The Food Show Christchurch 2011 Cancellation

The Food Show Christchurch 2011 has been cancelled. Concerns for staff safety have led a number of key exhibitors to withdraw their stands, which has rendered the show commercially unviable.

The show was postponed from the original dates of 8 - 10 April 2011 due to the tragic events of the 22 February earthquake, then shifted to 9 - 11 September 2011, and has now been cancelled altogether.

Organiser Dona White, CEO of North Port Events, says the decision to cancel has been taken extremely reluctantly but she fully understands the safety concerns that have prompted exhibitors to pull out of the show, particularly as serious aftershocks continue to shake the city.

“We really wanted to bring The Food Show to Christchurch this year and believed it would be not only a business generating experience for exhibitors and sponsors, but also a much needed pick-me-up for the people of Christchurch,” says Ms White.

“Having said that, safety is paramount and we really don’t know when these earthquakes and aftershocks will stop. That, combined with a seriously diminished exhibitor pool makes the Christchurch show not viable this year.”

On an optimistic note, however, new dates have been set for The Food Show Christchurch 2012: 14 – 16 September at the CBS Canterbury Arena.

“Our thoughts are very much with the people of Christchurch during this ongoing crisis and we promise to pull out all the stops in 2012 to make the next Food Show Christchurch absolutely outstanding,” says Ms White.