A trade show is always an interesting ecosystem. Vendors mix with buyers in a shopping mall atmosphere with a touch of a college fraternity rush. Buyers come with shopping lists and curiosity while vendors come with sales plans, quotas, and the very best products they can bring to the show floor. Every four years, the Print event carries on the trade show tradition, once again uniting a wide array of vendors with buyers from all walks of life.

At Print 2017 in Chicago, we find ourselves in the midst of a changing show profile and a changing marketplace. There were a wide variety of educational opportunities on and off the show floor, some free and some for a fee. The largest of the free education spaces, Printerverse, hosted free panels that were routinely standing room only. From the very first session on the first day of the show to the last panel at the end of the event, these sessions have been attracting crowds of people. Because Printerverse sessions are live streamed, printers can ping their team members and provide them with a link so they can listen in. Other educational programs in the Learning Experience Theater, the Idealliance Theater, vendor booths, and the paid programs have been rich in content and participation.

This year’s Print event opened on a Sunday when the Bears, Cubs, and White Sox were all scheduled to play. This created a number of logistical challenges, so none of the exhibitors were particularly surprised that the foot traffic at the trade show was a bit lighter. Regular attendees of the event have commented that the floor feels smaller, and we noticed some notable holes in the exhibitor lineup.