Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show held near Woodstock, Ont., made a successful return as an in-person event earlier this month, following a two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19.
The three-day show, held Sept. 13-15, attracted nearly 45,000 visitors, said COFS president Doug Wagner.
“It was an absolute success,” Wagner said.
“We were right on our best attendance ever….”
According to Wagner, pent-up demand to attend outdoor farm events contributed to the strong attendance numbers.
Co-operative weather and a “generally optimistic” mood among producers in Ontario also helped to make the event a success.
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“(After) not having the show for two years, I think a whole lot of people missed that opportunity to meet their friends and they missed having that base that they use to buy goods and services for their farms ….”
Although attendance numbers were strong, the number of exhibitors at this year’s show was down by approximately 10 percent, Wagner acknowledged.
“There were definitely some visible gaps in the show, but I’m anticipating that next year, we’ll have those filled in again.”
Supply-chain issues that affected inventories prompted some exhibitors to down-size their displays or to forego the show completely.
Nonetheless, show organizers are confident that those issues will be resolved and that exhibitor numbers will return to normal in 2023.
“We had quite a few exhibitors that decided to step back this year,” Wagner said.
Some manufacturers downsized their advertising and marketing budgets because they’re still not sure if they can supply products within a time frame that’s acceptable to buyers.
“I think those supply chain issues are starting to change now,” Wagner said, when asked about product inventories.
“We’re starting to see car lots fill up again and some of the farm machinery dealership lots are starting to fill up again with some inventory.”
Despite challenges, Wagner described this year’s show as a success that will continue to gain momentum.
“This was a unique chance for farmers to see equipment in action, right in the field, and have in-person interactions once again,” he said.
The COFS event offers manufacturers and exhibitors an opportunity to connect with potential clients at a 100-acre outdoor show site.
This year’s event featured demonstrations of new technologies and the latest products.
Featured demonstrations this year included helicopter spraying, straw chopper performance, drone capabilities, and skid steer test drives.
The 2022 show also attracted large crowds to Livestock Central, which included the TD Dairy Producer Pavilion, the Grober Nutrition Livestock Pavilion, the Dairy Innovation Centre and exhibits of the latest products and technologies in the dairy, beef, goat and sheep industries.
The show is owned by Glacier FarmMedia, which also owns The Western Producer.
