On Saturday night before the Premiere Orlando beauty show even started, more than 200 nail techs got together to catch up with old friends, meet new friends, and enjoy a night of networking with other like-minded colleagues. The event attracted nail techs from all over the U.S. and even international techs (including one from Trinidad and Tobago). BeautyTech webmaster Debbie Doerrlamm and the NAILS team put together an outstanding event filled with more than 65 raffle giveaways and goodie bags containing sample products and coupon books worth hundreds of dollars off from top manufacturers at the show.

A very special thanks to Dashing Diva, Hand & Nail Harmony, Orly, Tammy Taylor, Nubar, and Light Elegance for helping to make the party such a huge success. And thank you to Action Bag for supplying us with the bags to fill with all the great products!

Look for complete coverage on www.nailsmag.com and in our August issue, but here's a sneak peak of what went down at the party!

BeautyTech webmaster Debbie Doerrlamm (right) greeted guests — veterans and newbies — at the networking BBQ on Saturday, June 4.

An attendee scans the QR code on NAILS senior editor Tim Crowley's T-shirt. NAILS gave away five $100 bills in a raffle for everyone who scanned the codes on our shirts.

Jill Blayleck, Rachel Healy, and Kelly Curcie came to the networking event together to meet new techs and enjoy the camradarie.

Henry Tran, OPI's Joseph Pham and his wife Mindy joined VietSALON associate editor and NAILS' photographer extraordinare Kim Pham (no relation) outside in the Florida heat.

Jeneen Robinson, Chloe Reed, Shanita Jordan, Tracey Lord-Aikens, Lueticia Lewis, and Martine Mayo had a blast catching up and meeting new friends.

NAILS associate publisher and editor Hannah Lee welcomed surprise guest Katie Cazorla, the star of TV Guide Network's new reality show the Nail Files.

Nail Talk Radio was recording live from the party. Radio host Athena Elliott chatted up party guests and took calls from listeners who couldn't be at the show.

NAILS Hannah Lee and Mary Baughman talked with Valentino owners (and son and father team) David Dilorenzo and David Anthony about their Swarovski-encrusted ventilation units.

The NAILS team was all smiles after giving away so many great prizes from professional nail manufacturers. Our QR code T-shirts gave nail techs a chance to win one of five $100 cash prizes. (We are Tim Crowley, Mary Baughman, Hannah Lee, Michelle Mullen, and Kim Pham.)

The Dashing Diva team had a blast at the party. They are Kim Vu, Shelly Pechota, Candace Orendine, Wauteesha Weatherall, Akemi Taylor, Pattie Yankee, Jeneen Robinson, and Joyce Hawkins.

Winners of the NAILS QR code T-shirt scavenger hunt each got a crisp $100 bill to shop with at the show.

— The NAILS Team