The organizers of the biennial Redvers and District Oil Showcase expect to have a strong show that will appeal to the public.
Jasmin Carlton, who is the economic development officer for the Town of Redvers and the RM of Antler, said they had filled all of their outdoor booths and most of their indoor spots. They have also confirmed the details for the banquet taking place the first night of the show.
This year鈥檚 showcase will be May 12 and 13. Doors will be open from noon to 4 p.m. the first day, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the second.
The indoor booths will be located inside the Redvers Sports Arena. They can accommodate up to 92 exhibitors, and as of the afternoon of April 18, they had 89 reserved.
Outdoor exhibits will be in the area surrounding the sports arena. They have 36 outdoor exhibitors, and Carlton said they couldn鈥檛 handle another outdoor display. The outdoor exhibits will include semi-trucks and some of the other larger items.
She is pleased that interest in the show remains high, despite the downturn in the economy since the last show in 2014.
鈥淲e are super excited that people are still coming to our event,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it gives us a testament to how well our event is run, and everything we have to offer. We can鈥檛 wait to have everyone come back.鈥�
There will be a variety of booths at the show. Some of them are appearing for the first time, and should give the show a different look.
鈥淲e have everything from accountants who can help the smaller oilfield companies grow their business and take care of the stressful part of owning a business from the accounting aspect. And we have some of the larger companies that are coming back,鈥� said Carlton.
A banquet will happen the first night at the curling rink. Cocktails will be at 5 p.m., supper is at 6 p.m. and the keynote speakers, Bernie and Sheila Inman, will deliver their speech at 7 p.m.
鈥淏ernie Inman was critically injured in a job site incident and given little chance of survival,鈥� said Carlton.
He suffered burns to more than 70 per cent of his body, and was rendered a quadriplegic. But he survived the incident.
鈥淗e and his wife Sheila are now a critically-acclaimed safety and motivational speaking team,鈥� said Carlton. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be highlighting safety as well as positivity and sharing their life experiences with everyone who is in attendance.鈥�
Networking opportunities will happen after the Inmans finish speaking.
Some tickets are still available for the supper.
The event organizers still need to finalize the location for all the exhibitors and print the programs. They will also have to set everything up the day of the show.
Carlton said they expect to have between 800 and 1,000 people in attendance, but the turnout will be dependent on whether farmers are seeding and if the weather co-operates.
