Candyland

You think you've got an enticing exhibit hall? Ha! The AV Club files a report from the Willy Wonka's chocolate factory of show floors -- the National Confectioners Association's Sweets & Snacks Expo, which this year was held at Chicago's McCormick Place on May 25-27. Before offering a surprisingly nuanced report on the (many, many) candies they sampled, The AV Club's editors take a stab at creating a greater context for their sugar binge:

The 2010 Sweets & Snacks Expo felt more restrained than in years past, with fewer big product rollouts and tight security that limited what attendees could take out the door.

Then it's off to the buffet. A quick look at the event's website shows there were also keynote sessions, but the real business of the Sweets & Snacks Expo is buying and selling, which also means sampling. Lots and lots of sampling.

But what about the meeting professionals working behind the scenes at a show like this? Civilians assume it must be a blast for them, because, hey, free candy! But no matter how fun (or scrumptious) the industry, on a certain level a meeting is a meeting, no?