Retail industry’s biggest conference goes ahead despite Omicron

“The Big Show will go on,” said National Retail Federation President Matt Shay on January 10.

And on Friday, even as more speakers and attendees pull out of the conference, that remains the trade group’s plan.

The National Retail Federation kicked off its annual gathering in New York City last weekend. It’s one of a slew of annual conferences and trade shows each January. But with omicron running amok, conference planning has become complex.

The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference — which draws medical professionals, major pharmaceutical companies and health-care start-ups — decided to hold its annual event virtually this month. CES 2022, a trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association, went ahead with its event the prior week, albeit with smaller crowds. And the movie industry announced it will press ahead with plans to throw the Berlin International Film Festival in person in February, while the Sundance Film Festival, planned for later this month, has gone virtual.