Showgoers flooded onto the exhibit floor when doors opened this morning.

The Expo East show floor opened today at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, drawing attendees from across the Northeast and beyond for two days of the latest in promotional products from some of the industry’s top exhibitors.

“PPAI and SAAGNY are excited to present the premier industry trade show on the East Coast,” says PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE. “Expo East continues to improve and evolve, and we’re proud to bring to Atlantic City the same top-notch exhibitors, education programming and networking opportunities that industry professionals have come to expect from The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. It’s good to be back here in June; the weather is beautiful, and I’m sure it will bring out a strong crowd today.”

For the past two years, Expo East has been held in March. This year’s show represents a shift back to the summer schedule the show had previously held to, giving attendees and exhibitors the opportunity to optimize planning and selling into the third and fourth quarters of the year.

This year’s show included education on all three days, most of it free for show registrants.

Hundreds of attendees arrived at the convention center for Education Day on Monday and attended their choice of more than 30 education sessions in seven tracks focusing on pertinent industry topics. While education continues today, including a series of programs held on the show floor, attendees are also streaming through the aisles to see products on display from 320 exhibiting companies in 395 booths.

Maureen Eustice, owner at Façade Promotions in Brick, New Jersey, is at the show today looking for new products and items for Christmas giveaways, and to meet with vendors to put a face to the name. She counts among her clients those in cosmetics and fragrance, middle to large manufacturers and a power company.

Storm Duds Raingear, represented by Meredith O’Brien, was one of the 320 exhibitors at the show.

David Peters, representing A-Z Office Resource in Antioch, Tennessee, joined the distributor a year ago with the challenge to ramp up its promotional products segment. “So far, it’s been a major success,” he says. “I’ve had some good results and high praise from the sales folks.” He attended The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas in January and is enjoying his first experience at Expo East. Today and Wednesday he’ll be on the hunt for incentive programs for a client. “I also like to get samples because we’ve got salespeople across the state and I send products to them so they have some tactile examples of what they are going to sell.”

After a productive day on the show floor, Expo East attendees can let their hair down tonight at the Power of Two Party sponsored by PPAI and SAGE. Held at the Tropicana Casino & Resort’s Providence Night Club, from 7:30 to 10:30 pm, the Power of Two brings the industry together for DJ music, dancing and an open bar. Tickets are $25 per person and available at registration.

Expo East exhibits are open today until 4 pm and on Wednesday from 9:30 am to 3 pm.