The National Restaurant Association Show is being canceled for a second straight year as the state of Illinois’s order to limit gatherings to no more than 50 people remains in effect until early June, according to an NRA announcement.
The conference and trade show, owned and operated by Winsight LLC, a B2B information services company focused on the food and beverage industry, was scheduled to run from May 22 to 25 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
NRA said: “While this order could be modified prior to expiration, McCormick Place has indicated [its] ability to reopen for large events is currently prohibited by the state regulation and do not anticipate changes prior to June that would allow an event of our size and scope to occur in May. Therefore, we regret to announce the cancellation of the 2021 National Restaurant Association Show due to the unavailability of the facility.”
In response to the cancelation of this year’s in-person event, NRA said it will make it easier to connect foodservice operators and product suppliers in a new virtual platform. The Show To Go is NRA’s digital marketplace that provides information on products, along with educational events. The Show To Go will be available year-round and it’s free to register.
