Cochrane’s green thumbs showed up in force for the third annual Gardening Expo of the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee on April 26 at the Cochrane Lions Legacy Centre.
Chair Mark Denton says just shy of 700 people attended the four-hour event, rebounding from about 550 last year and nearly matching the expo’s first-year turnout.
“We were pretty happy,” he said, noting a spring snowfall could have kept people home.
“When I saw snow in the morning, I thought this could go one of two ways. All the gardeners are going to say, ‘well there goes another gardening day, so I might as well go down to CEAS or sit at home and sulk.’ And I think we won out on the ‘what else can we do today’ decision, because a lot of folks came down.”
People are marking the date on their calendars
Now in its third year, Denton says the last-Sunday-in-April event is starting to build expectations in the community as an annual fixture. Vendors were also pleased with the turnout, with the expo keeping table fees low and directing proceeds to the Cochrane and Area Horticultural Society.
RELATED STORIES
The workshops were well attended. Cochrane Now/Noel Edey
Workshops and guest speakers — now a staple in the upstairs lounge — focused on topics like food security, pollinators, soil health and regenerative yard care. Denton says organizers aim to change up topics annually, feature local experts whenever possible and often recruit future speakers directly from vendor booths.
“I try to do as much advance work as possible so we’re not scrambling at the last minute,” he said, adding he’s already spoken to one potential speaker for next year’s show.
Community focus remains at the core
Hosted by the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee, the expo is part of the group’s broader effort to reinvest in the community.
“The emphasis for us is building community around gardening,” Denton said. “It’s such a non-threatening activity, it’s apolitical, and we’re just happy to see people coming out and creating that connection between vendors and the community.”
Sponsoring events like this are made possible by revenue generated by CEAC at the Cochrane Farmers’ Market. The upcoming Branches and Banks community tree planting, now in its 28th year, is another.
Comments are closed.