50th anniversary Smoky Mountain Gift Show shaping up to be a big one

For 50 years, the Smoky Mountain Gift Show has been a beloved show for the souvenir and resort industries. This year’s show is Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 4-7, 2015, at the Gatlinburg Convention Center as the show celebrates its 50th Anniversary edition with even more new product resources, events and networking opportunities.

The Smoky Mountain Gift Show is filled with buyer-friendly services, including:

$100 Cash Prizes – Pick up an entry form at the Smoky Mountain Gift Show Registration desk, fill it out and drop it off in the ballot box located in the Mills Auditorium.  Each day, show management will draw three names and you could be one of our daily $100 cash prize winners!

Goody Bag Giveaways – The first 100 retail stores to arrive at the show on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 4-5, will receive a special tote bag filled with free gifts from many of the show’s exhibitors.

Complimentary Refreshments Served Twice Daily – Start your day by enjoying complimentary coffee and doughnuts each morning from 9:00-10:00 am in the Mills Auditorium and the upstairs meeting room level near the Parkway Tower. Then come back to these locations each afternoon to relax, unwind and “sit for a spell” while also enjoying complimentary beer, wine and cheese from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

OTHER EVENTS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

50th Anniversary Smoky Mountain Gift Show Party

Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. | Blaines Grill & Bar

All show attendees and exhibitors are invited to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Smoky Mountain Gift Show at Blaines Grill & Bar (812 Parkway No. 105, Gatlinburg, TN 37738) immediately following the close of the show. To gain entry to the party, you must wear your show badge. Ages 21 and older only.

Living Legends Association Social Honors Joe Goldberg 

Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 5:31 p.m. | Gatlinburg A & B Room

Join us after the show closes on Wednesday evening as the Living Legends Association honors Joe Goldberg of Joe Goldberg & Associates with the Golden Lily Award. The Living Legends Association seeks to honor those whose contributions have helped the souvenir industry take shape. Working together, members strive to improve and better the industry while keeping it vital and having fun along the way.

NARB’S Smokin’ Hot Hoedown

Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. | Sevierville Convention Center

The sixth annual Smokin’ Hot Hoedown presented by the National Association of Retail Buyers and Sellers is the souvenir industry’s premier event. To purchase tickets, please visit www.narbuyers.org. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Tracy Barlow Memorial Scholarship Fund.

ZAG Week in the Smokies

ZAG will host a variety of networking events for its members, including a new ZAG Sponsor sign-off game and a special networking reception on November 3 at Rainforest Adventures. In addition, ZAG members are encouraged to come by the show office each day to pick up their ZAG member lunch coupon.

To register for the show or for more information visit www.smokymtngiftshow.com or contact Buyer Relations Director Jhana Jordan at jjordan@urban-expo.com or 678-370-0338.

CONSERVATION SEMINAR & BUYING TOUR LED BY ZAG VICE PRESIDENT TOMMY BROWN 

Tommy Brown, vice president of ZAG and retail manager and buyer of conservation goods for the St. Louis Zoo, will deliver a short presentation followed by a buying tour on the show floor during the Smoky Mountain Gift Show from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6 on “Conservation Commerce.” Brown will teach zoo and aquarium members how to successfully create stories within their retail shop to maximize sales and support their institution’s mission.

The Smoky Mountain Gift Show is a tremendous product resource for buyers and retail organizations seeking green and conservation goods–offering everything from products made from recycled, reclaimed and sustainable materials to items that provide incremental benefits to one or more conservation efforts – social, ecological or animal conservation. To see the full listing of exhibitors, visitwww.smokymtngiftshow.com. Below find a small sampling:

• Acacia Creations | Booth 1842 | www.acaciacreations.com

Acacia Creations has been making fair trade, eco-friendly merchandise since 2007. During the show, they will highlight the Endangered Collection featuring jewelry and home accents made from recycled paper and reclaimed wood. Each is entirely handmade, and 10 percent of sales benefit wildlife conservation in Africa and the U.S.

• Belvedere Stationers | Booths 3518-3522 | www.belvedereexclusive.com

Custom recycled shopping bags made from recycled soda and water bottles. Belvedere’s recycled shopping bags contain 80 percent post-consumer materials, PETE-1 recyclable, and meet all state and local ordinance requirements for reusuable shopping bags.

• CMK Misfits, LLC (Pocket Fuzzies) | Booth 1315 | www.pocketfuzzies.com

The lovable, critically endangered plush Tarsier (PocketFuzzies) is the narrator of our children’s booklet, which gently explains and teaches about conservation and endangered species. CMK Misfits also offers adult T-shirts supporting conservation for the endangered elephant and endangered rhino.

• Creations By Lily | Booth 3008 | www.creationsbylily.com

Showcasing patchwork bags that are individually hand stitched from recycled fabrics into adorable animal shapes.

• Goods For You Global | Booth 1845 | www.goods4uglobal.com

Goods 4 U Global is a sale group that offers handmade, fair trade, and socially responsible goods from around the globe. They carry a number of lines from personal accessories to table top and a few cause- related products to help you provide a wonderful array of goods for your customers in your retail space.

• North Country Wind Bells | Booth 3222 | www.NorthCountryWindBells.com

North Country Wind Bells is a proud green company using recycled steel and environmentally-friendly practices in the production of these authentic and uniquely designed wind bells. Made in Maine.

• Ramatex | Booth 401 | www.ramatexinternational.com

Ramatex International manufactures a line of garments, blankets, accessories and towels all made from 100 percent recycled fibers. For every garment purchased, you are directly preventing 2.4 pounds of textile material from going into a landfill. That number increases up to 7.2 pounds for every blanket.

• Salvador Kitti | Booth 3515 | www.salvadorkitti.com

Salvador Kitti is a family-owned and operated green company.  This wristlet (shown here) features the original artwork of company founder Amy Pugh and also comes with both a detachable wrist strap and a custom paw print charm. During the show, they will also introduce new lunch bags that are fully insulated and come with a matching bag charm. All products are animal friendly. Part of all proceeds are donated to wildlife conservation organizations.