Pacific Market Center will host the Summer Gift & Home Accessories Show, the Pacific Northwest's premier seven-day market event, August 13-19, 2008.

Known as a leading and innovative resource for home, lifestyle and giftware, Pacific Market Center will offer buyers a multitude of business-building opportunities, including educational seminars designed to provide fresh ideas and social networking functions in a one-of-a-kind marketplace experience. Several new and expanded showrooms will be opening for the Summer Show including Haversack Sales, Northbay Marketing, Soothing Rest, Toyology and the International Pavilion, a boutique-style showroom representing international gifts from locations such as Brazil, Indonesia and Rajasthan, offering guests a completely full building of products to see.

"As the leading destination market on the West Coast, Pacific Market Center presents a world of opportunities where buyers will meet suppliers face to face, make meaningful connections and find essential resources," said Lisa Goodman, marketing director of Pacific Market Center. "Show attendees can preview new products and lines, get fresh ideas and discover new inspiration -- all the necessary tools for sprouting new business growth this year."

Adding to the excitement surrounding this year's show is the introduction of Gourmet Interactive, a special three-day event designed to educate buyers on ways to boost sales through entertaining activities. Gourmet Interactive will offer buyers an opportunity to experience gourmet food tastings, chef demos, entertaining, trend spotlights and expert advice. This event will take place during the show on August 16-19, 2008, from 1-3 p.m. At Pacific Market Center, 49 percent of the showrooms feature housewares and gourmet food product lines.

The Summer Gift & Home Accessories Show offers buyers a sophisticated boutique-style environment, featuring thousands of original products infused with cutting-edge technology, superior buyer services and industry experts. Pacific Market Center is the ideal market event for buyers looking to expand their product offerings.

A few new products and lines being featured at the show include: Bang-Knudsen, Inc., representing products in the bed, garden, home décor, housewares and gourmet food categories, will be introducing an Oliso steam iron and Oliso vacuum sealer. The Barron Collection, representing products in the bath, garden, gift, spa and gourmet categories, will be showcasing new product additions from Caldrea, manufacturer of eco-friendly home cleaning and organizing products, including the Ostrich Brush, candles, dryer sheets and window spray. Midwest, representing Seasons of Cannon Falls, Colonial Candle and Delight, will be introducing three new product lines -- Suzy Toronto Collection for Seasons of Cannon Falls, a collection of 50 exclusive Wonderful Wacky Women artwork and poetry, Monkeying Around, a colorful collection of plush sock monkeys, and re:VIVE, the next generation of odor-eliminating candles and sachets from Colonial Candle. North Bay Marketing, representing gift and stationary products, will be previewing new lines of timeless jewellery. Park Avenue Agents, representing children's products and garden and outdoor living products, will be introducing Vazu, a flat "simply pour in water" expandable flower vase. The Quinton Group, representing baby products, home décor and aromatherapy, will be introducing Completely Eco-Conscious Candles by QPQ Trading and previewing two new Northwest greeting card lines -- Eco-Expressions and Mundo Images.

Additional products being featured include: the latest Gourmet Tea Machine at AKA; elegant crystal giftware at Alayne Grothen & Company; Natural Life's collection of gifts and keepsakes at Friis & Co.; Antica Farmacista's collection of signature scents at Nolita Home & Beauty; the exclusive line Anamalz at Russ Berrie; and an eco-friendly line of stationary by It Takes Two at SMC. In addition, Country Charm and Ranger-Inspirations will be featuring heartening home décor and accessories collections, and Sea Mart Associates and Scarlett will be featuring gifts, accessories and home décor for the holiday season.

Throughout the week, Pacific Market Center will offer complimentary seminars conducted by nationally recognized professionals from the retail, marketing and merchandising industries, including Thompson Lange, the co-owner and buyer for Homescapes Carmel, an award-wining specialty store located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.; and Kelley Moore, lifestyle and entertaining expert who has appeared on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," the "Tyra Banks Show" and the "Today Show," just to name a few. Designed to sharpen buyers' competitive edge, this year's expert-led seminars include lessons on how to eliminate chaos in the office for optimal productivity, the dos and don'ts of a competitive business, building a brand, developing long-term relationships with customers, and online business marketing. For a full list of seminars, visit www.pacificmarketcenter.com.

Pacific Market Center continues to collaborate with the Seattle Gift Show to present Seattle Market Week, giving buyers access to 10,000 innovative national and international product lines. Free parking and shuttle service to and from downtown hotels and the Washington State Convention & Trade Center -- where the Seattle Gift Show is being held -- will be offered throughout the show. In addition to all the fun, culture, shopping and dining that make Seattle a vibrantly unique city, buyers can enjoy the following amenities at Pacific Market Center during Seattle Market Week:

• Salsa Party featuring sangria, tapas and salsa dancing lesson on Thursday, August 14 between 6-7:30 p.m.
• Party in Margaritaville featuring margaritas, appetizers and music on Monday, August 18 between 6-8 p.m.
• New Roving Ice Cream Cart in the afternoons, offering visitors a free ice cream treat while they shop
• Complimentary international teas and Northwest coffee service available daily in the lobby
• Scotty's NW Bistro will offer a special of a 50 cent pastry with the purchase of an espresso drink
• Buyers' lounges throughout the building and game room, which include free Wi-Fi and Internet hookup
• Complimentary Buyer Socials every afternoon featuring Northwest wines and microbrews
• On-site market concierge assisting with preferential dining reservations at some of Seattle's top restaurants
• Touch-screen directories on each floor for easy showroom and product searches
• Free Parking all day throughout the show

The Summer Gift & Home Accessories Show will take place at Pacific Market Center from August 13-19, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Tuesday, with late-night buying available on Friday until 8 p.m. The show closes at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19. For more information about the show, visit www.pacificmarketcenter.com or call 800-433-1014.