BookExpo America Cancels Plans for Tuesday Exhibit Hours
By Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 11/6/2009 8:57:00 AM
BookExpo America officials have decided to limit the number of days the exhibit floor will be opened to Wednesday and Thursday when the annual convention convenes in New York City next spring. Originally, BEA had planned to open the floor from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, following a day of educational panels. That idea met with resistance from some exhibitors, however, who felt it put too much pressure to complete the show setup for only two hours of exhibit time. With the new schedule, publishers will have all of Tuesday (and Tuesday night if necessary) to finish setting up their booths. Exhibit hours will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
Tuesday will be now be devoted to a full day of conferences, which will include a CEO panel as well as the Editor/Bookseller Buzz Forum. The day will end with Opening Night Keynote, and the Town Hall Benefit performance is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Tuesday, although no performer has yet been selected.
With only two days of exhibits, there will be one less Author Breakfast, although the Author Stages, introduced last year on the exhibit floor, will be expanded. The Children's Breakfast will be held Wednesday at 8 a.m., and the ABA's IndieBound Lunch will also be on Wednesday. The Adult Breakfast will begin Thursday at 8 a.m., and the Author Lunch will run from noon to 2 p.m.
