibit hall as well as in a 19-acre outdoor demonstration area.

Scheduled for Oct. 23-25, GIE+Expo is expected to attract some 20,000 participants from more than 30 countries.

With free concerts, a lumberjack show and a bratwurst fry on the agenda, event organizers are touting the event as “a mix of business and fun.” The “fun” portion of the schedule includes:

• Free concerts – The slate of performers includes 38 Special (Oct. 23) and LoneStar (Oct. 24). Concerts will take place in the evenings at the 4th Street Live! dining and entertainment district in downtown Louisville.
• The Stihl Lumberjack Challenge – Scheer’s Lumberjack Shows will present axe-throwing, chopping, log-rolling, cross-cut sawing, hot-sawing and chainsaw-carving events at various times on Oct. 23, 24 and 25 in the outdoor demonstration area.
• Kohler’s Free Brat Fry – From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 24 in the outdoor demonstration area, attendees will be able to fill up on free bratwurst, sponsored by Kohler.
• Trucks of the Industry Giveaway – In addition to many exhibitor giveaways, one lucky GIE+Expo visitor will win $20,000 toward the purchase of a new truck from one of seven participating truck manufacturers. The drawing will be held at noon on Oct. 25.
• Run with the Winners – Attendees can burn off their brats by taking part in a 5K fun run, which kicks off at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 25.

In addition, event organizers encourage attendees to explore Louisville attractions such as the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Urban Bourbon Trail.

Grounds for learning

GIE+Expo is an alliance between the Professional Landcare Network’s (PLANET) Green Industry Conference (GIC) and Green Industry Expo (GIE) and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) International Lawn, Garden and Power Equipment Expo. The show that is not lacking in acronyms certainly is not lacking in educational and networking opportunities.

GIC, which will take place from Oct. 22-25 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown and the Kentucky Exposition Center, usually attracts more than 2,000 landscape and lawn care professionals, who participate in more than 80 courses, seminars and roundtables on a variety of topics.

Also coinciding with GIE+Expo will be the Professional Grounds Management Society’s (PGMS) 2008 School of Grounds Management, which will take place Oct. 22-25 at the exposition center. Sustainability will be the prevailing theme at this year’s school.

“This year’s education program will provide grounds management professionals with the knowledge to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the push for sustainability,” said PGMS education chair Monica Higgins, CGM.

Topics will include: sustainable maintenance of perennials and shrubs; using LEED guidelines to manage landscapes; managing green roofs; preserving trees; and the latest information from the Sustainable Sites Initiative.

“With a faculty of green industry experts and a wide offering of courses ranging from LEED and conservation issues to management to horticulture, the school offers grounds superintendents and landscaping professionals a great opportunity to further their professional development,” Higgins added.

The school’s curriculum is designed for in-house grounds managers overseeing facilities ranging from universities to commercial facilities to municipalities, although the range of topics covered makes it relevant to all green industry professionals, according to organizers. Tuition to the school includes free admission to GIE+Expo and a discount on the certified grounds manager (CGM) examination fee. 

At the conclusion of the school’s program on Oct. 25, PGMS will announce its 2008 Green Star Award recipients. The 15 categories include: public works sites; government buildings or complexes; athletic fields, professional fields or golf courses; and university and college grounds.

It pays to register early

Pre-registration for a three-day pass to GIE+Expo is $10 per person, while on-site registration will be $50. To pre-register or to learn more about the event, visit http://www.gie-expo.com.

For more information on GIE+Expo, prospective attendees and exhibitors also can call the show management company, Sellers Expositions, at 800-558-8767 or 812-949-9200.