Sylvan Lake will see its first annual Home and Lifestyle Show next month.
The inaugural event put on by the Town, in partnership with the Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce, will be on May 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jared Waldo, sales and marketing coordinator with the Town of Sylvan Lake, says the event is free for attendees.
“We’re are accepting donations for the Sylvan Lake and District Food Bank, we’d love to see some donations for them, but outside of that there is no cost,” said Waldo. “We want to be able to see as many people as possible come through the doors at the NexSource Centre.”
“They can come in and walk around and enjoy it and hopefully make this year a success so we can look forward to doing it for year number two,” added Waldo.
The vendors will be set up on the floor of the curling rink.
Waldo says since it is the first year they wanted to make it easy on the patrons, as well as the vendors.
The registration deadline has been extended until May 6 to accommodate as many businesses as they can.
“We kind of bumped that back because we know, especially for local business owners who handle every aspect of their business, that intentions are great in terms of getting things in as soon as possible, but things can sometimes get pushed to the back burner,” Waldo said.
Vendors looking to sign up can do so at sylvanlake.ca/events where they can either fill out the application online, or download and fax in the application package.
Payment can be made through those means or in person at the NexSource Centre.
Waldo says there are still some vendor spaces available for those interested.
Thus far there is a variety of vendors signed up showcasing a mixture of businesses and sports and leisure groups — from Clearview Glass Service Ltd., to the Wood Shed, to Camp Kannawin.
“There really is something for all members of the audience, whether it’s somebody who’s looking from a business standpoint or maybe something more from with their kids and families or even things to do for the summer,” said Waldo.
Waldo said this event is being brought into Sylvan Lake for two main reasons.
He said one of the reasons is because it hasn’t been done for a while.
“We’ve seen neighbouring communities, close and far, that have events like this and have for a long time and I think that there’s absolutely no reason with the amount of business that we have in and around Sylvan Lake why we couldn’t,” explained Waldo, who added the timing is good for the residents as well as the visitors coming back to the cottage areas.
The second reason is to be able to showcase the local businesses in and around Sylvan Lake.
Waldo says it is an opportunity for these businesses, services or clubs to showcase themselves, and share their story and what they do while bringing everyone, the local community and business community, together under one roof.
“It’s just reminding folks, now more than ever, how important local business is, not only to the people who run them because that is their livelihood, but also for us as a community,” said Waldo.
He added in a world on online transactions and ease you still “can never discount” the experience of shopping local.
“That thriving economic landscape is what we want for Sylvan Lake, not just during the summer months, but all year long, so I think that it’s good that we can have an opportunity to showcase these businesses but also for those residents to come and experience it for themselves,” Waldo said.
Waldo says the event is great for the whole family and he hopes the community will come out to meet some of the faces behind their local businesses.
“This is what they do on a day-to-day and I think as a community it is good that we support them,” said Waldo.
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