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Handmade show heads east
Richmond, Virgina, will host the show next February
Putting to rest several months of speculation, North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) founder and director Don Walker said Tuesday that the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia will host the 2010 event.
Scheduled for February 26-28, 2010, this marks the first foray to the east coast for the annual NAHBS event, now in its sixth year.
Originating in Houston, Texas, then moving to San Jose, California and Portland, Oregon, NAHBS has grown from a show with 23 exhibitors and 200 attendees in 2005, to 150 exhibitors and 7200 attendees this year.
The announcement of each future venue typically comes at the close of the show, but at the 2009 edition, hosted by Speedway, Indiana, no such announcement was made. Unlike other trade shows, which often frequent the same city every year, part of the appeal of NAHBS is its nomadic effort to bring the handbuilding culture to various regions of the country. An East Coast location was expected, but was not certain until now.
In a press release, Walker said, "I researched all the way along the East Coast and Richmond came up as the strongest candidate, all criteria considered. I then put forward three candidates to a vote among this year’s exhibitors, and Richmond was the clear winner. I looked at some of the largest cities as well, and while these cities might have great cycling culture, their prices are out of range for the vast majority of my exhibitors."
Like other cities visited by NAHBS, Richmond has a growing cycling culture. "Cycling is really becoming more and more popular in this region," said Jack Berry, president and CEO of the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitor's Bureau. "Being a cyclist myself, personally I’m thrilled! This is huge for Richmond and the Mid-Atlantic."
Likewise, Champe Burnley, president of the Richmond Area Bicycling Association, said, "Richmond is a cycling hub with a great history. We have a strong cycling community with great facilities." He continued, "Officials here are really beginning to get cycling and its benefits to the community. NAHBS could not have chosen a better time to come. This marks a cycling renaissance for the Richmond area."
Richmond is located within a day’s drive of half the U.S. population, and within cycling distance of the nation’s second largest cycling club (Potomac Pedalers). Only 90 minutes by car from Washington, DC, Richmond is served by Amtrak as well, with a station about a mile from the proposed host hotel. Richmond International Airport is approximately 15 minutes by car from the convention center.
Booth registration for 2009 exhibitors is now open, and open registration starts June 15, through the event Web site: www.handmadebicycleshow.com
