Trade show starting to fill up

Spring is on its way, and with it area residents tend to get thoughts of returning to “Life at the Lake.”
With that in mind, that’s the theme of the local Chamber of Commerce’s annual home and leisure show coming up April 28-29 at the Memorial Sports Centre.
And organizers are on the lookout for exhibitors to help make the show at least as big and exciting at last year.
“We have about 25 exhibitors booked to date, so we’re pretty much in the same place we were last year at this time,” said Chamber office manager Dawn Booth, noting last year saw about 60-70 exhibitors.
“We’ve got some of the typical ones that always go in the show, but we’ve also had quite a few calls from new exhibitors inquiring about it,” she enthused.
But Booth stressed the overall format of the home and leisure show will remain the same as last year as it has worked well and the organizing committee didn’t want to mess with a successful formula.
“Right now, our focus is exhibitors and everything else will fall into place,” she remarked.
As in past years, the show is open to exhibitors from any sort of business, and is expected to draw both local and regional vendors of a wide variety of products and services.
One confirmed exhibitor which likely will have the most merchandise for sale is Badiuk Equipment, which once again will be showcasing boats, ATVs, and more in the ’52 Canadians Arena.
As in past years, the public also can expect free samples, draws, and demos at the trade show.
“We are kind of targeting businesses that fit into the theme [“Life at the Lake”] to do demos,” said Booth. “We’ve got lots of different ideas.
“If there’s anybody out there who wants to participate in a demonstration area, they can certainly give me a call at the office,” she added.
Some ideas being tossed around for demos include gardening tips, cabin maintenance, boat safety, barbecue tips, and how to install a deck.
While 2006 won’t see the return of the popular “Hole-in-One” putting contest, Booth noted there will be some sort of skill-testing contest in which contestants will get chances to win “big prizes.”
“We’re looking at ‘Rainy Lake Horseshoes.’ It will be a similar game of skill,” she said. “And everything else will be the same as far as, if you get so many points, your name will go into a draw.
“And then the first 100 or 200 people’s names will be drawn, and each of those people will get a chance to enter their code into the safe.”
She added talks are underway with Badiuk Equipment, West End Motors, Borderland Esso, and K-Sport Kia in Kenora to be sponsors once again for the contest.
“It will be similar packages to what we had last year,” said Booth.
And while details still have to be worked out, Booth noted Crime Stoppers once again will be holding a “Bail or Jail” fundraiser in conjunction with the trade show, where local celebrities will be held captive until their “ransom” is paid.
The trade show will run from noon-9 p.m. on Friday, April 28 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.
For more information on the show, to book space as an exhibitor, or to sign up as a volunteer, call Booth at 274-5773.
Information also is available at www.fortfranceschamber.com