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 Orange 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.
ORLANDO LIKE A LOCAL
Who better to offer suggestions about experiencing Orlando when not on The Clean Show floor than a local laundry operator?
Nick Fertig is director of central laundry for Rosen Hotels and Resorts in Orlando and a member of the American Laundry News Editorial Advisory Board.
“Obviously, the most popular and well-known places in Orlando are Disney and Universal,” he says. “Each has multiple parks, and both are in close proximity to the event. Disney is about a 20-minute drive and Universal is about a 10-minute drive.
“In addition, they both have ‘downtown’ areas that are full of shops and restaurants, which do not require tickets to gain entry. Disney Springs has free parking, and Universal’s City Walk has free parking after 6 p.m.”
Fertig adds that there is plenty to do in the immediate area of the event. One such location is a large shopping center with stores and restaurants called The Pointe Orlando.
“It has lots of food options and entertainment,” he shares. “This will be walkable to a lot of folks who are staying in hotels on International Drive.
“At The Pointe, you have the Capital Grille, which everyone knows, and I enjoy a place called Taverna Opa, which has Greek food with some fun entertainment. It is definitely a loud place though, so I don’t recommend it for someone trying to talk business.”
He shares that just a 5-to-10-minute drive away is what is known as “Restaurant Row,” located in the suburb of Doctor Phillips.
“You have a lot of well-known restaurants. For the lesser-known, my go-to would be Bosphorous (Turkish cuisine), Sixty Vines (wine-country inspired cuisine), and, as a whiskey lover, The Whiskey (gourmet burgers),” Fertig advises.
He says that about five minutes from the vicinity of The Clean Show is a Topgolf and an Andretti Go Kart racing and arcade.
“As far as personal favorites, you really cannot go wrong with anywhere in Disney Springs or CityWalk. With CityWalk being closer, most folks may opt to go there,” Fertig shares. “I was just there for a long weekend with my family.
“My favorite places to eat are Vivo (Italian) and Cowfish (burgers and great sushi). As an added bonus, they have Voodoo Donuts there, a special chain from Oregon, I believe, which makes for a great dessert. Or, you could get the largest milkshake I have ever seen from their Chocolate Emporium.”
Check back Thursday for more to see and do in Orlando.
For more Orlando travel information, visit https://www.visitorlando.com.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
