The shift to the Power Dodge Ice Centre appears to be paying dividends for the organizers of the Estevan Showcase Business Expo.
The showcase will happen from Sept. 22 to 24. Jackie Wall, who is the executive director of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, revealed earlier this year that the Showcase would be held at the ice centre for the first time since 2010. It was in Affinity Place from 2011 to 2016, but concerns about condensation on the temporary floor applied to Affinity Place necessitated the change in venue.
Wall said there has been very good feedback about the change in location, and the exhibitors who have registered have not complained about the shift.
鈥淏ooth sales are going really well,鈥� said Wall. 鈥淭here is an increase in traffic up to this point from last year. Last year it was very quiet in June and July, and this year I鈥檓 getting calls almost daily for Showcase, whether it鈥檚 to get more information or to get applications in.鈥�
When a couple people asked where Showcase would happen this year, and were told that it was in the ice centre, they said they would go ahead with a booth this year. They weren鈥檛 sure if they would participate if Showcase remained in Affinity Place.
Wall noted that interest in Showcase is also often tied to whether there are other trade shows happening at the same time elsewhere in Western Canada.
Showcase organizers will be contacting those who have participated in the expo the last two years and haven鈥檛 booked a booth yet.
鈥淲e also promote this to the different trade show people to see if we can draw in some new exhibitors as well, and we do have some new exhibitors,鈥� said Wall. 鈥淭here will be some of the same exhibitors as previous years.鈥�
Many exhibitors don鈥檛 think about booking for Showcase until after the summer months, so Wall wants to call them next month to avoid the last-minute rush.
鈥淪howcase always fills up the last two weeks,鈥� said Wall. 鈥淲e鈥檙e at a really good point right now.鈥�
A total of 37 booths have been booked already. Some exhibitors will have more than one booth. Seventy-one booths can fit inside the ice centre. It鈥檚 fewer booths than at Affinity Place, but if they have a surplus number of exhibitors this year, they can always put the extra participants inside the leisure centre鈥檚 hallway.
Outdoor booths will be located in the Power Dodge Ice Centre鈥檚 parking lot. They might also have exhibitors at the Estevan鈥檚 Leisure Centre鈥檚 courtyard.
Wall noted that people who attend Showcase will still enter through the Estevan Leisure Centre鈥檚 main doors, since the ice centre鈥檚 parking lot will be closed for the outdoor displays. Patrons will then walk down the leisure centre鈥檚 hallway to access the Showcase booths.
Patrons will have the option of whether they want to pay for a single-day ticket, or buy a bracelet to attend an unlimited number of times all three days. Wall said they have positive feedback about that promotion last year.
Showcase is a project of the chamber, the Rotary Club of Estevan and the Estevan Lions Club.
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