National Restaurant Association, Inspired Home shows at McCormick place canceled

Two trade show events that typically attract large crowds to McCormick place have been canceled due to COVID-19 for the second straight year.

The National Restaurant Association canceled its show, which was slated for May, and rescheduled it for May 21-24, 2022, according to the group’s website.

The Inspired Home Show from the International Housewares Association was also canceled, the group announced on its website Monday. The show was scheduled to take place Aug. 7-10 and is now set for March 5-8, 2022.

“Over the last year, we have been closely watching the status of large events from a health and public safety perspective, and have consistently sought feedback from our industry about how travel restrictions and mass gathering bans have impacted their normal operations,” IHA President Derek Miller said in the statement. “With the health and safety of our exhibitors and attendees top of mind, we realized that it is infeasible for The Inspired Home Show to proceed in August of 2021.”

The cancellations are another blow for an industry that has been economically crippled by the ongoing pandemic, with convention and tourism industry leaders hoping the vaccine rollout would lead to a more profitable 2021.