SACRAMENTO, CA, October 21, 2019 – The countdown to the wine industry’s largest conference and trade show, the 2020 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, officially begins with registration and housing opening on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 9 a.m. (PDT). This yearly event, which attracts professionals from around the world and features a keynote speaker luncheon, informational presentations and panels, wine tastings, and a trade show with over 700 vendors and exhibits, will be held on February 4-6, 2020, at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California.
The Unified Symposium, created 25 years ago by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) and the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV), has established a strong reputation for providing the relevant information and news that vintners, growers, and industry professionals need most.
“The Unified offers the best opportunity for attendees to network with thousands of wine industry peers while learning about the latest in technology, market trends, and strategies that can boost their business. For the many industry professionals who attend, the Unified is an essential tool for effective planning and decision-making and we’re proud to provide this important service to the industry,” said John Aguirre, CAWG president.
Due to the change of venue for 2020, some logistics have been modified to accommodate attendees who are staying in contracted Sacramento hotels. Shuttles will be available to transport guests staying in contracted Downtown Sacramento hotels to and from Cal Expo. Guests staying in contracted hotels in the Greater Sacramento area will have Uber vouchers available for transportation. Hotel shuttle transportation from our downtown contracted hotels and the Uber vouchers are courtesy of Visit Sacramento. For those driving, there will be ample parking available at Cal Expo for $10 a day (cash only), including in-and-out privileges.
“The new venue for this year means new opportunities and exciting enhancements, like more exhibit space, more equipment, more sessions, ample on-site parking and a fun, diverse line-up of food vendors conveniently located to serve attendees. We’re excited to try out some new innovations and balance those with a solid lineup of speaker presentations, thanks to the hard work of the Program Development Committee,” said Dan Howard, ASEV Executive Director.
The Unified Symposium will open on Tuesday with a keynote luncheon and speaker followed by afternoon breakout sessions, many of which will focus on regulatory issues that are pressing upon the industry. Informational presentations will be held all three days of the symposium, with expanded sessions in Spanish on Thursday, including a general session on extreme weather and continuing education unit (CEU) sessions. Wednesday will feature the popular State of the Industry presentation. The Thursday general session will highlight wine and adult beverage leaders, such as Rick Tigner of Jackson Family Wines, who will share insights on their winning strategies. The two-day trade show —open Wednesday, February 5 and Thursday, February 6 — will display a wide range of innovative products and services for the wine and grape industry.
Built with the joint input of growers, vintners, and allied industry members, the Unified Symposium serves as a clearinghouse of information important to wine and grape industry professionals. It also hosts the industry’s largest trade show of its kind, with over 700 vendors displaying their products and services. For additional information, go to www.unifiedsymposium.org.
