The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) will relocate its annual trade shows from theMART in Chicago to AmericasMart in Atlanta beginning in 2023. The move was approved by the ICFA Board of Directors during the association’s February 4-7 Educational Conference in San Diego.
Three years of partnership with theMART remain in ICFA’s current contract, and the association intends to conduct business as usual at each July Preview Show and September Casual Market through 2022, including holding the Design Excellence competition and all other market-related activities during Casual Market Chicago.
Joe Pucci, chair of the ICFA Board of Directors and president of the Gainesville, Virginia-based outdoor home furnishings stores, Great Gatherings, stated, “The association dedicated more than six months to exploring options for the future of our show – the premier event for outdoor furnishings – and dissecting all the benefits offered in the proposals received.”
A negotiating committee comprised of individuals representing a broad cross section of ICFA member companies reviewed proposals from theMART, AmericasMart and the Dallas Market Center.
AmericasMart is owned by International Market Centers, which operates nearly 20 million square feet of exhibit space, including its trade show complexes in High Point and Las Vegas.