Orange County will host roughly 650 conventions covering many industries this year.
There were 24 conventions confirmed late last year that are expected to draw 10,000 or more people to OC, according to the Anaheim/ Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
Conventions bring in about 1 million attendees annually to OC. They contribute some $900 million in visitor spending. They also showcase the county’s business community to international visitors.
Below is a look at some of the largest conventions expected in 2006.
NAMM
International Music Products Association
When: Jan. 19-22,
Anaheim Convention Center
Expected attendance: 65,000 or more
The NAMM show has focused worldwide attention on Anaheim and OC for 29 years.
More than 9,000 companies are members of NAMM. They make or sell musical instruments and products.
The organization’s programs include education, legislative issues, research and boosting the market for music products.
This year’s NAMM show, which isn’t open to the public, is set to include more than 1,400 exhibitors. There also are free breakfast sessions about industry issues held daily at the Hilton Anaheim. NAMM also plans to add half-hour classes on the show floor called NAMM Idea Sessions.
Last year, a record-setting 78,000 people attended the show.
NAMM’s reputation brings out a who’s who of the music industry. Stevie Wonder and Shaquille O’Neal showed up to recent shows. This year, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac will be a presenter.
NAMM’s pact with Anaheim runs through 2010.
Medical Design & Manufacturing/Westpack/Pacific Design & Manufacturing/Plastec/Electronics West
When: Jan. 31-Feb. 2,
Expected attendance: 40,000
Medical Design & Manufacturing, the world’s biggest confab of its kind, has been in Anaheim for 22 years.
In recent years, it has joined with four related trade shows that cover contract manufacturing, medical electronics, automation technology, online business and packaging.
The trade show includes five pavilions: PrecisionTec, Medpak, CAD/CAM, Enterprise Technology and the new MicroNanoTec pavilion.
Each show has its own promotional campaign and brings its own attendees. This year, more than 2,000 exhibitors are expected.
The region’s big medical device companies make Anaheim a good site for this show, said Diane O’Connor, director of trade shows for operator Canon Communications LLC in Los Angeles.
OC medical device makers include Beckman Coulter Inc. in Fullerton, Edwards Lifesciences Corp. in Irvine, a unit of B. Braun Medical Inc. in Irvine and Advanced Medical Optics Inc. in Santa Ana.
Natural Products Expo West
When: March 24-28,
Anaheim Convention Center
Expected attendance: 39,000
Natural Products Expo West will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2006,and every show has been held in Anaheim.
“We started in one ballroom and this year we’ll have 2,700 (exhibitor) booths,” said Brian Henderson, senior vice president, trade show group for Boulder, Colo.-based New Hope Media, which produces the show.
There’s been growing interest in natural and organic products for home, health and even pet care. Attendees learn about products and industry trends from educational seminars. They can visit a retail room for ideas in how to sell or take a tour of area organic food stores or an organic farm.
Actress Daryl Hannah will give the keynote speech at the general session.
This year, Natural Products has about 20 sponsors and is including an ethnic food show called Kosher World 2006. Henderson said a World Ethnic Market at the show will feature halal foods.
Religious Education Congress
When: March 30-April 2,
Expected attendance: 30,000
The Religious Education Congress, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Office of Religious Education, is billed as the nation’s largest annual gathering of Roman Catholics.
The three-day event is open to anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith.
Last year’s convention drew 38,500 to Anaheim. There were 214 exhibitors featuring products ranging from religious art and music to publishing houses and schools.
As of mid-December, more than 400 exhibitors are signed up for this year’s show.
The congress features a youth day, workshops in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, and church services representative of Mass in different cultures. The cardinal of the Los Angeles Archdiocese will say Mass on the final day.
California Dental Association,
Scientific Sessions
When: April 24-May 2,
Anaheim Convention Center
The association’s scientific sessions targets education requirements for dentists, who must complete 50 units of classes during every licensing cycle.
