Over 4,000 people attend Vernon Home Show

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Rice said the event that took up Kal Tire Place and Kal Tire North on March 23 and 24, was very busy both days, particularly on Saturday. He noted there was a lot of positive response in terms of the size of the show, the fact that it was free to attend, and that there was lots to see.

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People visitng the booths at the Vernon Home Show towards the end of the day Saturday, March 23 (photos by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

The show had 130 vendors set up in the two arenas, which was the most businesses ever to participate in the Vernon event, and Rice said a majority of them were able to secure some work, be it direct work or drawing up estimates for customers.

“The show generated somewhere in the $15 million mark of business that will spin off over the summer and into the fall — spring, summer and fall, it’ll represent $15 million in economic activity,” the show manager said. Rice noted some of the renovation businesses can do projects that range from $30,000 to $300,000, and home builders can do projects that are worth upwards of $1.5 million.

“It’ll be a variety of all of that and an estimate I would feel comfortable saying is that the show will generate $15 million in economic activity in the North Okanagan area. That’s why we do these shows, that’s the reason that we do these because it generates economic activity.”

The show also featured an Artisan Market, which had been run in Kamloops before but never in Vernon, and Rice said it was well received by the public and may be incorporated into the next spring show in Vernon.

The Artisan Market took up a section of the Home Show in Kal Tire Place (photos by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

The show took up both Kal Tire Place and Kal North for the first time ever, and Rice said it was great to have access to both sides.

“It was tremendous. Vernon should be very proud of the facility they have, Kal Tire Place is a premium building, no question about it,” Rice said, expressing thanks to all the staff at the facility who helped the make the show run smoothly.

“They’re all tremendous people, they do a first rate job. They’re there when we need them and sometimes they’re there when we don’t think we need them but they know we need them. They’re tremendous to work with. Great people. Vernon should be proud of the people they have that run that public facility.”

The manager told Vernon Matters they may look to secure both rinks for future spring home shows, but the fall shows will be smaller and contained to just one arena.

Rice said applications for booths at the fall home show will open sometime in April, and any businesses interested in being a featured vendor can contact the B.C. Home Show for further details.