You can tell we’re well into the fall season. The once-brilliant hues of foliage have already turned from intense multicolors to wrinkled brown. Traditional retailers — who started stocking their holiday merchandise in mid-August — are already busy, prepping for their Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowouts (which, these days, seem to start in mid-November).
Of course, this also marks the traditional switch to standard time, with darkness creeping in around 5 p.m., so it’s probably time to start packing those front-yard skeletons and gravestones, to be replaced by inflatable reindeer, cartoon characters, Santas and snowflake projectors. However, what is too easy to overlook is Thanksgiving itself — the one day we all give thanks for what we do have.
For event production pros, the season also pumps a welcome surge of holiday-related work — always a good sign, especially after we (mostly) seem to have gotten past the doldrums of the pandemic. True, many soundcos still face some degree of staffing shortages, creating a high-employment bubble — which, of course is great news for anyone looking for work — while the season’s influx of holiday parties, special concerts, tree lighting ceremonies, etc., all offer opportunities for capitalization.
Meanwhile, as we close out the tradeshow season, it’s notable that expos such as NAMM, InfoComm, ISE, AES, etc. — re-emerged in 2023 with slightly lower turnouts, but all with a “just wait until next year” attitude from both exhibitors and attendees. And as many manufacturers had held off major product launches, a bumper crop of new gear emerged in 2023, with much more to come in 2024.
These are good times, and we all have much to be thankful for.
Travel safe!
