Step into Spring Tradeshow sees shoppers venture the weather for vendors

Even as the snow plowed back into southern Saskatchewan, some still chose to step outside for a favoured tradeshow.

The 'Step into Spring Tradeshow' is a hallmark for Swift Current residents this time of year. Snow or no snow, thousands of individuals headed over to the Stockade building in Kinetic Park to pursue deals, find fresh looks and try the newest trends on the market. 

Helping organize and operate Step into Spring was Megan Muri, the events coordinator for the Swift Current Ag & Ex, who could be seen helping out with various roles the day of the show. 

Megan Muri, who helped make sure everything went off without a hitch this year's show. (photo by Hayden Michaels)

"There's a couple of jewellers, lots of clothing, western boutiques," informed Muri. "We have different companies selling stuff like Tupperware, Amari, lots of home renovations, outdoor and indoors."

Anyone who made it out Friday or Saturday was treated to close to 70 vendors offering various goods. Some were helping folks start gardening early with plants and yard care goods. Others could be seen with fashionable statements. Others still had hot tubs and other yard implements. 

One of the biggest things was the 'Sip and Shop', which allowed different breweries and alcoholic vendors to sell drinks while shoppers wandered about the show. This only lasted on the first day of the event, with Saturday seeing liquor vendors being limited to selling their wares within a specific area and shoppers who enjoyed their products also having to stay within those limits with an open beverage. 

"Honestly, the sip and shop was kind of the highlight for me," said Muri. "It was something new that we tried this year, and all the vendors seemed pretty happy with it, and everybody's kind of excited for something new. "

To be clear, Friday's show was only for people 19 and up. 

By the end of the show, Muri estimated that they were only barely below their pre-pandemic levels of attendance by the public, which she figures has an apparent cause.

"We're maybe not at our pre-covid numbers just yet, because of the weather mostly," said Muri. "But I would say over a couple of thousand people [have come] through over the last day and a half."

Nevertheless, this year will tally among the many successes the Swift Current Ag & Ex has hosted. Next year, if the snow can keep to reasonable levels, they can finally break back into pre-pandemic levels of fun, shopping, and community turnout. 

Image gallery courtesy of Ally Paige.