To Orlando, We Go

istockphoto.com | Songquan Deng

New year, new you. If your New Year’s resolutions involved sharpening your skills and bettering your business, there’s no better way to start than by making plans to attend Orlando Pool and Spa Show.

Taking place February 15-16 at the Orange County Convention Center, organizers are gearing up for plenty of education — about half the schedule consists of new classes — events, awards, products and more. The education lineup kicks off Wednesday, February 13 at 8 a.m. while the show floor opens Friday, February 15 at 11 a.m.

Looking to mingle? Thursday offers the official Welcome and Awards Reception at 6 p.m. at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. The reception, free for show exhibitors and registered attendees, serves as the grand opening for the show and honors Florida’s great pool, spa and water feature designers and builders. In addition, Friday night is the private industry party at local hotspot Howl at the Moon. For $25, you’ll have access to an open bar, buffet, music and, of course, the chance to network with fellow professionals.

This year, show organizers are offering a sweet deal for Florida Swimming Pool Association members: All continuing education classes will be free of charge.

“This will be a good member benefit and should ramp up attendance at the Orlando Pool & Spa show quite a bit,” says Steve Bludsworth, FSPA board member and owner of All-Pool Service & Supply in Orlando.

Also new this year is the addition of two tours offered on Thursday, February 14. At 1:00 p.m., the Wet ‘n Wild Behind-the-Scenes Tour departs for a view of the plumbing and filtration systems needed to run commercial pools and rides that use 1.5 million gallons of water. (If you ever wondered how the wave pool works, this tour is for you.) At 1:30 p.m. is the Sustainability Tour of the Orange County Convention Center, where attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the second-largest solar array in the southeast United States. The cost for each is $20 per person.

Whether your goals for 2013 include increasing your profit margin or becoming a more skilled technician, the Orlando Pool and Spa Show is the perfect opportunity to follow through.

For more information on what you’ll find at the show, visit www.orlandopoolshow.com

For more information, including educational courses and seminars, visit www.orlandopoolshow.com. You can also follow @OrlandoPoolShow on Twitter and become a fan of the Florida Swimming Pool Association on Facebook.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/orlandopoolshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FloridaSwimmingPoolAssociation

Comments or thoughts on this article? Please e-mail [email protected].