The convention is a benefit for members of the trade association.
The California Dental Association is looking to bring more out-of-state attendees to Anaheim, said Debi Irwin, assistant vice president of sessions, for the organization.
Irwin said many attendees bring family along for some vacation time. That has inspired “family hours” and a Kid Zone at the exhibit hall.
The association is offering tours to Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana and The Block at Orange geared particularly to families. An event is set for the Paradise Pier area of Disney’s California Adventure.
Some event sessions are at the Hilton Anaheim, the convention’s headquarters hotel. In all, the California Dental Association uses 16 area hotels for attendees.
America’s Zesty Best Food
When: Aug. 2-6,
Anaheim Marriott
Expected attendance: 30,000
A national event promoted by Jazz Foods Inc. of Capistrano Beach, the Zesty Best food competition features professional and amateur divisions.
The contests aim to generate exposure for new food products. The competition has separate awards for labels and non-food products.
Participants must be commercial food makers who follow Food and Drug Administration regulations. Food industry pros judge all products.
AARP
When: Oct. 13-14,
AARP has staged its annual Life@50+ event for five years.
Speakers, entertainment, interactive exhibits, devices, travel information and service providers geared to the group’s 35 million members age 50 and older are expected at the event.
Speakers already slated for Anaheim include poet Maya Angelou, ex-NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Terry Bradshaw, former CBS news anchor Dan Rather, performer Queen Latifah and “Dilbert” cartoonist Scott Adams.
New this year: Studio 50+, a nightly series of dance and nightclubs.
AARP was slated to hold its 2005 convention in New Orleans the week after Hurricane Katrina hit. It was one of the conventions that cancelled. At the time, about 350 exhibitors were expected on site and more than 10,000 optional tours had been sold in advance.
Optical Fiber Communication
When: March 5-10,
Anaheim Convention Center
Expected attendance: 18,000
Billed as the largest optical fiber communications show in the world, this convention for the Optical Society of America is primarily a technical conference that helps attendees stay abreast of industry trends.
It also includes classes and roughly 600 exhibitors.
Three topics are set to debut this year among the open demonstrations: plastic optical fiber, delivering video over telecommunications lines and a nonprofit optical Internet working forum.
A hot topic for general sessions this year: Internet protocol video.
The conference also draws well from overseas,particularly Korea and China, which will have its own pavilion.
American Society of Health System Pharmacists
When: Dec. 3-7,
Expected attendance: 17,000
The society is a 30,000-member group that represents pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health maintenance organizations and nursing homes, among others. This will be its first convention in Anaheim.
The group’s last convention in Las Vegas drew more than 20,000 people, including almost 1,000 international members from 47 countries. The convention includes classes and an exhibit hall.
Anaheim was chosen for the show because of its exhibit and general session space, plenty of surrounding hotels, access to airports and local transportation, said Tana Stellato, director of the group’s conference and convention division.
National Science Teachers Association
When: April 6-8,
Anaheim Convention Center
Expected attendance: 15,000
This will be the 54th national gathering of what’s billed as the world’s largest get-together of science educators.
It will be the first time the group has been in Anaheim since 1994. Attendees earn credits at the conference. Many bring families along for a vacation.
One-day courses will be offered from the BSCS Center for Professional Development, the Concord Consortium, Charles A. Dana Center, First Hand Learning Inc., Education Development Center, Lawrence Hall of Science, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, National Science Resources Center and WestEd.
Anime Expo
When: June 29-July 5,
The Anime Expo is geared to fans of Anime and Manga Japanese comics and other games from Japan. It’s the largest convention of its kind in the U.S. The Anaheim-based Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation produces the event.
The show draws heavily from California, but also internationally. Attendance has reached as high as 37,000. Many fans show up in costume, dressed as their favorite characters, which always turns some heads. The convention plans to have activities at the Anaheim Convention Center and the Hilton Anaheim.
