The Show is coming. After years of disconnection and isolation, the baking industry is ready to reconnect in a big way with the upcoming International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2022, the largest, most comprehensive baking industry event in the Western Hemisphere. IBIE will be held Sept. 17-21, 2022, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada with a full day of education on the Sept. 17.

At the Baking Expo™ there is never a dull moment with these can’t-miss events, competitions, compelling displays of creativity, industry awards, networking events and more. These inspiring forums and events create a world of opportunities for conversations with peers and connections with new contacts. After years of cancelled events, bakers are eager to come back together at IBIE, to be inspired, to see colleagues, to learn, to discover the latest innovations.

I am excited for many reasons, to catch up with old friends in person and to regenerate my brain with a host of innovative ideas and actionable tips and techniques geared for being successful in the current economic climate.

Much has changed in the world since my first IBIE in 2001, which was altered for a very different set of circumstance: the 9/11 attacks. According Sosland’s Laurie Gorton, recounting the horrific event, “at the Las Vegas Hilton, IBIE’s headquarters hotel, industry executives milled about the ground floor corridors, seeking information. Many participants struggled to learn the fate of family and friends back East. The attack forced a three-day shutdown of all air travel, stranding 22,000 IBIE attendees and exhibitors in Las Vegas, while an estimated 2,500 others who planned to come missed the show entirely.”

For me personally, this year’s IBIE will serve as a vivid memory that despite the changing times – for good and bad – the baking community is an integral part of my extended family, and I will cherish these relationships – always.