I like it all! As with fine dining, its the blend of the food, wine, companionship and atmosphere that makes the experience enjoyable. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
The combination of being able to see old friends, meet new ones, display your work, be inspired by others' work, buy stuff you need and don't need, talk shop/history or whatever and pick up tips are all important. You can't do this anywhere else. My life is so much richer for the friends I've made and the expereinces I've had at shows. We ARE a pretty cool bunch!