The Spring Trade Show is hitting the city of Yellowknife this weekend, and with nearly 200 local booths, it promises to be the quintessential place to buy local this Mother’s Day weekend.
Executive Director Matt Halliday told True North FM on Friday that the tradeshow has 183 different booths set up this year, featuring businesses and organizations from across the territories and beyond.
Halliday said the show has long been a popular event in Yellowknife and in previous years has attracted over 5,000 people over its two-day span.
The tradeshow is a popular event for Yellowknifers for many reasons, including almost endless opportunities to learn about local businesses and organizations, said Halliday.
It’s also known as a good place to network if you are interested in working or volunteering at a specific company or organization.
The tradeshow has been going on for over 50 years. And each year, the show attracts huge crowds, which makes it a good opportunity for businesses and organizations to get on the radar and interconnect with other businesses and with community members more broadly.
Folks come because it’s a great “mix” of so many different kinds of opportunities. “Whatever it is that they’re interested in. There’s probably something at the trade show for them,” said Halliday.
And there are quite a lot of new businesses this year, said Halliday.
“There’s definitely a variety of businesses that have been here many, many years as well as new local businesses.’
“It’s just a collection of businesses and organizations, some are from Yellowknife, some are from Northern Alberta and Edmonton and around N.W.T.
The tradeshow food court will feature local vendors cooking up everything from the guilty pleasures of mini doughnuts to health-buff friendly booster juices.
Local businesses and organizations are giving out freebies as well as running exciting contests for big prizes like patio furniture and even cars.
Organizations like Stanton Territorial Hospital are back and hosting raffles with big prizes, all in the name of a good cause.
Halliday said Auroroa College’s teddy bear hospital is back again this year, which is a popular highlight of the show, especially for youth.
It’s a place where you can get in on some VR gaming activities and then walk a few steps away to another booth where the Co-op hosts classic carnival-style spin-wheel games.
Halliday said admission is $5 per person, $20 per family, with admission free for children three years of age and under. The tradeshow is open Saturday and Sunday this weekend, beginning at 10 am with doors closing at 5:00 pm on Saturday and 4:00 pm Sunday.
The event will take place at the Multiplex on Kam Lake Road and is hosted by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.
