LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. — More than 300 vendors are on display at this year’s Southern Alberta Home, Garden and Leisure Show inside the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre.
“We have done it for 24 years now and we love the shows,” said Rudy Reger, owner of Arctic Spa and Energy Smart.
“Obviously, we’re looking for the sales, but at the same token, I enjoy seeing my existing clients, seeing the public and having a chat and just show off what we have.”
This year’s show is completely sold out for vendor spots, with all four trade halls in use.
“We’re building on the show from last year and we’re going bigger,” said Bridget Mearns, executive officer with BILD Lethbridge.
“We got more vendors; we have food court alley, so we have a place to have different kinds of food, which is great. We’re continuing our charity with HALO and they brought their air ambulance, and it’s right on the floor for people to take a look at, and we have the ‘Who BILDs it Best’ contest.”
The three-day show features a new lounge for exhibitors to use as a networking location with others in the industry.
Social media influencer Shaun Umscheid, known as the “No Way Guy,” along with gardening authors Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau, will be making special appearances.
“It’s important to our vendors; it’s important to the business,” said Mearns.
“Some of them are smaller and they don’t have an opportunity to have 16,000 people go by their booth, so it’s important for our businesses, but it’s also a fun event for our community and has been for years.”
With more than 15,000 people expected to attend the show, it’s also a chance to support local causes.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our story here in Lethbridge,” said Paul Carolan, CEO of HALO Air Ambulance.
The Medicine Hat-based emergency medical air ambulance provider is this year’s charity sponsor. Money raised during the event will go back towards helping sustain operations throughout southern Alberta.
“We raise over 60 per cent of our annual budget every single year,” Carolan said.
“We have a great partnership with Alberta Health Services, but we still have to raise more than 60 per cent so individual donations, small businesses, corporations, foundations and community groups, and regional municipalities make up that difference and so that’s an amazing connection to the community and that’s why this event is so great.”
The Home, Garden and Leisure Show runs from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
