Frequently Asked Questions

As of October 2020, the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago remain under coronavirus-related restrictions and do not permit the convening of trade shows like Sweets & Snacks Expo.

Together with the Board of Trustees and the Sweets & Snacks Expo Committee, the National Confectioners Association made the decision to move Sweets & Snacks Expo out of Chicago’s McCormick Place in 2021.

No. The Sweets & Snacks Expo will return to Chicago’s McCormick Place May 23-26, 2022.

The 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo will be held Wednesday, June 23 – Friday, June 25. The Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Supplier Showcase and Most Innovative New Products Award (MINPA) Keynote address will be held Tuesday, June 22. The show floor will open on June 23.

There is no deadline to register as Sweets & Snacks Expo offers both online and onsite registration. However, the registration fees scale as the registration date draws closer to the show.

The Sweets & Snacks Expo is a trade-only event. Attendance is restricted to companies in the confectionary and snack industries, and the show is not open to the public. Before registering, prospective attendees should view the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s admission qualification requirements.

No one under age 16 will be admitted to the Sweets & Snacks Expo. Only nursing infants (swaddled or carried) are allowed on the show floor, and they must be carried in some sort of harness attached to the body. No car seats, buggies, wagons or strollers will be permitted.

Only approved buyers and broker/supplier members are permitted to bring a spouse to the Sweets & Snacks Expo. The spouse can be registered during the registration process, or attendees can log into the attendee dashboard and click “ADD SPOUSE.”

Sweets & Snacks Expo exhibitors have the option to distribute pre-packaged samples. Sweets & Snacks Expo exhibitors can give each buyer two samples a day. Only bags authorized by the Sweets & Snacks Expo are permitted on the show floor.

There will be no shuttles to or from Sweets & Snacks Expo. All contracted hotels are within walking distance to the Indiana Convention Center.

Sweets & Snacks Expo show management asks for 3-5 business days to process a pending application. To help expedite the process, prospective attendees should upload or email all of their qualification documentation during the process.

Attendee badges are necessary credentials to attend the Sweets & Snacks Expo. In order to remove any possibility for badge duplication, a badge verification policy is strictly enforced. Attendees with a lost or stolen badge will be charged a $100 replacement fee.

Once hotel registration is open, attendees will be able to click “PLAN” on SweetsAndSnacks.com and scroll down to “RESERVE YOUR HOTEL & TRAVEL.” Alternatively, attendees can explore hotel options at the end of the registration process.

No animals will be permitted except properly identified, on-duty ADA-recognized service animals. No branding of any types is permitted on the service animals.

Attendees do not pay for their badge until the registration is approved.

The Sweets & Snacks Expo does not offer one-day passes.

All attendees are encouraged to attend Sweets & Snacks Supplier Showcase on Tuesday, June 22. Click here for more information.

The Sweets & Snacks Expo requires unique email addresses for attendees, exhibiting personnel and media. In addition to making the registrant easier to verify, using a unique email address allows each Sweets & Snacks badge holder to utilize and customize the online show planner and the show's mobile app and receive timely Sweets & Snacks information and communications.

The Sweets & Snacks Expo will not mail badges in advance. The show will have multiple locations for all attendees, media and exhibitors to pick up their badges.

No, badge passing/sharing is not permitted and can result in being banned from the Sweets & Snacks Expo.

We are committed to hosting the Sweets & Snacks Expo in June in Indianapolis. However, if for reasons beyond our control the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo is not permitted to take place, attendee registrations will be fully refunded.

If you register now and decide later to cancel your registration, the Sweets & Snacks Expo may refund a portion of the registration fee and will retain a portion of it to be applied to the 2022 Sweets & Snacks Expo, which is schedule to be held May 23-26 in Chicago. Cancellations will be processed as follows:

Yes. Education sessions will have limited capacity in an effort to maintain social distancing. Attendees will register for education sessions during the registration process, and all attendees are encouraged to register early.

Any capacity limits imposed will be based upon the then-current restrictions imposed by the State of Indiana, Marion County and the governing bodies that hold jurisdiction over the convention facilities.

Yes. Buyers and member suppliers and brokers are permitted to register and bring a spouse.

No. There is not currently a limit on attendee registration by company, but it will be monitored based on current or proposed guidance from local regulatory agencies.

No. The 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo will continue to be a business-to-business trade event, and enthusiasts will not be permitted entry to the show.

While we are not mailing badges, we will have registration locations spread out across the convention center to help prevent lines and crowding. More information on registration dates, times and locations will be announced as we approach the event.

Yes, as of now, we will have online and onsite registration throughout the event.

Due to current guidelines and in an effort to make the Expo as safe as possible, we have been forced to limit or eliminate certain activities that promote large gatherings, including the Buzz Reception.