- What was the event?

One of the year's largest consumer exhibitions, the BBC Summer Festival, held at the NEC from 11-15 June, attracted more than 120,000 visitors. It combined the BBC Gardeners' World Live and BBC Good Food Show and featured the Countryfile magazine area, the Good Homes magazine section, property show Xcape to the Sun, and Beers of the World Live.

- How was the event structured?

Spread across eight halls and incorporating the outside space in front of Hall 17, the exhibition offered interactive and educational experiences. In the BBC Gardeners' Live section, visitors were treated to an eclectic selection of exhibitors, from B&Q to paint company Cuprinol. They could also attend the Gardeners' World Celebrity Theatre, where experts including Alan Titchmarsh and John Craven gave talks on subjects such as 'Easy ideas for a brighter garden'. This was complemented by innovative feature areas outside, including the Grow Your Own stage, Joe's Allotment and the Royal Horticultural Society Floral Marquee.

Back inside the main halls, visitors moved from the Gardeners' Live side into the Good Homes area, where exhibitors included Stuff and Nintendo. From here they were guided into the new Sustainable Future area, where speakers in the Green Clinic included Ben Fogle.

Moving onto the Good Food area, suppliers provided visitors with tasting samples, and it was here that one of the show's most popular features, the Summer Kitchen, was sited. Celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and James Martin ran cooking demonstrations, and there was an alfresco Dining Experience area that featured six of Birmingham's finest restaurants.

Another first was the Beers of the World area that featured sampling from brands, as well as masterclasses and contributions from a selection of experts.

To complete the journey, visitors could finish at Xcape to the Sun, which provided an insight into buying property both here and abroad.

- Who was behind the event?

The exhibition was produced by BBC Haymarket Exhibitions. Suppliers included Seatum Ticketing, Ceva Show Freight, Melville, M&A Security, Innovations, Stitch, Reeds Carpets, Solutions2 and Standby.

- What were the highlights?

The Summer Kitchen, in particular whenever Ramsay came on stage, plus quirky features such as the Grow Your Own stage and the Dining Experience, provided something for everyone. Most impressive of all was the sheer enormity of the show.

SUPPLIER FILE
NEC
www.necgroup.co.uk
(0121) 767 2786

BBC Haymarket Exhibitions
(020) 8267 8300
www.haymarket.com

Image Innovations
www.image-innovations.co.uk
(01732) 453322

Melville
www.melville.co.uk
(0121) 780 3025