Coverings turns 25 this year, and will be returning to Las Vegas from April 29 to May 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center to celebrate. Specifically, on Wednesday, April 30, show organizers will host an official Anniversary After-Hours Party from 9 to 11 p.m. “The special event at a Las Vegas nightclub will feature an open bar, music, networking and, of course, a little reminiscing,” commented Karin Fendrich, Coverings show director.

The natural stone and tile show returns to Vegas after touching down in Orlando in 2012 and Atlanta last year. Regarding this year’s show, Fendrich noted, “We value the strong relationships that we have built with the installers, contractors, distributors, fabricators, architects and designers.”

At press time, organizers were still finalizing the full roster of sessions, but Fendrich said “the show will once again offer exceptional learning opportunities, all free, for installers and contractors.” The show will also play host to the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) which will offer Certified Tile Installer Certification (CTI) as well as the industry-wide Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program.

The 2014 Coverings Installation and Design Awards (CID Awards) will be presented on Tuesday, April 29, at 5:30 p.m. Open to architects, designers, builders, contractors, distributors, retailers, installers and other industry professionals, the awards honor “creativity, craftsmanship, outstanding use of materials and achievement in the use of tile or stone within the residential, commercial, international and sustainability project categories,” Fendrich stated.

Contractor Days will return to the show, offering a place for badged contractors to network and relax in the Contractor Lounge. Additionally, Contractor Tours will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, April 30-May 1, will contractor-themed showroom tours, lunch and a happy hour event.

Another highlight of Coverings 2014 is the Installation Design Showcase. According to Fendrich, “Each space will highlight a different design aesthetic and feature tile and stone in a live installation. Installers for 2014 include Superior Tile and Stone, and Heritage Marble and Stone – both new to IDS – and Artcraft Granite, Marble and Tile, and Lambert Tile and Stone – both veterans of the IDS. Design teams from local design organizations including AIA, ASID, USGBC and UNLV will design each vignette.”

Live demonstrations also return to the show this year, sponsored by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA). “These live, how-to classes offer attendees an up-close look at how top contracting pros handle a variety of challenging tile installations. Attendees will see exactly how to install a wide variety of new products and learn techniques to make tile and stone installation more successful,” Fendrich added.

For more information on these events and the show, visit www.coverings.com.