RMAF 2017

Perhaps it was due to the notable increase in active exhibit rooms, or a CanJam so packed with exhibitors that it has spilled out into the hallway and a nearby open ballroom (see photo below). Or maybe it was because of the completion of the Marriott remodeling, and the feeling of freshness it brought to a show that has regained its footing as the largest consumer audio show in the United States. Or was it the warm weather (not that you could feel it in a heavily air-conditioned hotel), or the food trucks? For whatever reason(s), Day 1 at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest got off to a very healthy start.

Any number of people showed up early, trying to weed their way into rooms during the two-hour press preview period. But by the time the show officially launched at noon on Friday, the lines at the two registration tables—one for pay-at-the-door folks, the other for online pre-registrants—were long. For a traditionally slow day, halls were quite full, and spirits high. It felt like the start of a very good show.