Splash! 2016 made waves in the car wash industry this past October when it drew more than 700 people. This October, the fun and excitement is moving to New Orleans for Splash! 2017 October 24−25 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Splash!, touted as the un-tradeshow and a fun-filled car wash party you would throw for your friends, lived up to its hype at the initial 24-hour car wash event.

“I liked the one-on-one opportunities you’re able to get with exhibitors,” said Doug Wiebelhaus of Mega Wash Car Wash in South Dakota. “At the big trade shows, sometimes there are a lot of people standing around waiting to get a conversation with someone in a booth.”

This year’s event aims to feature a similar format, with more opportunities for attendees to connect with each other, and with vendors.

For Doug and his wife Jeanne, Splash! represents an opportunity to meet other car wash professionals… and learn a little bit along the way. “It was the opportunity to meet others in our profession and have discussions with them and exchange ideas,” Jeanne said. “The education talks were a draw.”

This year’s event looks to build on the 56 sponsor companies and nearly 750 attendees from last year. There will be two types of booths and very limited equipment, which creates a different style of vendor-operator interaction.

“We do lots of tradeshows… maybe 15–20 a year,” said Hank Richard, director of new business development for Simoniz. “This is a little different. It’s a little more casual with smaller exhibits and a lot more interaction on a personal level. It was inexpensive for us with quick setup and tear down and all concentrated in a 24-hour period.”

While networking is a key component, Splash! also featured a series of Wash Talks that lasted 15 minutes and were on different stages around the ballroom. “A lot of the talks were good,” said Matt Bromeier, general manager of Wild Blue Car Wash in Colorado. “I liked the quick facts and wide spread of topics.”

The Wash Talks will be back this year, enhanced based on feedback from last year’s inaugural event.

Ultimately, Splash! remains an event engineered to bring the car wash community together. Especially when considering the price of admission… just $49 per person. “One of the important functions of any Association is bringing the people in its industry together,” said ICA CEO Eric Wulf. “But rather than do another traditional trade show, we wanted to do something different… we wanted to create the kind of car wash event you’d host for your friends.”

The power of Splash! is in the more intimate setting. “It’s a fun way to learn. You’re right here with other operators and vendors,” said Ken Litrell of Clean Sweep Car Wash in Kentucky. “The close proximity with speakers being close together gives you time to talk with the speakers as well. I saw a lot of new operators asking questions and trying to learn more, and the new operators I talked to really enjoyed the ease of getting information.”

“It’s always fun to come to something like this,” said Jack Anthony of 7 Flags Car Wash in California. “It was a lot lower key than you’re used to coming to and you have more of a chance to talk to different operators and vendors. Even though there were a lot of people here, there wasn’t that feeling of being rushed or pressed for time.”