With health concerns at the top of everyone's minds, International Roofing Expo (IRE) officials announced they will hold a virtual event in March 2021 and move the physical event to August.

Initially scheduled for Feb. 24-26, IRE was moved to April 14-16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of today, IRE announced it will hold a virtual event March 2-4 and an in-person event from Aug. 10-12 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“We are thrilled about the addition of a complementary virtual event and being able to provide the industry with more of the education and content they look forward to every year," said Ray Giovine, group director for the IRE and Informa Markets, in an email. "By transitioning our live event to August and launching our virtual event in March, we’re able to create an opportunity to connect our audiences across multiple channels throughout the year.”

The virtual conference and expo will allow the industry to share best practices, discuss the latest trends and see the newest products and technology without having to leave homes or offices. This virtual event will feature both live and on-demand educational sessions, a virtual exhibit directory, product showcase, and a networking platform where attendees and exhibitors can interact using chat, video calls and other e-communications.

In August, attendees can head to Sin City to enjoy the familiar IRE experience of a large exhibition hall that will feature top manufacturers and suppliers, a conference program and networking opportunities.

“We were fortunate to secure the same exhibit halls for our new dates to make the transition easy for our exhibitors, speakers, and attendees,” Giovine said. “We are really excited about our digital offering, but equally excited to return to the show floor this August."

The IRE adopted the Informa AllSecure approach to ensuring the in-person event will be safe for attendees, including social distancing and face covering practices. In addition to Informa AllSecure's hygiene and cleanliness procedures, IRE will follow all local government guidelines as well as the Mandalay Bay Convention Center guidelines. Click here for more information on the Informa AllSecure protocols.

Check back regularly with RC and the IRE website for more news and details about IRE 2021's virtual and in-person events.