The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association has unveiled a brand new outdoor festival and exhibition, scheduled to take place in June 2021.
BIGGA says the event, called the Festival of Turf, is intended to bring together the greenkeeping and turf management industry for two days of innovation, exhibition and entertainment.
Taking place at the Warwickshire Event Centre on 8 & 9 June 2021, the Festival of Turf will feature two full exhibition days with a wide range of trade stalls. BIGGA says this will be the first opportunity to interact with vendors and meet face-to-face with industry peers since before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
The Warwickshire Event Centre is located on the outskirts of Leamington Spa, close to Coventry. Centrally-located, the Association believes the venue enjoys good access to all transport networks, along with 2,000 free parking spaces.
The Warwickshire Event Centre can accommodate up to 200 exhibitors and is capable of welcoming 3,000 visitors a day through its doors. It is set in a 30-acre site with both indoor and outdoor exhibition areas.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic BIGGA say they have been in regular conversation with regulators, golf’s governing bodies and central government and they are confident that a successful event can take place in June 2021. BIGGA also believe there is a keen desire among commercial partners and industry professionals to provide an event that enables the industry to move forward and begin the process of rebuilding so many key relationships that have been eroded through the distance imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
BTME, BIGGA’s annual trade exhibition that was due to be held this month, has been cancelled, however their education programme, Continue to Learn, has moved to an entirely-online format and will be held across two weeks in January.
BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said, “I’m excited that BIGGA is finally able to launch the Festival of Turf to the industry and bring some much-needed hope for a brighter future. The Festival of Turf is a hugely welcome opportunity to reunite our industry, which will have been forcibly separated by the global pandemic for nearly 18 months by the time this event takes place.
“The industry has survived brilliantly despite all the challenges it has faced, due in no small part to the resilience and adaptability of BIGGA members and the network of commercial partners and who have supported us all throughout the pandemic. There has been a clear groundswell of opinion that members, other turf professionals and commercial supporters want the opportunity to celebrate our achievements and put this whole terrible ordeal behind us - and that’s where the Festival of Turf comes in. The event will be an opportunity to reconnect at a time when personal connections have never been more vital.”