The St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for its annual St. Albert Lifestyle Expo and Sale.
At the event, people will get to browse through more than 150 businesses, a petting zoo, play pen, food court and stage performances.
“It's a great opportunity for the local businesses to come out of their place of business and go to a place where people will gather and see them,” said Jennifer McCurdy, president and CEO of the chamber.
The expo will kick off next month at Servus Place. Due to how bookings lined up with the facility, the event is happening sooner than usual, from April 5 to 7. As a result, McCurdy said the trade show is a little smaller than usual.
While the chamber normally tries to avoid other major events in the area, this year the expo has overlapped with the Edmonton Motorshow. So those who check out the expo every year will notice the motor home section is missing.
According to McCurdy, there are more outdoor-focused businesses taking booths at the event. She said it’s likely to attract many homeowners who are looking to renovate their homes in order to sell once the housing market improves.
“Instead of selling, you might renovate, increase your value and put some equity into your home if you're able to,” she said.
She added with spring right around the corner, many people are starting to get the itch to fix up their homes.
This year, the chamber has expanded the entertainment portion of the expo. Along with St. Albert’s Got Talent, the Melisizwe Brothers will be taking the stage.
The trio of young brothers has appeared on Ellen DeGeneres, the Steve Harvey Show and America’s Got Talent. After performing at Servus Place on April 5, they’ll become judges for St. Albert’s Got Talent.
Local dance studio DanceCo will also be performing, as well as Phoenix Taekwondo.
Some 30 new businesses have taken out booths at the event. Meggan Nepoose-Hill, events manager at the chamber, said the event is a way for businesses to promote themselves.
“I tell people that everybody's going to pass by their booth, and they really like that,” she said.
Last year, roughly 10,000 people weaved through the walkways of the expo. Each year, the chamber rents two arenas and two fields at Servus Place and transforms them into a giant maze of booths and attractions.
“We have over 100 volunteers that come and work at the show that are putting in about 450 hours over the three days,” McCurdy explained.
McCurdy said the layout means each attendee will pass by every single business in the tradeshow. This means no booth will go unnoticed.
The food court has also brought in new food fares. This year, Ukrainian House and Louisiana Purchase will be joining the lineup.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 per person or $10 for a family pass. The expo is free for children under five.
For more information visit: http://www.stalbertchamber.com/pages/Expo.
