Shopping was brisk at the 10th annual Nail Tech Event of the Smokies, which took place July 8-10 at the Gatlinburg, Tenn., Convention Center. Grand prize sponsor AII and other beauty manufacturers took to the show floor offering product demos and sales. “There wasn’t much that techs couldn’t find at the show,” says event coordinator Jill Wright. “First-time exhibitors, such as Apre’s Nail, Gimmeahand, Glitterati, Vision Gel Systems, Angela Mitchell Hill, KBShimmer, and Max Estrada’s Exclusive Nail Couture, held their own against heavy hitters like CND, OPI, Light Elegance, Tammy Taylor, Backscratchers, and Voesh NY.”

Most of the six Saturday and 11 Monday workshops were sold out weeks in advance. “The decision to limit the number of classes made choosing less overwhelming for attendees,” says Wright.

In addition, $420 was raised for the event’s designated charity, Thistle Farms, which helps women escape human trafficking, prostitution, and drug addiction by housing them and teaching them marketable skills.

Next year’s event is scheduled for July 7-9. For more information, go to www.nailtechevent.com.