Questex’s 34th annual Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show set records during 2019 delivering the highest concentration of bar owners and operators during the three-day convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 25 — 27. North America’s premier bar and nightlife industry conference and expo featured over 400 exhibitors, 82 conference sessions, the first-ever Live Bar, hosted by Bob Peters, and the inaugural F&B Innovation Conference — along with product launches, keynote sessions, bootcamps, certification sessions and a series of educational workshops.
“This year’s Nightclub & Bar Show had a remarkable turn out, and I don’t just mean in terms of attendance,” said Paul Miller, CEO of Questex. “Our speakers brought an incredible amount of knowledge, energy and material to the conference sessions for attendees to apply to their businesses. In addition, the chefs and mixologists set the bar high for what professionals should expect to see in the future — and so did our exhibitors as they debuted new products and showcased the future of the industry.”
In response to current trends and the growth in the industry, the 2019 Nightclub & Bar Show brought to the floor a Live Bar, hosted by Bob Peters of Creative Cocktails Consulting LLC. Attendees were treated to custom cocktails made on-site featuring new spirits and innovative technology such as Ripples Maker machine, which created custom designs on cocktails. In addition, the third edition of the F&B Innovation Center offered the first-ever Conference Series, led by Executive Chef and Owner of Duffified Experience Group, Brian Duffy. Attendees had the opportunity to interact with accomplished chefs from Food Network hit series such as Food Network Star, Guy’s Grocery Games, Cutthroat Kitchen, Chef Wanted, The Great Food Truck Race, and Beat Bobby Flay, – along with FOX series Hell’s Kitchen and Paramount Network’s Bar Rescue while learning how to re-energize brands, find exciting ways to increase traffic and boost revenue, and mitigate the challenges presented by disruptors.
Leading this year’s conference sessions were keynote speakers Jon Taffer, Jim Meehan and Tanisha Robison. With more than 80 sessions over the three-days, attendees had direct access to the industry’s premier leaders allowing them to strengthen their brands and get ahead of the trends. Session highlights were “Understanding the Psychology Behind Guest Experiences,” “Personalizing Your Bar Experience,” “The Food Delivery Challenge,” “Sustainability in Bars,” “Secret to the Get the Restaurant/Bar You Want,” and “Handling Special Dietary Needs.”
On Tuesday, March 26, the expo floor opened with the hottest names in the food and beverage industry with a star-studded red carpet and ribbon cutting ceremony lead by Chairman of the Nightclub & Bar Show and star of Paramount Network’s hit TV series Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer. Also spotted on the red carpet was former professional football player and cornerback, Mark McMillian of the Washington Redskins, and Vanderpump Rules star and TomTom partner, Tom Sandoval.
The spotlight shined on the last two days of the convention inside the exhibit floor where thousands of products spanning all facets of the industry: bar equipment, spirits, craft beer, alcohol-free beverages and mixers, furnishings, technology, food, venue equipment, glassware, décor, menu designs, social media, apparel, lighting and more lined the expo floor. New exhibitors to the 2019 Nightclub & Bar Show included Cannabiniers / Two Roots Brewing with the world’s first de-alcoholized cannabis infused craft beer; Glyph debuting the world’s first molecular commercial whiskey; and Cutting Edge Axe Throwing Builders featuring brand new axe throwing lanes, LED targets and customization options.
As the largest annual bar and nightlife convention, the 2019 Nightclub & Bar Show spanned throughout the city with offsite trainings, networking opportunities and nightlife events at Las Vegas’ hottest venues and businesses including On the Record at Park MGM, Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, JEWEL Nightclub at ARIA Resort & Casino and Intrigue Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas.
The Nightclub & Bar Show will celebrate a milestone year in 2020 with its 35th anniversary at the Las Vegas Convention Center March 30 — April 1. For updates throughout the year, visit www.ncbshow.com.
