I'm going Sunday (taking a friend who's never been to a show before, but like audio).
Not sure I get all the negativity here, I guess it depends on your expectation of a "show". I wouldn't go to a Motor show and expect the manufacture let me take the car off the stand for a spin. So why would I expect a first class demo in square crowded hectic hotel show room?
For me it's a chance to look at stuff I would never normally bump into, unless I did a tour of the whole country visiting every back street dealer I could find.
If something looks interesting then I'll take some details and make later appointment or do further research.
This year I'm looking for some headphones suitable for travelling and perhaps an add on dac/head amp to use with an iPhone/Pad. Then look for some vinyl.
The seminars are often quite good.... The room acoustic was worth sitting in on last year. Though sometime for me they are a little over simplified to cover a wide spread of audience. (but as an engineer I probably always want more detail
Re the comments on poor service and dealers. In my view, it may again be my background but the issue is Hi-Fi is basically a technical engineering based subject to which too many have no background. No training, education or actually logic/common sense!
No qualification are needed or regulations in place to say who can open up a dealership, sometimes it shows. Seeing how some dealers in the past have bashed around a turntable with an electric screw driver with no mechanical sympathy is scary.
Enjoy the show for what it offers, the entry cost is a very small percentage of most peoples upgrade budget.