By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Though it’s set in the city, the Fort Wayne Farm Show is generally geared to attract visitors from the rural and agricultural communities, organizers pointed out.
“Our exhibitors invest a lot to display at the show,” said Fred Cline, a show director for Tradexpos, which produces the annual trade show. “It’s a good opportunity for them to visit with people who are serious about looking and buying. The show keeps mostly regular business hours to attract a qualified (buying) crowd.”
The 22nd annual Fort Wayne Farm Show is Jan. 18-20 the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free, but there is a charge to park in the coliseum lots.
Show organizers don’t specifically ask visitors where they are from, but registrations for a grand prize drawing during a previous show gave some clues, Cline noted. Registrants came from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, but in looking at ZIP codes from the entry forms, the percentage from metropolitan areas was very small.
The farm show does probably draw some who don’t currently farm or work in the industry, said Greg Lake, director of the Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). The show’s educational seminars are sponsored by the northeastern Indiana SWCDs, along with Purdue University’s Cooperative Extension Service.
“You get a few curious onlookers, especially on Wednesday evenings,” Lake said. “Or, they come because their grandpa used to farm. They’re inquisitive. Because of that, on Wednesday evenings, we try to offer educational programs that are of interest to a broader audience. They might discuss pond management, which isn’t directly tied to agriculture.”
Last year’s show was one of the event’s best, Cline stated. The show typically draws in the mid- to upper 30,000s, and is one of the top five indoor agriculture shows in the country, he added.
“We’re in a unique situation. Equipment is brought in that dealerships couldn’t afford to have on display individually. Potential buyers can talk to their local dealers and manufacturers’ reps, all in one place. This just enhances what they’re doing at the local dealerships,” he said.
The show is popular with exhibitors, as the 900-booth event was sold out in August. The show has a 95 percent retention rate, and 65 companies are on the waiting list, Cline said.
“They’re expanding the building for 2014, and I’m confident we can fill that. We’ve used every square foot of space they’ve given us for quite a few years.”
The ability to talk to local dealers about equipment is a big part of the Fort Wayne show, Lake noted.
“This is an iron show. They can kick the tires and smell the paint. The displays are manned by the local dealers. You can ask them what they can do on the price and find out what they have available on the lot. You don’t get that at some of the bigger shows,” he explained.
The show also benefits the city and the area, he said.
“It’s a big economic draw to Fort Wayne because of the number of people who come or exhibit at the show. There may be more of an impact on non-agriculture than we think. It’s one of the top attended attractions at the coliseum. It’s a good-size regional show.”
This year, the Wheels of Yesteryear collection of antique tractors will again be on display. Here are some other highlights of next week’s show:
•New this year are CPR classes, offered by the St. Joseph Fire Department
•This year’s grand prize drawing will be for a Suzuki Ozark 250 ATV, courtesy of Woodson Motorsports, located at 436 East Washington Blvd. in Fort Wayne
•In support of Indiana’s FFA Scholarship Foundation, a fundraising auction is scheduled for 1 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday, featuring a variety of donated items
Tradexpos, headquartered in Austin, Minn., also produces farm shows in Wichita and Topeka, Kan., and Owatonna, Minn. |
