H eld at the Newbury Showground, UK, it was brilliant to demonstrate our cloud-based rental management software throughout two days of the show. The events industry is undeniably one of the most bustling, creative and exciting industries to be a part of. It was awesome to see lots of familiar and renowned names exhibiting and networking all in one place.
Here’s a few things we took away with us from the Showman’s Show 2018…
1. It’s easy (and important) to go green
A common theme of this year’s show was the importance of sustainability in the events industry. Lots of exhibitors at the show placed a strong emphasis on the sustainability of their products and events they contribute to - and rightfully so. With 68% of festival waste going straight to landfill, and recycling rates at festivals being lower than 32%, the need for a more green-conscious events industry has never been greater.
During the show, environmentally-conscious products and services were out on display - from the very big to the very small. This included a number of eco-friendly sanitation solutions and temporary structure ideas, plus plenty of catering solutions such as reusable cups and recyclable, collapsible bins.
Plus, the Showman’s Show were also selecting a shortlist of Green Supplier and Innovation Award nominees, who presented their products keynote speakers of the Festival Vision:2025 initiative. These included; Enviro-Cup, MSS International, RAW Bottles, CNSE, Continest, Morris Site Machinery and The Ticket Sellers.
2. Themed events are here to stay
We had so much fun exploring the grounds and exhibition marquee, partly because it was as though we were being taken to another world at each stand we stopped by. One of the best things about the show was seeing how many themed options there are available to make events personal and memorable, and how it doesn’t have to be difficult to make a theme or a style work for you.
We chatted to a number of exhibitors throughout the show, learning more about their niche products and all-important guest reactions to their products on the day of the event. The overall opinion was that it’s clear that we all love to see something memorable and a little out of the ordinary when attending or creating events.
Whether it’s through catering (there were styled food trucks and mobile bars galore), technology (the latest immersive tech was right on hand and free to try) or entertainment (think free-fall airbags for adrenaline junkies and dinosaur themed performers), so much variety was on the display at the show.
3. The secret sauce is collaboration
The Showman’s Show played host to a number of innovative and inspiring seminars and talks, where those from all over the industry gathered to share their knowledge on hot topics. It was inspiring to see a number of new exhibitors alongside seasoned industry names, networking throughout the show.
Held in the cosy Hub Talks Tent, the annual Festival Vision:2025 conference was delivered on the first day of the show, inviting those who had taken the Festival:Vision pledge to contribute their experiences and insight in a number of think-tank discussions. On the second day of the show, RAW talks were scheduled throughout the day and were free to all guests at the show, with a focus on removing pointless plastic from events. Topics included tips on how to go completely plastic-free at your events!
One thing’s for sure, the events industry is not out of ideas nor solutions to industry issues yet - we can’t wait to see just what will be new at next year’s show.
4. Pop up tents are out, alternative accommodation is in
One key takeaway from the show was how exciting and innovative accommodation solutions can be. Year on year, the range of varied and unique solutions being displayed at the Show is staggering - it’s great to see some new options available, riding on the wave of creating more immersive, comfortable and environmentally-friendly festivals and events.
Some of our favourite alternative accomodation solutions included Caboose & Co.’s high-end shipping containers, which, as well as being ultra-stylish and easily portable, can fit a double bed and a shower! During the show, they launched their brand new glamping pod, ‘the Scotsman’.
Above All C6n were also launching a prototype of their reusable and recycled festival pod during the show, which is made completely from recycled plastic. Designed to be easily assembled on-site after arriving in six separate parts, and featuring solar power, a bio loo and an eco-water supply, the pod can be stacked to make pod ‘villages’!
5. We have the best software users!
Ok, so we already knew that. But the best part of every trade show we exhibit at is catching up with our Current RMS users - nothing beats it! We were absolutely blown away by the number of new faces stopping by Stand 50 to find out more about Current RMS, plus the number of our awesome customers that dropped by to say hello too.
The show was a great opportunity to show off some of our latest features, such as Do a Deal and Choosing Accessories. We also had the chance to demonstrate some unreleased features that are still in the pipeline, including our brand new Automatic Costing and Purchasing modules. These new updates will pull through additional costs onto a job, including sub rents, freelance costs and any purchases. Users will also be able to create purchase orders to send from Current, and to post these across to accounting software Xero and QuickBooks Online.
Thank You!
A massive thank you to everyone who found the time to stop by our stand during the show! It was great to catch up with you.
If you’d like to check out how Current RMS could streamline your rental processes, it couldn’t be easier to get started - simply sign up for a free 30 day trial of our software and book in a free online demo with one of our friendly team. We’d love to show you around!
