LIBERTY FAIRS TEAMS UP WITH CABANA FOR ITS RETURN TO IN-PERSON TRADE SHOWS

Good days are ahead! In a hopeful sign of a further return to pre-pandemic life, Liberty Fairs has announced when and where its first in-person trade show will take place.

This summer, the dual-gender contemporary and lifestyle trade show will join forces with its sister resort and travel lifestyle show, Cabana, to host its first physical event since February 2020.

The trade events will show side-by-side in Miami at the Miami Beach Convention Center this summer from July 10th-12th. Liberty says that this new event was developed in an effort to safely rally the industry back to business, while promoting cross-collaboration across brands and retailers in the shows’ respective markets.

Pre-pandemic, Liberty Fairs hosted events in Las Vegas and New York, making the upcoming show its very first in Miami. Cabana typically ran biannually in New York, as well as each summer in Miami since 2013.

“As a trade destination, Miami is an amazing opportunity for both men’s and women’s brands and retailers alike, with the beaches, nightlife, and amenable weather for social distancing outdoors,” said Janet Wong, co-founder of Cabana. “The Cabana audience is very familiar with the atmosphere of the city and loves coming back each year, so we’re looking forward to introducing that same energy to our men’s audience.”

Brands and buyers will have the space once more to form relationships in person and make business decisions based on the touch and feel of physical product. Retailers can expect Cabana to present 250-300 brands, and for Liberty to present 150 brands. As both events will be showing at the same time, there is further opportunity and convenience for dual-gender retailers and brands. In tandem with the physical shows, both Liberty and Cabana will also facilitate online trade for brands and retailers who may not yet be able to travel. Both shows have run virtual-only trade shows over the past year.

“We see the new ‘business as usual’ as a hybrid model–even as travel opens up, we will need to continue providing options for those who can’t meet in person,” added Wong. “LF&LF (Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs) is here to facilitate that reality.”

The collaborative show will focus heavily on safety for attendees in Miami, with systems in place to increase air quality at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Guests will be asked to wear masks and attend to social distancing requirements and will participate in a touch-free, crowd-free pre-registration process with self-service badging systems to mitigate the risk of cross-contamination.

“I am excited about this collaboration with Cabana,” said Edwina Kulego, vice president of Liberty Fairs. “If COVID has taught us anything, it is the power of togetherness. I believe this collaboration is a step in the right direction, and we are hopeful about the prospects and ideas that will be birthed from this venture.”