What happens when a sudden, freezing cold snap threatens to derail a massive, high-profile art fair just hours before opening? In this episode of In The Unlikely Event, host Rick Kiley sits down with highly accomplished event producer Glenn Charles, President and CEO of Show Strategy, to discuss the chaos behind producing the world-renowned Armory Show at Pier 92/94 in New York City. To elevate the attendee experience, the team planned to build a massive new tent structure for registration and a restaurant. However, a sudden, severe drop in temperature made it impossible to install the new vinyl tops.

Glenn recounts the heart-stopping 5 a.m. moment he had to make the impossible call: tear down the 65% built structure and revert to Plan B. Hear the story of the high-stakes decision that saved the event from embarrassment and proved that a successful event sometimes means knowing when to walk away from a bad plan. This is a masterclass in crisis management where the audience never even knew a disaster was averted.

Links:
Website: https://www.sohoexp.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbflz_iADxI
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/48OXzPOXNiHZ5KF29WWnLF?si=UBiQ-U1XSnSjNTTP_WP6PQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-armory-show/id1852356725?i=1000739387441