Canada Blooms Exhibitor Newsletter January 2011

An exclusive peek at Canada Blooms the Flower & Garden Festival

March 16-20, 2011

Consumers consider Canada Blooms the unofficial start to Spring, an opportunity to leave the long, cold winter behind and think about the all the garden and outdoor projects they have planned for the upcoming season. The excitement around Canada Blooms 15th Anniversary, and partnership with the JUNO Awards 40th Anniversary celebration is sure to attract huge media attention.

Exhibitors, capitalize on this exciting opportunity to receive your best return on investmen!. Here are 4 great ways to bring even more attention to you, your company and your brand.

New Products Showcase

The New Products Showcase is the perfect venue for exhibitors and garden builders to promote their new and innovative gardening, landscaping and outdoor products to thousands interested consumers looking for the next exciting thing! If you have a new product you would like to showcase contact Gilles Bouchard, Market Place Manager with all the details so that we can help you reach your buyers and gain media attention.

Sponsorship Opportunities
Having an exhibitor booth is a great way to bring exposure to your company, providing you with an opportunity to meet thousands of visitors face-to-face during the festival. But, being a Sponsor will bring your company or brand to a whole new level with even more exposure before, during and after the event. Canada Blooms has continually delivered a quality experience to our Exhibitors, Feature Garden Builders, Presenters and Consumers. We can tailor a sponsorship package to fit your marketing needs. Click here to view some of the sponsorships we have available or contact Gerry Ginsberg, Sponsorship Manager for more details.

Canada Bloom Show Guide

There is still time to advertise in the official Show Guide of Canada Blooms. The Show Guide is double flip magazine format —
two magazines in one. This is attractive marketing piece that many of our consumers look for and keep well after the show to use as a handy reference guide. The January 31st deadline is fast approaching, contact Steve Moyer today to book your ad space. Click here to view a rate card.

Special Section in the Toronto Star
Canada Blooms is working with the Toronto Star to create a special section for Saturday March 12th paper dedicated to Canada Blooms 2011. Stand out from the crowd by advertising in an exclusive section that will reach hundreds of thousands of readers. For more information click here or contact Nicole Turner of the Toronto Star.

Your booth is the perfect opportunity for your company, and staff, to meet your customers face-to-face and reach new customers. So how do you get them into your booth? An exhibit booth isn’t enough, you need to also be appealing, to get their attention. Buyers want to enjoy the whole experience of Canada Blooms and that means you need to create an attractive and inviting booth.

Booth decorations are very important, they get people interested and they bring people to see what you have to offer, but make sure you do not put too many decorations in or it will look too busy and uninviting. Make sure that you have plenty of floral/plant material, preferably colourful and with a scent that is not too overpowering. Make sure that your booth is not overcrowded so that people are not afraid to come in and view you products — sometimes it is worth taking extra space if it brings more consumers your way. Above all, make sure you have an attentive, friendly, knowledgeable staff — they are the face of your company, and what customers will remember.
Also, make sure that you have completed and returned all necessary supplier forms by the due dates in order to save you time and money. If you need floral/plant material for the show, contact Charlie Dobbin for a plant order form. Canada Blooms would be happy to provide exhibitors with $4 off coupons for distribution to your customers through direct mail or at your place of business — this is a great opportunity to invite your best customers to come out to the Festival.

Canada Blooms’ out of town visitors can take advantage of our special Canada Blooms room rate at the festival’s host hotel, the Hyatt Regency Toronto on King – 370 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1J9. Located in the centre of the city’s vibrant downtown, the Hyatt, is just steps from the business, financial and entertainment districts, and over 150 restaurants and bars. The Canada Blooms rate is $138.00 – Single/Double. For reservations book online before March 2, 2011.

Thursday, March 17th is the night that Canada Blooms honours all the good work the landscape industry does with a special awards ceremony, brought to you courtesy of Hub Sinclair Cockburn. If you are a member of Landscape Ontario and would like to obtain a ticket for this event, contact Kathleen Pugliese, of if you are interested in sponsoring a feature garden award; contact Gerry Ginsberg for more details.

Canada Blooms Tickets are available for purchase online, the Canada Blooms Head Office or at various outlets selling tickets. If you would like to sell tickets at your place of business, join the Consignment Ticket Program and we will list your company on our website as a ticket outlet. Contact Lisa Pascoe or call 416-447-8655 ext. 21 for more details. If you are a Landscape Ontario Member contact Kathleen Pugliese or call 1-800-265-5656 ext. 309 for special ticket offers.

Don’t miss the Canada Blooms Preview Party Reception,
Tuesday, March 15th 6:30-9:30! This year the Marketplace will be closed during the festivities so that exhibitors can also join in the fun. The Preview Party is a chance to get a first look at Canada Blooms before the opening rush, enjoy hosted tours of the Feature Gardens and special creative floral demonstrations on the main stage throughout the evening. Thrill to the exciting pageantry of Cirque de Soleil as they perform throughout the evening. Experience a salute to the JUNO Awards 40th Anniversary, including the JUNO ‘Rocks’ Gardens, JUNO Glam tribute to the JUNO Awards through the ages and a very special performance by JUNO winner Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Enjoy all of this as you take part in wine sampling courtesy of Vincor Canada. What an evening!

Tickets for exhibitors are special discounted priced at $50 for the first 4 tickets (per 10×10 to a max of 8) and $75 for each additional ticket, click here for an order form.

Canada Blooms was founded by the Garden Club of Toronto and Landscape Ontario