Tampa is a really nice destination for a myriad of reasons; including watching the Stanley Cup Champions play against the Panthers, Maple Leafs, or Capitals, but we are very excited to attend Florida Audio Expo 2022 which is still on track.
Some will point to the cancellations of Bristol 2022 and AudioConLA 2022 as clear signs that Hi-Fi Shows are not going to happen in Q1 2022, but none of those people have apparently spent any time in Florida during the pandemic. I’ve been to Florida three times during the pandemic to visit my parents in Palm Beach County and to take our 3 children to Orlando and Disney when they reopened. Masks were everywhere at the time and Disney was pretty strict with distancing, sanitizers, capacity limits, and keeping people safe.
Fast forward to the last weeks of December 2021 and the emergence of the Omicron variant and it’s all somewhat fuzzy at this point. Those of us in NY and NJ are facing a return to the old rules and there’s no way a show could happen here now at this point.
Florida is playing by a different set of rules; nobody is forcing anyone to visit so the end result is on the residents, visitors, and the government.
Unless cases and hospitalizations skyrocket in Florida over the next two months, we expect this show to happen.
CES 2022 isn’t being cancelled for financial reasons. There is no way the CTA could sustain the loss of the show for another year.
The countdown to Florida Audio Expo 2022 has begun. The Florida Audio Expo is ready to host the audio-industry elite for its third show, to be held Friday–Sunday, February 18–20, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore.
Qobuz returns as the Expo’s official streaming service, and David Solomon, Chief Hi-Res Evangelist at Qobuz USA, will host his famous Flash DJ sessions throughout the weekend.
“We sincerely appreciate the strong support from our exhibitors and members of the press who will participate,” said Bart Andeer, co-founder and operations manager of the Florida Audio Expo. (See full list of exhibitors here.) “The Tampa area is home to many music lovers and luxury consumers who appreciate the opportunity to experience the world’s best audio systems. We expect several new-product introductions that are sure to be highlights for those attending, in addition to many fantastic demos. We are also thrilled to share with everyone live streams of the excitement on the show floor, more details to follow.”
Exhibit rooms are still available—anyone interested in booking space should do so before the show directory closes, on January 7.
The incredible draw of the warm Florida weather makes the Expo a wonderful escape for many, but the cold weather in much of the rest of the country means that it will be the height of the Florida tourism season, and that the host hotel will quickly sell out. (Other hotels within walking distance of the Expo are listed below.)
Admission will be $15 for Friday only, $20 for Sunday only, or $30 for all three days; admission is free for students and spouses, while first responders and military personnel get 50% off all ticket prices. Tickets are available here.
Show Hours
Friday, February 18 10 am–6 pm
Saturday, February 19 10 am–6 pm
Sunday, February 20 10 am–4 pm
Please visit www.floridaaudioexpo.com for additional details.
Additional hotel info: Note that these hotels are within walking or airport-shuttle distance of the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore but are not affiliated with the Florida Audio Expo:
Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore–Airport Area, an IHG Hotel
700 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, FL
Four Points by Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport Westshore
4400 W. Cypress St., Tampa, FL
