Due to ongoing public-health circumstances, the PGA of BC advised last week that the Association’s 2020 Buying Show will be conducted as a virtual event on its originally scheduled dates of Oct. 14-15.
Presently, there is no anticipated timeline for when British Columbia will enter Phase 4 of the provincial government’s COVID-19 Restart Plan, which would be required for large events like the Buying Show to proceed, and for international travellers representing out-of-country exhibitors to visit the province. Furthermore, all other potential options to produce a Buying Show in its traditional format were exhausted.
The Association is announcing this decision approximately 90 days out from the scheduled event to provide our industry exhibitors and members with as much notice as possible in the event that the lack of an in-person show impacts approaches to buying and selling this fall.
However, as the largest show of its kind in British Columbia, the Buying Show plays a key role within the province’s golf industry, connecting PGA of BC Professionals and non-member retailers with manufacturers and suppliers to place orders for the season ahead in a one-stop shop setting. By reimagining the 2020 Buying Show as a virtual event, the PGA of BC hopes to continue facilitating these interactions in a safe and convenient forum.
The 2020 Buying Show will continue to be a private event, open only to PGA of BC members, affiliated facilities and non-member buyers as attendees. The Association will host a dedicated online space for all Buying Show activity to take place. Exhibitors will be provided with a “virtual booth” where their content – including pricing and product information, catalogues, contacts and more – can be viewed by attendees.
Further Buying Show information, as well as registration details for exhibitors and non-member attendees, will be provided in the near future.
Additionally, the PGA of BC Awards Celebration presented by
Replay Golf Supplies
&
Tribal
has traditionally been hosted on the evening following the first day of the Buying Show. This year’s Awards Celebration will still be held Oct. 14 as scheduled but will be conducted as an online broadcast. The revised format will allow the Association to safely proceed with honouring each of our 2020 Regional and Provincial Award Recipients. Further details will be announced closer to the event.
Click below for our full announcement about the changes to the Buying Show and Awards Celebration.