(Photo © J. Maus)
Two new bike shows are being planned for the Portland area in 2010.
The Northwest Bike Show, “Where cycling comes full circle”, is slated for February 20-21 and will take place inside a 54,000 square foot hall at the Portland Expo Center. The event is being put together by the Hilsboro-based Convention & Meeting Planners of Oregon, Inc. (they’re also behind the Rose City Bridal Showcase). The CEO of the company, Lora Heil-Frone, has a booth here at the Oregon Bike Summit. She said highlights of her Northwest Bike Show will include a kids safety area, a performance stage, and hopefully (she’s still working on it) a stunt riding performance by the Dew Action Sports team.
If you’d like to be part of this show, as an exhibitor or a presenter/performer, contact Lora Heil-Frone at sales@cmpor.com.
On April 10th, Hillsboro resident Aaron McBride will open the doors on “The Bicycle Show“. McBride’s event will be held at the Oregon Convention Center. McBride, who runs Pedal Nation Events, says his show is set to be “the largest consumer bicycle show in the state of Oregon”.
Also in the local bike show mix in the coming months is the 2009 edition of the Oregon Manifest. I met with Manifest director Jocelyn Sycip a few days ago. They’ve got some very exciting things in the works for their show.
Stay tuned for more on all these shows in the months and weeks to come.
This news stirs some very curmudgeonly feelings in me. I’m glad the popularity of cycling seems to be rising, but how long before there’s an iFIXED show? The Northwest Bike Show seems like the Convention & Meeting Planners of Oregon, Inc. just noticed that cycling is “hip” and want to cash in. I don’t know if it’s better to have lots of bike shows or just a few that draw the exhibitors we are really interested in seeing. I was sad that the NAHBS didn’t find a home here, it seemed to fit so well. Oh well, I guess it has to be all North American-y. I can’t wait for the Canadian leg.
My highest hope for the burgeoning bike show segment is that the cream will rise to the top before exhibitors get burned out by the sheer number of events to show at. These things are not cheap for the small builders that make them so interesting. I think Oregon is poised to lead the nation in bike shows as well as beer festivals! At least we’ve got the right priorities with our activities. My favorite bike show has to be any sunny day in Portland when people are actually out riding anyway.
twistyaction I appreciate the feedback. My hope is that the Pedal Nation show will be on a Sunny April weekend & all of Portland will jump on a bicycle and ride to the OR Convention Ctr. That is what I plan on doing. Please feel free to email me directly with additional feedback on how to make sure this is the best show in town.
aaron@pedalnation.org
I think this is awesome. I love the support from “Convention & Meeting Planners of Oregon, Inc.” Even if they make money anything in support of cycling in Portland is GREAT! Keep up the good work. Looking forward to April 2010.
Happy cycling.
-Brian