April 9, 2012

This year's Home & Garden Show will be "biggest yet"

 STAFF REPORTS

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CENTRE — If you're into home décor, maintaining your own lawn, or planting a vegetable garden—just to name a few springtime hobbies—you may want to make plans to swing by the Cherokee Arena sometime Friday or Saturday.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Thereasa Hulgan is just about willing to guarantee you won't be disappointed with what you find waiting for you.

“This is going to be our biggest year yet,” Hulgan said Friday, with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. “We've got the arena floor, the concourse and outside all filled with vendors.”

The two-day Cherokee County Home & Garden Show kicks off Friday at noon, with a host of vendors supplying lunchtime treats.

Hulgan said the show got so big that the Chamber has decided to set up a stage on the arena floor, as well.

“We're going to have two shows a day, beginning Friday at noon with Meteorologist Mark Prater from Channel 42 in Birmingham,” Hulgan said.

She said Prater will have someone from the National Weather Service with him to speak and answer questions. They will also demonstrate how to program weather radios, which will be on sale at the show.

“Dean's Pharmacy will have weather radios for sale at the Paul Davis exhibit on the concourse,” Hulgan said.

A spokesman for the Centre location of Paul Davis Restoration, which is sponsoring Prater's visit, said the Chamber approached them about adding Prater to the Home and Garden Show.

“We had been planning to have him come to Centre to do a weather awareness event at our office,” said Paul Davis co-owner Kevin Green. “The Chamber had been planning something similar so we agreed to join together and do it at the Home and Garden Show.”

A regional clothing chain with a soon-to-open store in Centre is also a part of this year's show, Hulgan said.

“Friday at 3:30 p.m. Goody's of Centre will be putting on a fashion show,” Hulgan said.

Also Friday, Rome Braves mascots Romie and Roxie will be on-hand at noon to have their pictures made with the kids.

On Saturday, Prudence Hillburn, former spokeswoman for the Pillsbury Company, will take the stage at 10 a.m.

“She will put on a cooking demonstration,” Hulgan said. “After that, at 3:30 on Saturday, we'll have Dr. Tina Jennings and her mother. They grow exotic roses.”

There is no admission charge to attend the Home and Garden Show. Hulgan encouraged visitors to drive to the back of the Gadsden State campus, where there will be a tractor show and plenty of extra parking.