Home, Sport and Travel Show returns after 2-year absence – Bemidji Pioneer
BEMIDJI — The Sanford Center was buzzing on Thursday as vendors were setting up their booths for the 43rd Bemidji Jaycees’ Home, Sport and Travel Show. It’s the first time since 2019 that the show will be held.
“Everybody knows that once the Home, Sport and Travel Show happens, spring is around the corner and it’s just a great opportunity to showcase our local businesses in town,” said Jaycee member Eva Fisher.
The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Sanford Center. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for ages 6-17. Children 5 and younger will be admitted free.
One of the returning vendors from 2019 is Lance Schilling, owner of Schilling Landscaping of Bemidji. He said his 11-year-old business has been busier than ever during the pandemic.
“The last two years have been great,” Schilling said. “COVID has actually helped our business tremendously. I hate to say that, but people haven’t been traveling so they’re spending money at home.”
Schilling expects to get a gauge on this year’s work while visiting with attendees this weekend.
“With the economy, inflation and all that, we’ll see how that affects things this year,” he said. “People still might not want to travel. They might want to spend their money elsewhere or they might just want to hang on to it. Landscaping is kind of a luxury in some ways.”
Community Resource Connections, an organization serving the needs of nonprofits in a four-county area, will be a vendor at the show for the first time. It will represent 58 community service agencies. When CRC was formed in 1996, Ruth Sherman was its only employee, and it served 18 agencies.
Dennis Doeden / Bemidji Pioneer
Sherman, executive director of CRC, said the task this weekend is straightforward.
“Our hope is simply to get people to see the services that are available,” she said, “and if there’s something they’re interested in, to pick up literature and help themselves. We’re not selling anything other than information.”
The Jaycees are hoping folks are ready to get back out and hit their rite-of-spring event.
“As events are happening more, we anticipate a lot of people from the community coming through and making those relationships and connections with the businesses here,” Fisher said.