Home & Garden begins Saturday

After months of cold, blustery winter weather menacing western and central Nevada, residents are ready to open the windows and bloom like the flowers and plants that dot their properties.

If it is spring, then it’s the annual Soroptimist Home, Garden and Recreation Show at the Fallon Convention Center.

Back for its 13th year at the Fallon Convention Center, the show features many businesses ready to show people how they can spruce up the yard or add improvements to the house, such as new flooring or a new look in the bathroom.

Hours on Saturday are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Event chairwoman Marcia Vinson said she is hopeful the warm weather predicted for this weekend will be a boost for the show.

While attendance was good last year, hovering near the 2,000-person mark, Vinson said the show not only attracts people from the Fallon-Fernley area but also from the outlaying communities of Lovelock and Hawthorne and people from Reno-Sparks and Carson City.

High gas prices tend to keep people near Fallon, she said, but when it comes to seeing new ideas for home improvement, Vinson said people may drive that extra mile.

Vinson said interest from vendors is always high, and while some vendors from the previous year or two will not be at this year’s show, Vinson said other vendors are there to take their place.

“We have some energy-related vendors this year, such as solar,” Vinson said.

Overall, though, Vinson said vendors are pleased with the Soroptimist Home, Garden and Recreation Show, and so are the attendees, who have the opportunity to speak with specialists about their products. For example, someone interested in plants or trees may talk to a representative either from the Flower Tree or J & K Llamas nurserys.

As with each year’s show, Vinson said people will learn of many home improvement ideas that deal with bathroom makeovers and remodeling.

During previous Home and Garden shows, Vinson said people have kept both the Flower Tree and J & K Llamas busy with questions about the right type of plants for this year as well as growing suggestions.

She said River Bend Turf will also attend its first Home and Garden show.

Another longtime vendor at the show is Dream Spas and Pools, which features its line of hot tubs and spas.

Not only does the show feature vendors showing their products, but it also includes food vendors and recreation boots.

Vinson said food vendors will be on hand to curb people’s appetites, while recreation-based vendors will discuss their respective programs. She said recreation was added about seven years ago to diversity the show.

Vinson said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for example, brings posters and information about its annual Spring Wings show, which is in May. Banner Churchill Community Hospital and its auxiliary, said Vinson, always sets up a display.

As with any show for the family, Vinson said there is something for attendees of all ages such as 4-H kids showing their animals in preparation of the Junior Livestock Show the following weekend; Kaia F.I.T talking about women’s fitness; the Pampered Chef & Tupperware displaying kitchen items; the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension displaying educational materials on growing in Churchill County; Salishas Delicious selling organic seeds and talking about organic gardening; CC Communications will be highlighting its man programs.

According to Vinson, the Home and Garden show is a community service with admission and parking both free.

The Fallon chapter of Soroptimist International is a nonprofit organization focused on the betterment of women’s lives, and money derived from the 13th annual Home and Garden show goes to service projects and scholarships.