By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Early last year, Fred Cline admits he was concerned the economy might bite into booth rentals for this year’s Fort Wayne Farm Show.

It turns out he didn’t need to worry, as booth rentals for the 21st annual show were sold out by July 2009.

“That was very early for us. It actually surprised me because with the economy, we had no idea what to expect,” said Cline, a show director with Tradexpos, which produces the annual trade show. “We’ve been very fortunate the last few years.”

The Fort Wayne Farm Show is Jan. 12-14 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. About 32,000-38,000 people are expected to attend.

“The show is always a great opportunity for farmers to come in, talk to seed dealers, equipment dealers, and get their questions answered,” Cline said. “There’s an excellent variety of displays, and it’s easy for people to get their questions answered by the local dealers and manufacturers’ reps.”

While most of the show’s 900 booths will be rented by returning exhibitors, there will be 20-30 new to the show this year, Cline said.
“We always have a very high retention, though we usually also have some changes each year,” he said. “The show has found its niche. We don’t set out to be entertainment. We lean more toward being educational.”

The show provides a strong boost to the city’s economy, said Dan O’Connell, president and CEO of the Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“The farm show is one of the top trade shows that we get,” O’Connell said. “People like the fact that in the dead of winter, they can come to Fort Wayne, a decent-sized metro area, and kick the tires and talk shop with others in the industry. Fort Wayne is a very convenient, safe and accessible community.”

The economic impact of the show on the community is $750,000-$1 million, based on the spending of about 40,000 attendees and more than 400 exhibitors, he said. Those figures don’t include additional expenditures, such as by Tradexpos to produce the show, and the value of the printing, marketing and advertising.
“Hosting a show of this quality enables our city to position itself as a leading destination in the Midwest for agribusiness with our region’s farmers, distributors and suppliers, that is also important to our city center for commerce,” O’Connell said.

Visitors to this year’s show will notice improvements in the Expo Center, said Nathan J. Dennison, coordinator of marketing & media services at the coliseum. In 2009, the Expo Center’s 20th anniversary, a multimillion-dollar renovation included improvements to acoustics, lighting, sound and two concession stands.

“The farm show is one of our longest-running events,” Dennison said. “The show has been in the Expo Center every year since it opened.”

The show also helps coliseum staff to promote upcoming events.
“If you walk through the parking lot, you see vehicles from all over. We also have signage for upcoming events, such as sporting events, concerts and other trade shows. One show helps bring people back to the coliseum for something else,” he pointed out.
The show 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 coliseum lots.

Tradexpos, headquartered in Austin, Minn., has been producing farm shows for more than 25 years. It also produces shows in Wichita and Topeka, Kan., and Owatonna, Minn.