The city played host to its flagship trade show over the weekend for the 20th year, as the annualEstevan Business Expo Showcase attracted thousands.
About 100 businesses set up booths at Affinity Place beginning last Friday. The arena was packed to the brim with nine more exhibitors setting up shop on the main event floor this year than last. Exhibitors also set up in the Icon Centre and in front of the Estevan Leisure Centre.
Showcase is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club and Rotary Club of Estevan.
With 20 years under its belt, Showcase has become an event that people look forward to and come to expect each year, said Michel Cyrenne, executive director of the Chamber.
"It's a September staple. It's something that we certainly enjoy being a part of. We have a couple of great groups to work with," he said. "It's good to have that annual event that people know about, that people are excited about."
Showcase usually draws a few thousand people through the gate each year. This year saw roughly 2,700 people attend, down from 3,200 last year.
Some booths draw more of a crowd than others, and the lights and sounds around the water speakers were a particular draw.
Tommy Nagel of Redfern Enterprises, which has a number of booths at the event, was in a booth featuring a speaker system and light show combination. Nagel has been to Showcase in the Energy City three times before.
"Estevan is up and coming and it's a growing city. There's a good crowd that comes out to the show here," said Nagel. "I notice a lot of repeat people who I've met from years past."
Redfern is a trade show company that markets new products at conventions across Western Canada. He was showing off water speakers to Estevan crowds over the weekend.
"They simulate a light show like in Vegas, but the reality is, there's no water in there. It's just mineral oil," he said, noting that water steams up and freezes. "This is baby oil so it stays (the way it is) indefinitely."
Pumps inside the speakers shoot water up inside the clear plastic speaker to the beat of the music, and the different coloured lights streamed through the water then reflect off of walls and ceilings.
"They're a lot of fun, and everybody loves them," said Nagel, who guessed the new gadget would be a very popular item come the holiday shopping season.
Lorna Lachambre stood behind the Envision Counselling and Support Centre booth on Saturday, and said the organization appreciates Showcase as it gives them an opportunity to inform the community about what they do. She said it's also a great platform for them to recruit volunteers, which they are always looking for.
Manning the Better Homes and Gardens booth, Josh LeBlanc said he was happy to see Showcase and the Collage Multicultural Festival happening at the same time and in one place.
Cyrenne said having Showcase and Collage lent the opportunity for people to attend both.
"If they're separate events, I don't know if you would get a larger crowd out to each," he said, noting they would like to see the impact of the events sharing a weekend.
As far as business attendance was concerned, about 20 per cent of the exhibitors come from within the community, a figure Cyrenne said he would like to double.
"Our intent at the Chamber of Commerce is to showcase the local business community. I think it would be great to see more local businesses."
He said he has spoken to some local entrepreneurs who call Showcase their single best marketing tool, even going so far as to call Showcase the 13th month of the year.
