The three day-long event called the Toronto Man Show was very much an extension of the popular TV show that guys adore. Cars, girls, electronics and many other male spectacles adorned the various booths. For $15, guests could enjoy a cold one in the Beer Zone, meet the infamous cast of the Trailer Park Boys and watch a poorly staged wrestling match in the comforts of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
For university students, the event was a time to catch up on some much needed male bonding and forget about mid-terms and assignments. Running in its second year, students in the 19-25 year old demographic were a much coveted group for show organizers. While U of T students weren’t largely visible on Saturday, there were many from Scarborough-based Centennial College. Pals Paul Richter, Ian de Leon and Tristan Hawkins were among many who decided to make the trip downtown. While they felt disappointed at the size of the event, Hawkins gave the organizers a clear mandate for next year by saying “More cars, more women.” Even though these three friends had their concerns about the show, Ian echoed his friends by saying he’d “probably come back if these guys come back.” Whatever grievances students had, the Toronto Man Show’s advantage is that it is one of the only events in the city that has skilfully targeted the male consumer market with toys and gadgets that they dream of owning.
Amongst the dozens of kung-fu demonstrations and lingerie fashion shows, numerous vendors hoped to cash in at the event. Even so, most vendors felt little impact with sales. Jim Cadman, salesperson for Boss Leather & Games, observed that “A lot of people are looking. Nobody has the intention to buy because of higher ticketed items.” The reason behind this could be the show’s demographic: since the show aims for young males to enter its doors, very few can afford the six-figure exotic cars and $3,500 pool tables featured by exhibitors.
While most items on sale surpassed the $1,000 mark, a few vendors offered more “accessible” products to guests. One such exhibitor was Microsoft’s Xbox. Sasha Foltin and Christine Sousa, along with the Xbox van, were on hand with several gaming consoles and newly released games for visitors. As opposed to the high-end merchandise being touted by their neighbours, Foltin was happy with the turnout and noted that “No console was empty for more than 20-30 seconds.” As Xbox is changing its focus to target all ages, events like this have proven vital for the company to get their message out. Foltin added that “Now everyone knows what we’re about.”
With the Toronto Man Show drawing to an end yesterday, this relatively new event has emerged as a distinct and engaging party on the Toronto convention circuit. While vendors and guests both shared ideas on how to improve the convention, its outrageous character has made it an event to definitely look out for again next year.
