CHICAGO — 2005 was a historic year in many ways.
Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Pope John Paul II died and was succeeded by Pope Benedict XVI.
It was a year of “firsts.” Google Maps was launched, and YouTube founders uploaded the first video on the sharing platform.
And it was a year of “lasts,” as USB flash drives overtook floppy disks as the standard for saving and sharing data. It was also the last time The Clean Show took place in the popular Florida destination of Orlando.
North America’s largest textile care industry trade show returns there on Aug. 23-26 at the Orlando County Convention Center.
“Orlando offers a uniquely strong alignment with the textile services industry, making it an ideal host city for Clean 2025,” says Greg Jira, group show director for Messe Frankfurt Inc. based in Atlanta.
“As a global tourism and hospitality hub, the region consistently generates high demand for commercial laundry, linen rental, and textile care services across hotels, resorts, and theme parks.
“The city is also a major port of access for the cruise industry, a sector with growing demand for hygienic and sustainable textile care solutions. Additionally, Orlando supports a robust institutional laundry sector through its large healthcare networks and senior care facilities.”
Essentially, the city is a hub for textile care operations and jaw-dropping entertainment, the latter of which attendees and exhibitors can enjoy when they’re not on the trade show floor.
“What makes Orlando a unique destination for trade shows is the ease in which planners can create well-attended and productive trade shows of any size,” says Cassandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. “We are committed to service, ensuring that our team works closely with planners to make the critical connections within our destination.
“And, we have all of the facilities and amenities trade show planners are looking for, from large meeting spaces to special venues to a wide range of hotel rooms, 59 Michelin-recognized restaurants, and some of the best entertainment in the world.”
Read on for just a small sample of what you can see, do and eat when you’re not engaged in textile care business on the trade show floor during Clean ’25.
DINING AND NIGHTLIFE
Unless you’re planning to visit Orlando early or stay a few days after, you’re more likely to be engaging in after-hours fun throughout the destination — like at the incredible nighttime entertainment districts or upscale speakeasies, according to Visit Orlando.
The city’s dining scene has become widely recognized. From dining with fireworks views or along the water to exploring local neighborhood eats and trendy food halls, Orlando offers options for all foodies.
Epilogue, a new adult-only speakeasy, opened at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort in October. The new intimate lounge, open on select nights to guests 21 and older, features a library-inspired theme and offers a variety of specialty, on-theme cocktails.
Oza Izakaya by Tim Liu, an omakase-style eatery, was scheduled to open in downtown Orlando in early 2025. The dining experience will showcase a blend of the Japanese izakaya setting and omakase style of dining. The upscale eatery will be the second Oza location in Orlando as it follows the 2024 opening of the first location near SeaWorld Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center.
Lorelai Wine Bar opened in February in the Thornton Park neighborhood district in downtown Orlando, offering European wines by the bottle or by the glass, along with shareable plates for snacking. Lorelei houses a 10-seat bar, lounging areas and two rooms with tables that will play host to wine storytelling events with winemakers.
Moso Nori, a concept by James Beard Award finalist and Michelin-recognized chef Henry Moso, opened in November 2024 in Winter Park. The new restaurant features a hand-roll bar serving a variety of temaki, sake, beer, wine and sake-based cocktails. Reservations are not required, allowing sushi aficionados to walk up and dine.
The Glass Knife opened a second location this spring along Winter Park’s Park Avenue, with its signature array of pastries, cakes and baked goods.
The Lake Nona Wave Hotel introduced Garni Café and Nectar Room as the newest offerings to the hotel’s award-winning food and beverage scene. Garni is an all-day French bistro serving breakfast, brunch seven days a week, light fare and dinner. The upscale Nectar Room is a cocktail lounge concept offering inventive mixology and creative takes on small plates.
Live! at The Pointe Orlando is a new 73,000-square-foot immersive indoor and outdoor dining and entertainment destination located in the Convention District. Anchored by several restaurants that include Sports & Social, a PBR Cowboy Bar, Shark Bar, and the Houndsmen English Lounge, the area also includes Live! Plaza, a 37,000-square-foot space for special events.
Judson’s Live brings a low-key, 150-seat, cabaret-style music space with unparalleled sound to the spectacular Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Experience all types of music genres during scheduled 50-minute performances while enjoying specialty cocktails and a seasonal scratch-kitchen menu of shareable bites.
Caribe Royale Orlando debuted Stadium Club in 2024, a 500-seat, sports-themed entertainment venue that features eight pro-level sports simulators, two bars and several areas for private events.
HIDDEN GEMS
Matej says that the districts and nearby cities that encompass the Orlando area are filled with marquee options that event planners and attendees could consider to be hidden gems.
“The Milkhouse near downtown Orlando offers unique tapas-style bites and house-made signature cocktails,” she shares.
“Local farm-to-table dining can be found at Market To Table, a modern American restaurant nestled in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden (only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando), or Boca in Winter Park, which bases its menu on the local food movement and sources ingredients from nearby farmers and specialty food purveyors wherever possible.”
GETTING TO/AROUND ORLANDO
Orlando has many transportation choices for getting to the city and making your way around it. Clean Show attendees should have a relatively easy time to reach the city and event … and have the time of their life in Orlando, off-show hours, of course.
“Orlando International Airport (MCO) offers extensive direct air connectivity, with nonstop flights to 169 destinations across 30 countries, including 108 domestic cities within the United States,” Jira points out. “This robust network makes Orlando a highly accessible hub for travelers from various regions, including the Caribbean and Latin America.”
Taxis, shuttle vans, private car pick-ups and ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft are available at both MCO and the Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB).
There are many options for getting around the city. A shuttle service will be available during the day to transport attendees from hotels to The Clean Show site and back.
After hours, various taxis and ride-share options are available, or you can rent a car and drive yourself.
One public option is I-Ride Trolleys to get around the I-Drive District, and it’s easy to use. Just hop aboard a trolley from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. Riders must purchase passes before boarding. A single fare is $2 per ride, and passes from one to 14 days are available.
Visit Orlando says I-Ride Trolleys are convenient, economical and fun. Stops are situated up and down the main thoroughfares, and trolleys come along every 20 minutes or so.
Finally, LYNX is a regional public transportation provider that offers service to business, tourist and neighborhood destinations in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Seven-day and 30-day passes are available.
Jira concludes, “These factors together make Orlando an ideal environment for Clean’s community to connect, learn and discover the latest innovations in textile care.
“And maybe find a little time to play.”
Click HERE to read part 1 with travel suggestions from a local, and HERE for part 2 with more ideas of what to see and do.
For more Orlando travel information, visit https://www.visitorlando.com.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
