With plenty of trade shows happening around Regina, people can do their Christmas shopping at the trade shows while supporting local vendors.
The Santa’s Workshop trade show took place at Regina’s Hungarian Club last Sunday and was one of the few trade shows that kicked off the Christmas shopping season. Thirty-five vendors displayed their crafts and handmade products at this trade show.
Bath bombs, crocheted goods, woodworks and paintings were what some of the vendors had to offer.
“It’s nice to be able to craft a product at home, bring it out and see the people to whom you’re selling the items and get immediate feedback,” said Christopher Southworth, one of the vendors for Katydid Bath Co.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down many in-person events for the past two years so local vendors couldn’t wait to showcase their products and make sales in this shopping season. Tess Boehm, the owner and event organizer at TotallyTess, an event planning company, said there are more trade shows happening compared to 2019 and 2020.
Boehm said she is really excited to be able to organize events again.
“Our local businesspeople are our neighbours or friends or relatives and we need to support those around us first,” said Boehm. “Everybody here has had business challenges in the last three years, and this is a way to give them some business back.”
Shoppers were happy to attend and cross off a few gift items from their shopping list. Vendors seemed pleased with the event’s turnout.
“I’m from a small town and we did all kinds of things like this, so this is my small-town thing,” said Josie Haswell, one of the shoppers. She attends trade shows for “the friendly people and the homemade stuff.”
While it’s important to support our local businesses during the holiday season, attendees believe it’s vital to support them year-round as well.
“There’s more heart and more thought behind these individual works as opposed to the mass-produced things,” said Jacquelyn Acaster, one of the vendors for Blue Dragon Creations.
Many vendors believed that if customers only support the larger corporations, the small local businesses will eventually fall through and shut down one by one.
“It’s great to support someone and be a source to their income,” said Eliza Cortez, who attended the Santa’s Workshop to help her sister with her first trade show of the season.
Regina has the most trade shows this season, but there will be trade shows happening in smaller Saskatchewan towns as well.
“We head into Moose Jaw next weekend and the weekend after that we are in Moosomin,” said Boehm.
Boehm will host her first trade show for vendors with intellectual disabilities on Dec. 5 at the Hungarian Club.
Besides the trade shows organized by Boehm, most of Regina’s elementary schools and cultural clubs will host their own special fundraising trade shows during the Christmas shopping season.
