“Throughout the last six months, this pandemic has demonstrated the resilience and importance of what we do. Homes became sanctuaries, kitchens transformed into home offices and virtual schools and our bathrooms were the retreat we needed to get away from it all. People began to rethink how they live. As an industry, we have a unique opportunity to impact lasting change,” said Suzie Williford, NKBA Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Industry Relations. “KBIS brings so much opportunity to discover new brands, new products, new trends and new people. Part of the magic of this show is the networking and the conversations that happen — even in masks — among people who are passionate about kitchen and bath design.”

The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) is the host site for the 2021 show and was one of the first facilities in the country to receive the Global Biorisk Advisory Council^® (GBAC) Star^™ accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. Since receiving this distinction, the OCCC has instituted the industry’s highest standards for cleaning and disinfecting.

“We want to assure our attendees they can register for KBIS with confidence. We are taking the necessary steps to produce a show experience that maintains their health and safety, as well as continues to excite and inspire them,“ said Amy Hornby, KBIS show director. “Critical to this has been keeping an open dialogue with all of our show partners and exhibitors to continuously evaluate all possible scenarios.”

Onsite safety measures at KBIS will include one-way traffic aisles, contactless registration with remote badging and enhanced cleaning protocols. All attendees will also be required to wear masks inside the OCCC and practice social distancing. A complete detailed list of precautionary measures being implemented for the show can be found in the Emerald Preparedness, Prevention & Response Plan on KBIS.com.

Special Rates and Incentives

Registration is free for NKBA members in September and all attendees can take advantage of reduced rates for both the Expo and the NKBA Voices From The Industry professional development conference throughout the month.

“To ease the planning process, we are also providing attendees with additional promotions. We’ve extended our attendee refund policy through January and have established an incentive with our hotel partner, OnPeak, to allow people to cancel a hotel room reservation up to 72 hours before they arrive without risk of penalties,” explained Hornby.

Educational Opportunities

Education is a core component of KBIS. For 2021, the NKBA has implemented Voices from the Industry 2.0 This year there are 60 educational programs to choose from in a variety of formats ranging from presentations, extended workshops, in-depth professional development courses and featured speakers. Programs have been divided into six categories: Grow Your Business, Kitchen & Bath Specialty Training, Design, Management, Customer Service and Building & Remodeling. Each program is eligible for CEUs. When registering for the show, attendees can add a three-day conference pass to their registration to participate in as many programs as they like.

Programs

To continue to bring new and interesting brands and design inspiration to the show, KBIS has also created a partnership with ICFF, which was forced to cancel its trade fair in the spring, to create the ICFF Pavilion at KBIS. The pavilion will include a curated showcase of new-to-KBIS brands that specialize in contemporary design.

Other popular returning show programs include daily panels from industry thought leaders on the KBIS NeXT Stage and the Best of KBIS Awards. Additional initiatives will be announced over the coming months.