After weighing the options for this year, organizers of the Western Pool and Spa Show have decided to cancel the event.
“We have dates in 2022 and 2023, but for this coming year, the convention center and the city can’t give us an idea of what we can or can’t have [by the scheduled show date],” said WPSS Director Eric Nielson. California has implemented some of the more restrictive responses to the pandemic, making it very difficult to plan.
The event was originally scheduled for April. Considering the show’s size, it wasn’t practical for the Long Beach Convention Center to reschedule it for later in the year, Nielson said.
This marks the second WPSS in a row that has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 conference and convention had to shut down hours before it was set to begin last March, just as restrictions were being rolled out.
Late last year, in lieu of its canceled show, WPSS organizers held the World Pool Summit, a virtual conference that included approximately 35 courses. About 1,000 industry professionals attended, with 60 to 80 taking each class, Nielson said.
The WPSS team plans to offer online instruction throughout the year. For instance, some educational videos will be posted, including some taken from the Pool Summit. It also will send out newsletters and is exploring collaborative opportunities with other companies in the industry.
