Movie-lovers are watching the media closely this week as CinemaCon 2012 kicks off at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The trade show, hailed as the biggest and most esteemed gathering of movie theater owners worldwide, began yesterday, April 23, and will run until Thursday, April 26.  The trade fair's schedule of events includes educational seminars and sneak preview of select upcoming releases, as well as several star-studded dinners and parties.

Theater owners can look forward to seeing tasty new popcorn toppings, top-notch 3-D glasses, and other film promotional products on the trade show floor.  But film fanatics worldwide are no doubt keeping their eyes and ears peeled for news about their favorite celebrities and the industry's most anticipated film releases.

For example, Hollywood hot shots Chris Pine and J.J. Abrams spoke about their forthcoming film "Rise of the Guardians." The Los Angeles Times reports that "'Rise of the Guardians,' is a 3-D DreamWorks Animation movie featuring folklore characters like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny; it's set for release near Thanksgiving." 

Pine praised Abrams, who is known for keeping films like "Cloverfield" and "Star Trek" under-wraps: "It's such a pain in the [butt], but I think about how awesome it is, because what he's protecting is the magic of the unknown," he told the Los Angeles Times.

Other stars who attended the trade show so far include Chris Rock, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Sylvester Stallone.

New information regarding nutrition and exercise is released daily, making the fitness industry a constantly evolving one.  That's why Los Angeles hosted the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association in March.  The new products and techniques on display will likely be making their way into gyms and athletic facilities this year.

According to Yahoo! News, there were several new workouts on the scene at this year's event.  They included big names like "Les Mills, Stott Pilates, and TRX, and well as a rolling board designed to strengthen your core and a bow-shaped accessory for group fitness."  If you're looking to increase your gym or fitness center's bottom line, investing in one or more of these pieces of equipment is a great idea.

Let's take a look at some of the stand-out products:

• Pilates equipment
  
  Stott Pilates SPX Reformer Bundle offers everything you could need for Pilates at the gym or in the home.
  
  
• Flexibility, strength and balance
  
  The Orbit by Balanced Body is a workout accessory that features a padded rolling board.  This allows users to perform circular and linear motions that will help improve flexibility, strength and balance.
  
  
• Core training programs
  
  One company, Les Mills, is known for its heart-pumping group workouts.  Its new 30-minute core training program, CXWORK, incorporates the use of elastic bands for upper body and lower body toning.
  
  

Other promotional gym fitness items on display included the Bodyblade and the TRX Rip Trainer.

Not every chance to reach consumers requires putting on a jacket and tie. With the coming months, you can expect more music festivals, art shows, park exhibits and other occasions to put together the tradeshow booth outside. 

One such event is very local for those in the Motivators community. The Great South Bay Music Festival is more than just what the title hints at. Through music, art, culture and food, it is a weekend gathering that promotes family unity and the importance of an eco-friendly lifestyle. But unlike other local events, expect nationally recognized (and local) foods and musicians.

Although only the dates are known for the Great South Bay Music Festival, applications are currently being taken for eco-friendly vendors and food vendors. After you submit your application, be sure to check out some of our custom eco-friendly items. These will be guaranteed in before the festival kicks off on July 13 (the festival runs from July 13 to July 15) and there's enough of a variety to find exactly how you want to promote your name. 

Stay tuned for other casual events for networking opportunities.

The city of Los Angeles, California is no stranger to tourism.  There the industry is already booming, and it might soon expand even further.

LA will host the U.S. Travel Association's International Pow Wow convention this April, during which the city's best hotels, top restaurants, and most intriguing cultural attractions will be on display.  After all is said and done, over 1,500 travel business operators will have passed through, collecting promotional products for tourism and helping the city to rake in an easy $10 million.  But what's even more exciting is the impact the trade show will affect Los Angeles' economy in the years to come.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "the show could generate an additional $350 million in the next two to four years from the national and international tourists it will draw to the city."

Mark Liberman, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board president and chief executive, told eTravelBlackboard that the last time Pow Wow took place in LA was in 2004, and since then so much has changed. "...[W]e are anxious to showcase the outstanding new products that our City has to offer, while generating future revenue," Liberman said.

With Pow Wow, Los Angeles hopes to show off its new and improved look. "If you haven’t seen L.A. recently, you haven’t seen L.A.," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stated in a recent video message.  Will you be attending the big show?

While trade shows are very beneficial to those who do attend, many avoid conferences and tradeshows during the weekend. A weekend is an opportunity to rest up from the work-week, not a continuation of the already hectic work-week. Work-week tradeshows and conferences are hard to come by.

Those who are in the electronics industry and seeking such a tradeshow that doesn't interfere with the work-week or the sought-after weekend should check out the Del Mar Electronics Show. The Del Mar Electronics Show takes place May 2nd and May 3rd at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego, CA. This is a great way to meet like-minded people in the electronics industry while taking part in seminars and visiting world-reknowned exhibitors - including 3M, Duracell and Nemco USA. 

With less than a month until the Del Mar Electronics Show, now is the perfect time to pick out an exhibitor's space and to pick out promotional tradeshow items adorned with your logo.  

It's a car. It's a plane... It's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?? Nope. It's just your everyday flying car... Wait. What?

That's right! The New York International Auto Show unveiled the first practical, functional flying car. Though many attempts have been made, most of them have resulted in glorified small airplanes. But Terrafugia Inc. is changing the future, delivering the Transition to customers as early as this year.

The Transition is a four-wheeled vehicle with folding wings and a rear-facing propeller. This "roadable aircraft" runs on unleaded fuel and gets 35 mpg on the ground, which is better than some boring, old, non-flying cars. It's a fully functioning car as well as plane, up to regulations by standards of both land and air. And though you won't need a hanger for this airplane, it may not be the easiest to find parking for at the mall...

It does require an actual runway (and pilot's license), so sadly the Transition won't get the average consumer around rush-hour traffic. The goal, according to Terrafugia, is to make travel more convenient for pilots. No more worrying about ground transportation at the end of the flight. Private and sport pilots can order their very own "flying car" with an estimated price point of $279,000.

Just goes to show that there is no such thing as a "boring" trade show. Sure it's no Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but you never know when or where something will come along and change life as we know it...

With the healthcare industry one of the strongest during this lengthy recession, it's a fairly good time to be an occupational health nurse. 

That is why visiting the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. 2012 Synposium and Expo might be the best idea for any occupational nurse. It is a three day conference and trade show that brings together all occupational nurses under the same goals and missions of the AAOHN: to routinely manage and care for others, to design programs to reduce negative lifestyles and endorce positive ones, recognize/avoid hazards in the workplace, etc. By bringing in similar minds, the minds of occupational nurses can mature and develop further than they can when not united.

If you want your product name/services to stick out, consider some custom imprinted Nurse's Week items. Although Nurse's Week isn't until May (May 6-12) these items will please the nurses you come in contact. Whether it is a promotional Nurse stress ball or a custom imprinted pill box, these items will be heavily used and endorsed by the nurses you meet.  

So head on town to Nashville, TN a the end of this month (April 22-25) for the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. 2012 Symposium & Expo.