COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Update

When I first planned the Polish & Beauty Expo, the world was quite a different place. People freely gathered with friends, traveled wherever they wanted, and getting sick was the last thing on most people’s minds. However, life as we all knew it has drastically changed due to COVID-19. Most of us are currently on “Stay at Home” orders, and gatherings of 10 or more people are banned in many locations.  Many are unemployed, have had their wages reduced or are otherwise unsure of their economic future.

Likewise, many of the vendors scheduled to attend the Polish & Beauty Expo are feeling the effects of businesses shutting down.  Supplies are delayed or even out of stock for months.  For some, it’s become a hardship trying to make stock for regular orders, much less an expo. Therefore, we are going to postpone the 2020 Polish & Beauty Expo until July 24th & 25th, 2021.

I know many of you will ask, “Why such a faraway date?” After talking to experts, we have determined that postponing until July 24th & 25th, 2021 would be the best thing to ensure that this event can be as safe as possible.  Our available dates were January and July; vendors were hesitant to travel in the winter, a time when our health is more vulnerable to the elements, not to mention, flu season.  The longer wait also allows more time for doctors and researchers to develop a vaccine or treatment, for herd immunity to build, and hopefully, for everyone to become acclimated to whatever the new normal will be for us. To return to work, to feel confident about being in larger crowds again and to no longer feel guilty (or anxious) about being out of the house.

This will also allow our vendors to better prepare; to obtain bottles for polish and lotions, shimmers and glitters for all the pretties you’ll want to purchase, and to build funds back up to allow them to travel to the show. This will also allow everyone to feel better about having the Meet & Greet where people will mingle with food and drink. To have classes where a crowd of people will be comfortable being in close contact and in one confined space.

I know that not all of you will want to wait that long for a show or could have a conflict with the new dates – I get it, I do. Please know that I am committed to making this event happen and to making it a great one.  I have invested money in the hotel, in lots of high-quality swag items, have paid deposits to hotel vendors that will help run the event, as well as non-refundable fees to Eventbrite and PayPal for tickets.  I am fully invested. However, if you want a refund, please request it through Eventbrite.  If you have a Make-and-Take class, VIP ticket, or VIP bundle, please know that if you cancel, then later decide to attend, those tickets will not be saved, nor will the meet and greet tickets, if we sell out.  If you have booked in our room blocks, I am working with the hotel to find out what the easiest solutions are.  They have offered to move reservations to the corresponding dates for the new show. If you have flights booked, I suggest contacting your airlines to ask for vouchers that extend until the new dates of the show.  From what I am hearing, airlines are being very flexible with people’s needs. 

To be transparent, if we do get to a point where we have more people cancelling than attending, we would then need to look at whether the show should happen at all.  I have heard from some that you will “just attend the next show.” However, this was always meant to be my “test show” to see if future shows should even happen.  If I must cancel this, I don’t know if I will be able to try again later.

I am so sorry for the inconveniences that I know this change will cause.  I wish there was a way to avoid this, but who would have thought we were going to have a pandemic?

Rest assured, I am not going anywhere.  My business, KBShimmer, has been around since 2008.  I am active online and am here to answer your questions. Just tag me and I will answer as quickly as I can.  Some questions may require my needing to get more information and take more time to answer, but I will do my very best!

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility and continued support. I look forward to connecting with and seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Christy

4 Comments

  • Shendel Chobot, January 26, 2021 @ 12:26 am Reply

    So am I still able to buy a ticket now for this show? And is this replacing Polish con? I went to Polish Con in New York a few years back with my daughter and had the time of my life! I was waiting for it to come around again close by me but from what I personally know one hasn’t yet. If I have to travel far then I will lol Indie Polish and anything nail art is my love, passion, and joy! I need this in my life more then I ever have before!!!! All of you beautiful Indie polish makers have helped me get threw this Pandemic more then I can put into words and more then you could ever know! Your polishes got me threw the darkest of times threw this quarantine.

  • Maddie, July 18, 2021 @ 1:19 am Reply

    Hello,

    I will be attending this event and I wanted to know what the current precautions will be. The new variant is out and I was wondering how the event will be handled. Will masks be required? Or will social distancing be?? Or encouraged?

    • admin, July 18, 2021 @ 7:12 am Reply

      Right now masks are required to be worn by unvaccinated individuals on the hotel grounds and at the event center. We will be following CDC and local guidelines for mask requirements, and expect attendees to do the same.

      The event space is a huge 40,000 st ft, nearly the size of a football field. Each table is 8-10 ft apart, and the aisles 25-30ft wide for easy social distancing.

      Hand sanitizer stations are located within the hotel near the entrances, bathrooms, fitness centers, and meeting locations. We will also have hand sanitizers in each of the 4 bathrooms, and also at the registration table, with some masks too.

      You can read more about Marriott’s COVID response here, for ways the hotel itself is handling COVID:
      https://clean.marriott.com/

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