The CN Roundhouse and Conference Centre will be packed to the gills with exhibitors for the first-ever Sea to Sky Travel Fair on Saturday (April 2).
Forty-seven different exhibitors will strut their stuff at the fair and organizer Eric Armour said he was pretty surprised with the interest and response from the local business community.
"We only had 52 spots to begin with, so for us to get this much interest for a first-time event is great," he said. "We're pretty psyched about it. We weren't really sure what the response would be, but it's been better than we expected."
According to Armour, businesses wasted no time in signing up for the event, with Glacier Air, Whistler Fly Fishing and Tourism Whistler jumping on board almost straight out of the gate.
"As soon as we started getting the word out about the fair, a bunch of businesses jumped on really quick," he said. "They all thought it was a totally good idea and we've even attracted some bigger travel companies like Contiki Tours and Omega Tours."
The fair has attracted the interest of a wide variety of businesses. From Squamish, attractions such as Chances Boardwalk Casino to international travel planning companies such as Safari Studios are on board. Armour said the fair is designed to have something for everyone, giving local small businesses such as Bean on the Go Espresso the chance to rub shoulders with some of the big boys and girls.
The mission of the fair is simple: to allow companies to show off what the Sea to Sky region has to offer and give a chance for interested attendees to connect and collaborate with local businesses.
But the fair is not going to simply be a bunch of booths and brochures. There will be several activities to keep the entire family entertained. Two different sport demonstrations will be featured, as the slacklining community and the Acrobag group will both get a chance to show off their unique way of having fun.
For those not familiar with slacklining, it's a balance sport that uses nylon webbing tensioned between two anchor points. Slacklining is distinct from tightrope walking in that the line is not held rigidly taut, but is dynamic, stretching and bouncing like a long, narrow trampoline. The line's tension can be adjusted to suit the user and different types of dynamic webbing can be used to achieve a variety of feats. Local "Slackers" will show off their stuff throughout the day, and novices young and old will have a chance to try out the sport.
People of all ages will also get a chance to try out the Acrobag. Locals might remember the large, soft airbag from the 2010 Santa Claus Parade, but it should be a dryer experience for those participating. The adjustable crane will be present at the fair and it's a great opportunity for locals to fight their fears and jump in a completely safe environment.
Admission to the fair is free and all are encouraged to attend. The Sea to Sky Fair is scheduled to take place Saturday (April 2) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and everyone attending (of legal age) is invited to the after party, which takes place at Chances Casino.
For more information on the fair, visit www.seatoskytravelfair.com.
