US (OR): Registration opens for 50th anniversary Farwest Show

Attendee and exhibitor registration is now open for the 50th-anniversary edition of the Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon.

 The three-day trade show and conference is happening Wednesday, August 23, through Friday, August 25, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. It is produced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries, the trade group representing Oregon’s nearly $1.4 billion nursery industry.  

Organizers promise a fun show bringing together the full assortment of green industry professionals, including nursery and greenhouse growers, lawn and garden center retailers, landscaping professionals and designers, plant breeders, suppliers, service providers, students, researchers, managers, leaders, and others with industry ties.

“For five decades, Farwest has been a reunion and a mixer all in one, where people can reconnect with old customers and friends and meet many new ones,” said Farwest Show chairman Robb Sloan, owner of Noname Nursery in Forest Grove, Oregon. “We are making the 2023 Farwest Show not just a celebration of this history but a launchpad for the next 50 years of green industry success.

“We will strengthen our mutual bonds with exciting social events, spontaneous surprises, and a floor packed full of great exhibitors,” Sloan continued. “It will be three whirlwind days of handshakes, hugs, connections, and fun. We want to make it one to remember.”

Two all-day tours of local nurseries and retail garden centers precede the show, starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, August 22. The trade show floor will be open August 23–25, noon–5 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Thursday, and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Friday, and educational seminars will take place all three of those days.

“Our seminar schedule is designed to help green industry professionals power up their businesses and careers with engaging seminars on the cutting edge of thought leadership,” said Allan Niemi, director of events at the Oregon Association of Nurseries.

Money-saving early bird registration is available until July 31, giving discount pricing on floor passes, nursery tours, and educational seminar passes.

For five decades, attendees and exhibitors have been coming from across the United States and around the world to see Farwest and its host state of Oregon. The state’s nursery and greenhouse growers sold $1.38 billion in nursery material in 2022, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

The show floor will be packed with more than 300 exhibiting companies, including wholesale growers, re-wholesalers, garden centers, landscape designers and service providers, allied service providers and suppliers, and more. An estimated 4,000+ attendees and guests will browse the latest plants, products, and services available to horticultural businesses. Show features include the following:

• Two favorite show features — the New Varieties Showcase and the New Products Showcase — will preview the best new genetic discoveries and hard goods coming to the marketplace in 2023 and 2024. A panel of professionals and engaged attendees will issue awards and accolades to the top product entries and exhibiting companies across the show.
• Experts from all segments of the industry will deliver more than 45 educational seminars throughout the event, including free mini-sessions that take place at the Solution Center right on the trade show floor. Attendees can earn continuing education credits, including 10 hours of pesticide recertification credit. The keynote address on Wednesday will be free to all registrants. A discounted student and teacher education pass is available for attendees who provide identification from their institution.
• Networking opportunities will take place during the day and evening of the Farwest Show. The Emergent networking event invites future leaders in horticulture to meet and discuss their career goals at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. All attendees and exhibitors are welcome to join the 50th Anniversary Celebration and Happy Hour event starting at 5 p.m. on the same day. On Thursday, Women in Horticulture gather at 3:30 p.m. to share their experiences, build connections and support each other’s career growth. The Pub Crawl begins soon after at 5 p.m. at Spirit of 77, across the street from the Oregon Convention Center. The fun will last into the evening.

Click here to register.