UNITY Attendance Surpasses 6,500

Friday, July 25, 2008

By MAYA CARPENTER
The UNITY News

More than 6,500 journalists, exhibitors and sponsors registered for UNITY ’08, according to event organizers.

The exact number of attendees will not be determined until Sunday, said Don Williams, media liaison for the UNITY staff.

The numbers reflect slightly fewer registrants compared to UNITY ‘04. That year, the projected goal was 10,000, and actual attendance topped 8,000.

Attendance figures are calculated with sponsored events, officials said. Registered events include workshops, plenary sessions, festivities, job fairs and luncheons.

While some events are not advertised in the UNITY brochure, figures do not represent full attendance, said Onica Makwakwa, UNITY executive staff director.

Makwakwa said exact attendance figures will be tallied at the convention’s end.
Also, no figures on food service will be available until later.

It’s hard to tell what UNITY will look like in 2012.
“We are always going to strive for growth,” Makwakwa said.

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