The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) announces it is refreshing and reimagining the 60-plus-year-old Casual Market as the event relocates to AmericasMart in Atlanta beginning July 2023.
The inaugural Casual Market Atlanta will be July 10-13, 2023, and will feature five full floors of permanent and temporary exhibits in Building 1 of AmericasMart, owned by International Market Centers (IMC).
The Casual Market was held at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for the last 40 years.
“As we close one chapter in Chicago, we are very excited to open a new one in Atlanta,” said Jackie Hirschhaut, ICFA executive director, who described the move to AmericasMart as a “fresh start” that would not only further the growth of the ICFA, but also of the outdoor and casual furnishings industry as a whole.
For the July 2023 launch, Casual Market Atlanta will showcase 43 leading outdoor living brands in permanent showrooms plus more than 100 temporary exhibits. In addition to furnishings, the tradeshow will feature fire pits, hammocks, outdoor and garden accessories, outdoor lighting, statuary, umbrellas and more.
New synergies will be created through Casual Market’s colocation with the summer edition of IMC’s Atlanta Market – the nation’s largest gift and home décor buying event presented July 11-17, 2023, at AmericasMart – offering an added benefit for casual buyers and sellers.
“ICFA’s move to Atlanta delivers both casual furnishing resources as well as a broad program of educational and social events to our new home,” added Steve Elton, Brown Jordan chief brand curator and ICFA board chair. “This launch marks a new era for ICFA, and we look forward to the fresh, exciting opportunities that it will bring for our diverse range of members, including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers and Solution Partners.”
In addition to the Casual Market in July, ICFA and AmericasMart will host Outdoor Design Week September 18-20, 2023, for product sourcing, education and industry networking. This event will overlap with AmericasMart’s Fall Market offering opportunities for gift and home product sourcing.
In connection with the relocation, Casual Market Atlanta introduced a fresh logo and branding. Inspired by the sun in a lively blue color palette, the logo represents a new beginning for the market. A new Casual Market Atlanta website – CasualMarketAtlanta.com – will feature market information, exhibitor listings and more.
Outdoor living brands have begun the move to Atlanta to optimize connections opportunities with AmericasMart’s home décor and lifestyle buyers. Permanent showrooms will be open in time for the Winter 2023 Atlanta Market, January 10-16, 2023. In addition, showrooms located on Floors 2, 3 and 4 of Building 1 will be open Mondays through Fridays between markets, joining the 400-plus décor, gift and lifestyle showrooms that are open year-round for retailer and designer sourcing.
“We are beyond excited for the new opportunities presented by Casual Market’s new home in Atlanta and welcome the industry with IMC’s hallmark hospitality,” said Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “Both buyers and sellers within the casual industry will benefit from the robust collection of complementary gift and home resources and buying power found at AmericasMart.”