Organizers have made the decision to postpone the Nursery Guide LIVE virtual marketplace due to widespread power outages and winter storm damage.
The show now will take place four weeks later, on Wednesday and Thursday, March 17–18, 2021 at www.NurseryGuideLive.com. It originally had been scheduled for February 17–18, but this was before an ice storm the weekend of February 13–14 put a major crimp in plans.
The once-in-a-generation weather event caused power losses across Oregon, as well as ice damage at several Oregon nurseries. This resulted in the need for an “all hands on deck” approach at these nurseries, to assess the damage and get everything up and running again.
“Some of our nurseries were affected more than others, but enough of them are affected to such a degree that they need their team members in the field,” show director Allan Niemi said. “The right call was to reschedule Nursery Guide LIVE so everyone can fully participate. We will hold the show a month later than originally planned. An online event gave us the flexibility to do this, and we’re still excited to show what our online virtual event platform can do.”
Additionally, the harsh weather wasn’t limited to Oregon. Storms across the United States have hampered work routines and affected people’s availability.
Kyle Fessler works at Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas and is serving as the current president of the Oregon Association, which is producing the show. He said that Nursery Guide LIVE will be ready to roll in a month, and so will nursery professionals.
“We are excited about the multitude of business-to-business activity this new platform can generate for large and small nurseries alike,” he said. “With so many of us working diligently to keep shipments to our customers, clearing debris and dealing with power outages, it is the right thing to do to delay a month.”
Customers with orders pending are encouraged to contact their grower for updates on shipping and availability.
Nursery Guide LIVE is an online virtual marketplace bringing together nursery industry professionals for buying, selling and relationship building. Its features are advanced and unique. Powered by the Showmetry platform, Nursery Guide LIVE allows users to:
- search plant, product and service listings,
- explore the virtual booths with many growers and vendors,
- chat with exhibitors LIVE without leaving your browser,
- watch live demonstrations and informative videos,
- save money with exclusive show specials,
- download order forms or sales flyers from vendors,
- network with LinkedIn or Facebook connections, and
- connect through any device, anywhere, with no apps required.
It’s all easy, quick, intuitive, powerful — and FREE for attendees.
The event will be open 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Pacific time on each of the scheduled days. Register online at www.NurseryGuideLive.com
Contact Allan Niemi at 503-582-2005 for information about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities.
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The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), based in Wilsonville, represents nearly 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, Oregon’s ornamental horticulture industry is one of the state’s largest agricultural commodities, with $1.02 billion in annual sales. Oregon’s nursery industry is a traded sector; nearly 80% of the nursery plants grown in Oregon are shipped out of state. For information, visit www.oan.org or call 503-682-5089.
Nursery Guide, a comprehensive guide to wholesale nursery products and business-to-business services, is published annually in print and continuously online at www.NurseryGuide.com. It includes nearly 20,000 plant, supply and service listings from OAN-member companies. For information or to launch your search, call 503-682-5089 or log on to www.NurseryGuide.com.
