LOUISVILLE, KY — Equip Exposition, the international landscape, outdoor living, and equipment exposition, again broke attendance records, with more than 28,500 registrants and significant growth in contractor categories.
With more than 1.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space, Equip Exposition is one of the largest trade shows in the United States. The blockbuster trade show takes place in the Derby City and brings more than $25 million annually to Louisville, Kentucky.
“For the third year in a row, Equip Exposition is breaking records,” said Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which has owned and managed the trade show outright since 2022. He noted that the show broke records in 2022 with 25,000 attendees and again last year with 27,000. “Equip is bigger and better every year in new ways. As the industry grows and expands, we are helping people grow their businesses and keep up with the latest trends.”
Since assuming management in 2022 of the trade show that draws hundreds of manufacturers and suppliers for the outdoor services industry, OPEI has worked to energize Equip Exposition’s offerings for attendees, while delivering more of what attendees appreciate. The last available exhibit space was purchased more than two months before the show opened.
This year’s keynote address was from This Old House host and home improvement expert, Kevin O’Connor, sponsored by Kress. They also took in the second-ever arena concert at the KEF Yum! Center featuring Trace Adkins, sponsored by Senix, Toro, Bobcat, and Gravely, as well as a Welcome Reception at Churchill Downs, sponsored by Caterpillar.
| Your local Sennebogen LLC dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
With co-location partner Hardscape North America, the trade show fully occupied the North, East, and South halls of the Kentucky Exposition Center with expanded square footage in the West Wing.
Plans for 2025 are already under way, including a Welcome Reception at Churchill Downs, as well as another arena concert at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville. The Outdoor Demo Yard will be reconfigured, shifting the UTV track to a larger space due to popular demand, and closing some of the A Lot parking to provide a dedicated space for boom trucks, lifts, and other large vehicles.
