1 week Ago By By Abiola Odutola
The Brandon Home and Leisure Show wrapped up Sunday afternoon at the Keystone Centre, closing out a weekend packed with creativity, community and practical inspiration for home enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! To continue reading, please subscribe: *$1 will be added to your next bill. After your 4 weeks access is complete your rate will increase by $4.99 a X percent off the regular rate.
The Brandon Home and Leisure Show wrapped up Sunday afternoon at the Keystone Centre, closing out a weekend packed with creativity, community and practical inspiration for home enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The Brandon Home and Leisure Show wrapped up Sunday afternoon at the Keystone Centre, closing out a weekend packed with creativity, community and practical inspiration for home enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. Since Friday, attendees from across the region had gathered to explore the latest in home improvement, leisure products, and design trends.
Among the many highlights, visual artist Katy Martin captured the attention of crowds with her educational session, Arrange and Hang Artwork — The Right Way. Visual artist Katy Martin educates guests on how to Arrange and Hang Artwork — The Right Way during the Brandon Home and Leisure Show on Sunday afternoon. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun) Martin, who shared tips on how to create balanced, eye-catching wall displays, spoke enthusiastically about her experience at the event.
“It’s fantastic,” she told the Sun, “I think it’s so great. It’s awesome to have so many entrepreneurs together in the building, and to be able to share knowledge directly with people who are excited about making their spaces better.” She explained it was genuinely pleasant to see people come, especially since she hadn’t thought there would be too many attending, adding a lot of people seemed to be facing similar challenges — for instance, not knowing why the things they were hanging didn’t quite look right, or sensing that something was off but not being sure what it was.
“It was nice to have the opportunity to explain a couple of the key things that people had been doing wrong,” she said. “I appreciate that moment of shared learning, as it helped to clear up some of the common mistakes and provided clarity for everyone involved.” For many attendees, the Brandon Home and Leisure Show was more than just an exhibition — it was a spark of inspiration to take home.
Sharing the exhibitor floor was Mitchell Poole, owner of Ray’s Fireplaces in Brandon, who was equally enthusiastic about the experience. Poole and his family have been attending the show for about 40 years, since he was a kid. “Our participation has been a tradition for our family and this year is the busiest for us since COVID,” he told the Sun.
“I think COVID had a big issue with people getting together for the last five years.” He added some attendees observed the show had become a little smaller over time. “People think it should be a little bit bigger,” he said.
“I believe now that the Provincial Exhibition has it, they’re going to try to get more people every year now.” This year’s edition was the first since the long-standing event transitioned from Display Manitoba to the stewardship of the Provincial Exhibition, president Clint Swain told the Sun on Friday. “We have between 90 and 100 vendors, spread across three rooms, and the variety of exhibitors ranges from home improvement products to recreational items like hot tubs and pools.
Most of our vendors are geared towards the home and leisure aspect of everyday life, with products ranging from backyard sheds to furniture, windows and blinds.” He added the show used to be the premier show of the year, with half of the Keystone Centre taken up. After COVID, it became harder to find vendors, as many struggled to staff their booths.
To address this, the new host has reduced vendor rates and entrance fees to bring people back. “We know it’s not going to be a quick fix; it’ll take a couple of years to build momentum again,” he said. » aodutola@brandonsun.
com » X: @AbiolaOdutola Advertisement Advertisement.
