Garden Writers Association Annual Conference to be held in Buffalo

The 2017 GWA | The Association for Garden Communicators (GWA) annual conference will be held in Buffalo on August 4-7,  the week after Garden Walk Buffalo

The conference attracts 300-400 garden journalists, columnists, bloggers, photographers, book authors, educators, professional speakers, historians, landscapers, nursery professionals, garden center professionals, advertising and PR pros, filmmakers, and more – from across the world! Generally it's any folks that have experience crafting messages that support gardening and landscaping to their audiences.   

Sessions range from producing live-streaming videos, usefulness of gardening apps, applying garden imagery to sell-able products, beyond the basics of social media, foodscaping, creating world-class displays, co-authoring, enticing future gardeners, and new plant introductions.

Along with sessions, is a Monday evening Awards & Honors Dinner, where members' work is recognized for communications excellence and service to the green communications industry.   

Also included is an Expo Hall exhibitor and sponsor exhibition. Vendors of seeds, plants, planters, publishers, garden tools, nurseries, fertilizers, and much more are there with their new products, unique offerings, and new plants for the next year. The dozens of exhibitors want the attendees to cover their products. Are you a potential exhibitor? Find out more here.   

Sally Cunningham, (The Buffalo News and Buffalo Spree Magazine garden columnist, Channel 4 TV garden personality, AAA garden tour host and coordinator, and book author) is the chair of the local aspects of the conference. And she's got a large team of ever-generous Buffalo volunteers.

Visit Buffalo Niagara (VBN) is a partner in making this event happen, having attended the 2016 conference in Atlanta, hosting volunteer meetings, assisting with beautification projects in the area of downtown the attendees will stay (The Hyatt Hotel and the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center). VBN provided supporting funds to Gardens Buffalo Niagara to produce a garden tourism video. They will also sponsor a breakfast in three local gardens during the local tours of gardens.  

The conference is estimated to have a local economic impact of $1.2 million.