Whether you were thinking about building a new home, renovating a home, or looking for creative inspiration, the Red Deer Home Show was the place to be over the weekend.
Hundreds flocked to the popular show hosted by Canadian Home Builders Association, just in time for spring.
The event boasted 280 exhibitors both from Central Alberta and across Canada — appealing to those looking for indoor, outdoor, construction, landscaping or gardening tips.
Dan Ouwehand, president of the Home Builder’s Association for the Central Alberta chapter, says he was glad to see the attendance level increase this year.
“Attendance is up a little bit and I think that is due in part to a few things, one is that the economy is definitely picking up, another is that this is a great show and we have a lot of events,” he said on Saturday.
This year organizers chose to bring back celebrity hosts, one being Carson Arthur who helps people across Canada design eco-friendly outdoor spaces on HGTV’s Green Force.
“I always tell people, don’t start with the gardens or plants first.
Start with the usable space, create the patios and the decks that are going to meet your families needs ... then start with the plants around the outside,” he said, noting that plants should be the accessories, not the focal point.
The Red Deer Home Show was much larger than Arthur expected. He says it is a good sign that people are investing in their homes.
“This shows that the industry in Red Deer is booming and we need to take advantage of that,” he said.
Sherry Poole took in the Red Deer Home Show on Saturday to get material ideas for a recreational home she and her husband are planning to build on the Shuswap Lake in British Columbia.
“We are looking at things like decking or siding,” she said, while holding information pamphlets.
“We found some flooring and siding ideas that we had no idea even existed,” she added, further quipping that the massage chairs at the Red Deer Home Show would be “perfect” for the Shuswap home.
The Red Deer Home Show ran March 16, 17 and 18 at the Westerner Park Main Stage.
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com