by In a move intended to support the needs of outdoor furnishings retailers and designers with a complete buying experience when it best suits the demands of their businesses, Andmore and ICFA are expanding the 2024 editions of Casual Market Atlanta with a significant new educational opportunity in July and the addition of temporary exhibits in September.
The summer Casual Market Atlanta runs July 15-18 and the fall show runs Sept. 16-18 at AmericasMart Atlanta.
“These updates to Casual Market Atlanta signal the embrace of AmericasMart Atlanta as the casual and outdoor industry’s new marketplace home,” says Bob Maricich, CEO of Andmore. “With these changes, Casual Market Atlanta now offers equal sourcing opportunities, as well as expanded education and networking, in both July and September.”
Educational Opportunities Expand in July
Beginning this year, the International Casual Furnishings Association will reinstate its Retail Roundtable and Think Tank program, a long-standing, half-day educational program, at the summer Casual Market Atlanta. The afternoon session, open to buyers and designers, is scheduled on Sunday, July 14, one day prior to the opening of permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits.
“Since its inception more than a decade ago, ICFA’s Retail Roundtable has been one of the most popular events for dealers to gain new insights about their store operations by learning and sharing experiences with fellow merchants,” says Jackie Hirschhaut, ICFA executive director. “The Think Tank component was added a few years ago to create a quick-thinking, problem-solving exercise that generated immediate advice for participants to bring back to their stores.” A portion of each registration fee is donated to City of Hope, ICFA’s philanthropy partner.
The new ICFA premarket programming complements current summer Casual Market Atlanta offerings: 165+ combined casual furniture and outdoor accessories permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits presented on seven floors in Building 1 at AmericasMart Atlanta, along with hallmark at-market education and networking. A series of ICFA-hosted events are among highlights of the summer edition: the ICFA 66th Birthday Bash, Pink Out benefitting City of Hope, the ICFA Awards Gala plus the ICFA Annual Membership and Board meetings.
Sourcing Opportunities Extend in September
Beginning in September, the fall Casual Market will welcome the return of temporary exhibits to complement permanent showroom offerings. To align with these changes, the September trade show will be renamed Fall Casual Market Atlanta.
With these changes, Fall Casual Market Atlanta now offers a combined 115+ permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits presented on six floors in Building 1 at AmericasMart Atlanta. Other September offerings include educational programming and continuation of the popular “Braves & Brews” baseball event first held in 2023.
In addition to the twice-yearly editions of Casual Market Atlanta, AmericasMart Atlanta presents additional business opportunities for casual and outdoor buyers and sellers alike. Some 40 casual furnishings showrooms in Building 1 are open daily to provide one-on-one consultations. In total, 350+ home, décor, gift and apparel showrooms are open year-round throughout the AmericasMart Atlanta complex. Special programming includes a Design + Dine event, showcasing outdoor and casual furniture resources on Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.americasmart.com/en/Year-Round.
