There are trade shows for everything nowadays. All sorts of weird and wonderful products, cheap promotional items and services are packaged up into an event to make them more accessible to the thousands, hundreds (or even just ten) people who want to attend this kind of showcase and learn more about the newest innovations, market trends and job opportunities. From seminars on the latest toilet technology, to workshops on witchcraft, every niche industry and taste out there is catered for. The thing about trade shows is ‘if you build it they will come’ and as long as there are enough kindred spirits out there to attend, even the most unusual trade shows can become – if not a roaring success – then a permanent fixture on an industry calendar. Here are some of the most weird trade shows around.
The Annual Psychic Fair and Witch Craft Expo is probably not the kind of event that is likely to attract a wide range of average Joes, but it is certainly one of the weirdest ‘trade’ shows on the market. The fair takes place in downtown Salem in the USA and offers attendees the opportunity to purchase magical gifts, get a tarot reading and speak with genuine practicing witches about their ‘trade.’ Spirit mediumship, past life visions and angel and spirit guides are all on the agenda here, but if you’re planning to attend this psychic fair then you probably already knew that…
The World Toilet Expo also has a relatively limited audience but has become a permanent fixture on the sanitation scene and is now in its 12th successful year. The expo is run by the World Toilet Organisation and was set up to advance the promotion of world toilet sanitation, as well as enabling information sharing on recent developments, scientific advancement and technological communications in the world of toilets. The expo has had some pretty unusual exhibits over the years, such as the £129,000 gold plated toilet that was unveiled in 2011.
Whilst most people might put off thinking about caskets for as long as possible, for those in the industry – or just those with a morbid curiosity – the annual Handled With Care Coffin Convention is hosted each year at Chiltern Woodland Burial Park in the UK. Coffins on display here cover a huge range of materials, from newspaper to bamboo, sustainable hardwood through to knitted coffins and there are demonstrations of how some of the coffins have been made, as well as representatives of the manufacturers on hand to answer questions any of the future coffin-inhabitants might have.
If there was ever a likely venue for a Celebrity Impersonators Expo then of course it would have to be Las Vegas. The annual event has been going for 12 years, with showcases from the most talented celebrity impersonators from around the world and lots of international attendees. In addition to the impersonation showcases, there are seminars on how best to practice the craft, as well as the ‘Reel Awards,’ which pay tribute to the best impersonators out there.
Although it seems like a bit of an odd concept, ISS World is essentially a trade fair for all the intelligence organisations in the world looking for new methods of intercepting information via telecommunications and the internet. Obviously this particular trade fair is not open to the general public and security is tight, but for those whose names are on the list there is the chance to explore the latest tools and methods for tackling everything from money laundering to human trafficking.
Weird trade shows like these are unlikely to be to everyone’s tastes and with some of them, unless you have the right credentials, you won’t even be able to get in. These events might seem a little wacky to anyone with more conventional tastes, and they are unlikely to go global any time soon, but they are certainly proof that variety is the spice of life.
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