The Blade Show is certainly a unique experience in the cutlery world. People come from all over the world to exhibit/attend. I've been attending for 20+ years, and the crowds are slightly different each year...the one thing that doesn't change, and that's always exciting, is to watch the doors open to the general public on Friday.... those with the "early bird" passes are allowed in an hour prior to the show opening to the general public, but either way there is always a line.
Vendors are allowed to enter the show room at 8am, and there is usually a small line of folks waiting then. As it gets closer to noon, I've seen the line going down the hall and out the doors and into the parking lot.
It's not uncommon to see people running when the doors open to the public. Most who have attended before will "map out" where they want to get to first....usually for about the first hour of the show, it's a "feeding frenzy", until the most popular makers are sold out, then the crowds start strategic routes around the show floor, checking out what remains. If this is your first time there, be prepared, you've never seen anything like the Blade Show.
