IWF doubles down

I’ve always felt positively when a business opens a second location. Doing well enough to expand is always a good sign for the business, and the economy at large. I feel the same way about the news that IWF — the International Woodworking Fair — has studied the marketplace thoroughly and decided to add another major show. 

The new event, dubbed “IWF West,” will debut August 25-27, 2027, at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio. They’ll have plenty of room, too, with more than a half million square feet of contiguous exhibition space, plus another 86,000 sq. ft. for educational and networking events.  

IWF West will have a similar format to the Atlanta show, running three days and featuring a varied slate of exhibitors and conference features. That doesn’t mean it will be a carbon-copy of Atlanta, according to IWF officials. 

“When the doors open to the first IWF West Trade Show and Conference in August of 2027, buyers and exhibitors will enjoy an all-new experience unlike any in IWF Atlanta’s 50-plus year history,” officials said.   

Some of that experience includes numerous exhibitors that have never been at IWF Atlanta, enhanced networking opportunities, and a more relaxed event in both pace and scale. 

The big question is, will this all work? It won’t compete with IWF Atlanta, as it will take place in odd-numbered years instead of even ones like the Atlanta show. It will, however, make for a busy summer for woodworkers and exhibitors: The 2027 AWFS Fair takes place July 13-16, just five weeks earlier.  

That competition of dueling events worries me a little, but I’m encouraged by this news. COVID took a big hit on the industry and it’s taken a few years for things to recover. With IWF feeling positive enough about the economy to expand to a yearly event speaks well for the future. I, for one, am rooting for them.