Why the Toronto Pro Supershow expo is one worth discovering year after year
Toronto Pro Supershow Expo 2016
After 2 failed attempts to attend two years in a row, I finally made it to the Toronto Pro Supershow. While I was on a mission to get as many interviews as I could, I was keeping in mind all you beautiful people: and I can definitely confirm that this expo is one not to be missed. Here is what to expect as a general public attendee.
This year expo was at the Metro Convention Centre, and it will be here in 2017 too. However for next year only, keep in mind that the Toronto Pro Supershow will take place one week earlier, on the week end of May 27th.
The location is absolutely beautiful, right downtown, near Union station and the GO trains, next to many hotels too.
The Venue
The Metro Toronto Convention center is definitely one of the best locations for an expo, the building is of easy accessibility, and very modern. Very clean and with many washrooms and benches to rest, you will be able to fully enjoy the expo.
The Metro Convention Centre also is fully accessible with wheelchairs and as said on their website: is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”).
The Expo
This year the expo was on a surface of 140,000 square feet and had over 150 exhibitors. Most brands are very well known, and it is also very cool to discover the latest brands and companies, from The US, Canada, and a few from Europe as well. 15 000 people attended the 2 days event, which is an increase from last year.
What makes this expo worth our time? Not only is it very well organised, but the high quality of the brands that are present makes it a unique occasion to browse thru the latest trends, even if you do not intend to purchase anything. Top that off with many professional sports that will showcase their skills with demonstrations by pro athletes of their discipline, and you will see how time will fly!
I honestly recommend going twice during the week end, because there is so much to see, you won’t be able to take it all in over one visit.
The Saturday is definitely busier than the Sunday, the best times to be there are at opening and after 3 pm. Make sure to wear very comfortable shoes and to layer your outfit, because of all the walking you will do and all the people there, you might feel warm.
Every stand will have very good deals at the expo, so keep that in mind if you have to refill on proteins, BCAA’s, etc. it is totally worth it to stack up for the year.
Some brands will go out of their way to attract you to their booth by setting up promos, giveaways etc., you can expect a few line-ups here and there especially around lunch break.
Plan ahead for your meals; maybe decide before the show where you will be going to eat. I was absolutely convinced I would be stacking up on free protein bars samples, however, do not count on that, the companies will offer one bite sizes of everything, but no free bars etc. Most brands will also have you try their BCAA’s and shakes, but as ready to drink beverage at the stand only.
Bring a friend
This expo is seriously good for everybody, so go ahead and bring the kids, as well as your friends who are not into bodybuilding, there was absolutely something for everybody, not only you could easily access the pros stage where the competitions were taking place, but there were events in CrossFit, Powerlifting, Weightlifting, MMA and more! There was also a whole area dedicated to children activities. The energy at the expo was incredible, not a dull moment and yet everything was definitely well rehearsed and ran smoothly.
Tips to enjoy the expo
Be patient since the halls between the stands will be crowded, you will often need to walk a bit slowly, just take that time to browse and spot pro athletes, 90% of them will check the expo and are absolutely available for pictures with the fans. The same goes for people on wheelchairs, due to the important amount of visitors, at times it will take longer to browse the stands, but it is still worth it and you are able to access all the areas.
Grab the Expo map and start looking at who you want to see first etc., the map is also available for download on the site before the event. Every exhibitor has a numbered stand, but the numbers won’t be anywhere to be found, so get yourself a couple of ‘landmarks’ and they will be your spots to navigate the expo, for example mines were the pro competitors stage, the CrossFit area, and a supplements area.
Make sure to bring a good backpack or huge bags, you will very likely end up buying more than planned, it is really that good in variety and quality of apparel and products!
I caught up with Ron Hache, from the Toronto Pro Supershow productions ltd., who has been organizing the expo for 6 years now, to find out about this winning formula and cool stuff about next year.
FN: What do you think makes this expo such a success?
I think it’s because we have something for everybody, friends and family, kids, you don’t get to see all this in one venue usually. We molded it after the Arnold Classic, we go to events, listen to the exhibitors; we keep adding things to make it our own. It is a very positive event; you could come for a Bodybuilding show and then discover CrossFit, and so on. I think that we have such a variety of sports that we touch every part of society. To see bodybuilding competitions also really motivates lots of people into competing. It really is like a sports festival and it lets you see what’s new in sports apparel as well.
F.N. What can we expect next year?
We try to bring new extreme sports every year. This year we had Pole fitness and CrossFit. We are also considering expanding on the expo surface 200,000 square feet for next year by opening the third floor. We are currently discussing with powerlifters for next year’s expo. We have lots of ideas in place to keep the quality of the expo going.
F.N. What are your hopes for the future of the event?
We are trying to bring on board ESPN, we want to attract TV and more media, it is really a very positive event and it is for everyone. The base of it is bodybuilding, and this community definitely brings the other sports on board, the weightlifting, boxing, and many others.
Ron has been part of the event for the 6th time this year, and we can be confident that the expo will be worth our time next year as well.
Official site of the Toronto Pro Supershow