March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 48 F

Annapolis Home Owners Expo cancelled by Anne Arundel County officials

The fall Home Expo scheduled for Sept. 26-27 at the Byzantium Event Center in Annapolis was cancelled by Anne Arundel County officials on Thursday Sept. 3. Since June, the owners of the event, Mid Atlantic Expositions and Entertainment and the Byzantium Event Center have been provided multiple assurances through the County’s established approval system that the event was approved as a retail event with adjusted floor plans, social distancing and reduced capacity limits in place.  The county informed Mid Atlantic Expositions and Entertainment on Thursday that the Health Department and County Law Offices consider this a convention and a social gathering and would not allow more than 25 people in attendance. Further, the county claimed that it was not a retail event because the exhibitors did not sell products direct to customers.

“It is disheartening that a decision was made with no phone call or inquiry from the County, Health Department, or County Law office to discuss and understand the event.  The County never once asked us who our vendors were, never asked to see our plans for traffic control and how we are managing the event” states Scott Smith, President of Mid Atlantic Expositions and Entertainment. “We sent information including revised floor plans and complete safety protocol measures based on CDC, County and State guidelines to the County last week even though they did not ask for it.    Further, I have no idea how they concluded we were a convention or a social gathering.  Attending our event is safer than shopping at the supermarket, Home Depot, the mall, and other places of business that are open and serving customers. In addition, every one of our exhibitors will sell you something on the spot, from a bottle of wine to a million-dollar custom home. The County’s logic makes no sense.”

“I am very proud of the adjusted plan we developed which incorporated the great suggestions from the front-line staff at the county to operate safely and to be a good citizen in the county and continue to support the public and our exhibitors. We have been upfront with the county throughout the entire process. I am shocked that without even asking to see what we are planning, that they would take this position at the last minute. The County seems to be quite inconsistent in how they are applying the standards,” Smith added.

Mid Atlantic Expositions and Entertainment has operated the Annapolis Home Expo for 15 years, providing an essential marketplace for customers to meet qualified home improvement and home service companies in a unique and small community atmosphere to discuss their projects and make arrangements for everything from the driveway to the roof.  Over the years, Mid Atlantic Expositions and Entertainment has brought national celebrity experts to Annapolis for educational sessions with local residents to help them with their projects. Guests over the years have included Tom Silva and Kevin O’Connor from This Old House, Vern Yip, Sabrina Soto, HGTV, Allison Victoria from Kitchen Crashers and Windy City Flip, Richard Karn from Home Improvement, Matt Blashaw from Yard Crashers and more.

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