By Lethbridge Herald on January 16, 2023.
Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com
BILD Lethbridge Region announced Monday that the Home and Garden Show will not take place in 2023 in order to make it bigger and better in 2024.
BILD Lethbridge Region executive officer, Bridget Mearns, said it was not an easy decision to make but it was one that was necessary.
“The decision was not made lightly. We know what this show means to the citizens of Lethbridge and to our vendors, and for the businesses in our community, but this will allow us the proper planning and time to produce the 2024 Home and Garden Show to the highest standards that our vendors and our partners, and our community deserves,” said Mearns.
She said the new Home and Garden Show is expected to take place at the new Agrifood Hub and Trade Centre in 2024.
Mearns added that after 18 years of partnering with the Lethbridge and District Exhibition they are taking the show in a new direction.
“To assist BILD in executing a great show, we’ve hired Meibel Consulting. With the direction and the help of Meibel and a brand new facility, BILD is excited for an all new Home and Garden Show for southern Alberta,” said Mearns.
Meibel Consulting are owners and producers of the Alberta Food and Beverage Expo, the Saskatchewan Food and Beverage Expo and Game Con Canada.
Mearns said the foundation of the Home and Garden Show is simple. To inspire, motivate and excite the attendees and guests.
“The new Home and Garden Show will be redesigned with a heavy focus on customer experience, innovative technology, new and exciting ROI (Return On Investment) opportunities and customer reach far exceeding previous years and a few other surprises that we’re going to hold close to our vest for the time being,” said Mearns.
Meibel Consulting CEO, Chris Meilleur, said there is a lot to look forward to by partnering up with BILD Lethbridge Region.
“We are super excited to work with BILD and their team and bringing some of our technology and event experience to what’s going to be a fantastic Home and Garden Show in 2024,” said Meilleur.
Mearns added that they are looking forward to producing a show that has probably not been seen yet but one that they have all envisioned.
“We will be reaching out to some of the vendors that have been part of the show over the years and talk to them about what their vision is with the show as well, so it’s not just coming from our perspective, it’s coming from theirs as well,” said Mearns.
She said a lot of the planning will be done with the vendor’s perspectives in mind, because they want to make sure that the show is a good experience for them, as well as a good experience for the people who are coming to the show.
Mearns added that since the new facility will be bigger, they want to invite more vendors while also looking into some programming, with some surprises that will be announced later down the road.
“It (the new facility) does give us the opportunity to have better programming and a better experience,” said Mearns.
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“New and Improved” is seldom either of those things. The “old” format seems to have been extremely popular and well attended, the only complaint I heard was in reference to cost of attending and parking.