There’s only one way to get the full benefit of AWFS Fair, and that’s to be there.

We encourage everyone to consider attending this important event. The AWFS Fair will be held July 24-27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The industry is on an upswing, and the best way to keep current with what is happening to be part of this event. You can visit any of the 600 exhibitors on the show floor and find out about the latest developments in woodworking, equipment, software, finishing and anything else you can think of.

This is the best place to shop and compare new equipment and technology and see a wide range of products and ideas that can help your woodworking business.

AWFS Fair will be the largest woodworking exhibition in North America in 2013.

If you don’t attend, you will not be current and up-to-date on what’s happening in the industry.

 Seminars on many subjects

There’s a full seminar program as part of the College of Woodworking Knowledge. Seminars will be held all four days of the show, plus two special sessions on lean in a production environment and marquetry, which will be held the day before the official show start.

If a seminar fits a critical need for your business, that learning experience should be a priority. There is a wide range of seminar subjects, and you should go over these carefully. Subjects include cell manufacturing, combustible dust, online marketing, understanding CNC routers, compliant finishes for small shops, sanding methods, improving edgebanding quality, and many more.

You’d have to travel around the country over a period of many weeks to get the education that will be offered at AWFS Fair in a few days.

 Get in on the action

AWFS attendees can also see the smartSHOP in action – a fully operational cabinet shop on the show floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The WorldSkills Cabinetmaking Qualifying Trials competition will also take place on the show floor. Attendees can see the top student woodworking designs entered in the Fresh Wood Student Woodworking Competition. And for the first time, educator training will be offered as part of the Woodwork Career Alliance program. And don’t forget the Belt Sander Races. The BSRA national championships will be held during AWFS Fair.

 Something completely different

Another benefit of attending a large, live event like AWFS Fair is what you can’t plan for or can’t expect. We talked to many people who have attended the major trade shows and found something completely unexpected while walking the floor. In some cases they were about to leave and a product caught their eye that proved to be the perfect way to solve a problem back at the shop.

And you’ll be able to meet thousands of other woodworkers in the cabinet, millwork, furniture and fixture industry who will also be in Las Vegas in late July. No social network can compete with that kind of personal interaction. Go to awfsfair.org or cabinetmakerfdm.com for the latest updates.