Whether someone is looking for arborvitae varieties or a soil booster, having a hands-on experience with the material can’t be duplicated online. The same goes for drip irrigation, nursery containers, pottery, or even plant stakes, tags, and labels. Many buyers are simply not ready to make purchasing decisions based on one-dimensional online photos and wordy product descriptions.

The need for tactile touch and face-to-face marketing is what makes horticulture trade shows so valuable to the green industry. According to research by SkyLine Exhibits, 57 percent of online shoppers attend trade shows to see the products they searched for in person. On top of that, 91 percent of buyers go to trade shows for the opportunity to shop multiple products and services because they’re all in one place.

For nursery and greenhouse businesses, a wholesale nursery show in Oregon provides an opportunity for often inaccessible businesses — farmers managing massive acres of land from distant locations — to meet customers and network with others in their circuit. It’s a critical time to make a deal with potential customers, existing customers, and other business partners. Statistically speaking, trade shows are where sales orders and commitments are made, given that 73 percent of surveyed attendees buy from at least one exhibitor.

Businesses in the Pacific Northwest looking for a plant show in Portland, Oregon often find value in exhibiting at the Farwest Show, the biggest green industry trade show in the West. A recap of 3-day event on Digger magazine reported about the surge in show attendance in 2019. The grower-buyer expo takes place annual in August, where vendor orders are written up for the upcoming season.

To become an exhibitor at the Farwest Show, follow this quick to-do list.

  1. Examine booth pricing here.
  2. Join the Oregon Association of Nurseries to take $365 off each 10×10 booth pricing.
  3. Apply for a booth space by completing the online form.
  4. Download the exhibitor checklist.