Without question, the crowd waiting to enter the ISC West Show floor following the grand opening festivities seems to grow larger every year. Yesterday was no exception, as the second-floor lobby was packed virtually wall-to-wall with attendees eager to get a glimpse at the latest technologies. The mass of humanity extended well down the hallway toward the Venetian and was rivaled only by the crowd in line to pick up badges on the lower level.

This year’s grand opening, sponsored by Allegion, delivered all the fanfare we’ve come to expect – a marching band, presentation of the colors, an excellent rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” and yes, those ever-present confetti canons. Once again, those assembled on the stage represented a who’s who of the security industry, representing a wide variety of organizations and associations.

From the moment the confetti went airborne, attendees made their way onto the massive show floor, quickly filling booths and aisles. And they kept coming … and coming … and coming – right up to the moment the show floor closed at 5 p.m. Anyone who says they accomplished everything on their ISC West to-do list probably had a very short list. The rest of us will spend today and tomorrow making our way around the show floor or to various educational sessions and other events in an attempt to see and do everything we’d planned to accomplish at the show.

It’s no wonder why ISC West is the greatest security show on Earth.