1) Marketsquare Intl. 2009 coming to Atlanta in January. ChristianTrade Assoc. Intl. announced the second annual Marketsquare International, Jan. 15-17, 2009, at the Atlanta Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Exhibitors who sign on by Sept. 15 receive a $200 early-bird discount. Sponsorship opportunities and special incentives for international attendees are also available. 

International sales are one of the encouraging growth areas in today's challenging business economy. Marketsquare International is designed to give the worldwide Christian trade the perfect forum for international sales, rights negotiations, training, networking, and fellowship. ChristianTrade anticipates the event will build on the success of the first-ever Marketsquare International last January in Toronto, which attracted more than 300 attendees from 22 countries. For more information about Marketsquare International, e-mail info@ChristianTrade.com. To participate as an exhibitor, contact Gary Foster at (419) 238-4082 or gfoster@ChristianTrade.com . Also visit www.ChristianTrade.com .

2) Munce Group prepares for upcoming Nashville CPE. According to a press release issued by the Munce Group, more than 300 retailers, representing over 160 independent Christian stores, and 80 product vendors, representing nearly 100 product lines, will gather at the Sheraton Music City, Nashville, TN, Sept. 7-9 for CPE. Hosted by the Munce Group, CPE offers its members a 48-hour program that includes worship, workshops, exhibit floor, supplier presentations, evening showcases, and Bible conference on Sunday afternoon. According to Munce, retailer pre-registration numbers are currently up 15% over this time last year, and exhibitor booth space is sold out.

 

The Munce Group emphasizes order-writing at CPE, motivating retailers with a reimbursement program that offsets travel, food, and hotel expenses based on reaching order-writing goals. The show floor will close on Tuesday afternoon with cash giveaways of $400, $600, and the grand prize of $1,500.

3) Billy Graham biopic and soundtrack coming soon. Billy Graham's coming-of-age story will be displayed on the big screen this fall through the release of Billy: The Early Years. The film is set to release Oct. 10, 2008 in theaters nationwide. Read more in CBA Retailers+Resources upcoming October issue, page 51. 

 

The original motion picture soundtrack will release Oct. 7 on Essential Records (Provident-Integrity). Brooks & Dunn join Third Day's Mac Powell to open the film and soundtrack with their rendition of Johnny Cash's "Over the Next Hill," produced by Tony Brown with Cash's son, John Carter Cash, who also produced or co-produced four of the album's tracks. The 13-track collection also spotlights country songstress Sara Evans delivering the album's first single, "Low."