Las Vegas is the nightlife capital of the world. As soon as the sun sets over the desert, the stars come out to play. Top-tier comedians, magicians, and musicians mesmerize sold-out crowds into the morning hours. But if you’re working in hospitality, the hottest ticket in town involves none of these performances. We’re talking, of course, about the Nightclub & Bar Show, the can’t-miss event for all things food and beverage. It’s coming right up — returning to the Las Vegas Convention Center between June 28 and June 30. And you can still save up to $200 on entry by registering here.
The wide range of industry professionals who’ve already secured their spots know full-well what makes this experience so indispensable — namely, three days of educational seminars, workshops, and exhibitions spread across a sprawling event space. The vibrant landscape also enables networking to the “nth” degree. In fact, for many attendees, the highlight is getting to mingle with the myriad movers and shakers in the mix.
Visitors can also look forward to these marquee names stepping up to the stage during a series of speaking panels. VinePair talked to a few of them to gather some personal testimony on why they’re headed to Vegas this June –– and what they’re most excited to uncover when they get there.
Jack McGarry — Co-Founder, Managing Partner at The Dead Rabbit in New York
“For me, this year is about getting our industry transitioning from surviving the pandemic to focusing on thriving in our industry across all functions, processes, systems, and operational and financial performance. I believe we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our industry for the long term — radically — and I think the Bar Show is highly significant to talk about the opportunities, trends, and threats we can collectively capitalize on.
“It’s an incredible lineup that I am personally excited to lean into, learning from some of the best in the industry. I think the pandemic has enabled all operators, managers, and leaders to reflect and refocus. All of these sessions are geared towards learning from best-in-class operators to improve their businesses in the long run. I’m most excited about the events focused on customer experience and team-member development as I genuinely believe we are in a war for talent and it’s talent that gives great businesses their competitive advantage.
“And I’m most excited about connecting, learning, and improving with other business professionals in person. We’ve been glued to our screens with online sessions, and I’m extremely excited to meet in person with our industry professionals to digest what happened last year and how we can collectively improve moving forward.”
Chef Brian Duffy — Founder, Duffified Experience Group
“It’s time to get back to business! We’ve been closed for too long and we have operators that are looking for fresh new ideas, innovative ways to build business and new products to assist in the new age of hospitality.
“The key events for me include educational seminars and the F&B Innovation Center. This is the best way to see and hear from some of the great industry leaders for everything from marketing to purchasing to new menus to cocktail trends. The educational track is one of my favorite parts of the show! The Innovation Center is exactly what you need to rebuild your menu, your offerings, and the newest equipment to increase your offerings and profitability while staying ahead of the curve and on track for increased sales.”
Molly Wellmann — Mixologist and Owner of Japp’s Bar in Cincinnati
“The significance of having this show is really about getting the train moving again — to get some excitement going. We have all been going through so many ups and downs and all arounds. I think there is a fatigue from this past year that I hope this show will remedy.
“The key events I’m most excited about are seminars that deal with cocktail history and innovation — any way to learn a new way to sell a product! I’m also pretty excited about the bar in the middle of the show: a great place to network and grab a drink! I’m also excited about the interactive experiences, and hearing about how industry folks learned to pivot this past year; what made them stronger.”
Dave Kaplan — Founder and Co-owner of Death & Company in New York, Denver, and Los Angeles
“As an industry, we are all faced with the same core issues in ways that we haven’t been before. The pandemic has brought about a massive national staffing shortage, complexities with changing regulations forcing constant pivoting, putting to use government support programs such as PPP, EIDL, and the Restaurants Act, and much more. The Nightclub & Bar Show gives operators a much-needed forum to both connect with each other and with experts in their areas of greatest need.
“There is a real focus on developing hands-on, actionable conference content to ensure that everyone who attends gets the best possible return on investment for coming. We realize that funds are tight this year and we all want to create great value in the event. Additionally, there are all the necessary safety precautions imaginable put in place from a Covid perspective.
The show has a few new features that I’m especially excited about, including a food festival. But I’m most looking forward to the conference and the new Employment Zone. The conference is really geared towards helping people grow, and we need that education right now, and those conversations. The Employment Zone is going to be great — it’s an entire area dedicated to helping service-industry folks get back to work. Staffing is tough right now, and that zone is going to address those concerns.
“Most of all, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with so many industry peers and taking in a bunch of content! That includes a slew of seminars: Sean Finter and Jack McGarry have one on building a world-class training program and a world-class team; Zoey D’Arienzo has a seminar on leading large teams with empathy — something that is needed now more than ever; Commercial Real Estate after Covid 19 by Homan Taghdiri, and so many more!”
But don’t just take it from these folks. To book your own ticket today –– at $200 less than later pricing –– register for yourself here.
This article is sponsored by the Nightclub & Bar Show.
