Almost spring
<p>Ray Souza, with Specialty Landscaping and Sprinklers, puts the finishing touches on a water feature Wednesday the company designed and built for the North Idaho Building Contractors Association Home & Garden Show that starts Friday.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - A hundred plus one. Four buildings and the grounds of the Kootenai County Fairgrounds will be the site of the 2010 North Idaho Building Contractors Home & Garden Show, coming Friday through Sunday, with 101 exhibitors offering displays of a wide variety of home improvement, decor and other items and services for the homeowner.
"I hope the weather holds," said Cassie Worth, executive officer of NIBCA. "It will be one of the nicest shows in recent years."
So far, that looks promising, with high temperatures hovering around 50 degrees and a slight chance of rain.
One of the first displays that will greet visitors will be the joint project of Specialty Landscaping, Aspen Nursery and The Edge Concrete Landscaping. On Wednesday they were busy building a large water feature in the Martin Britz Building near the north entrance.
"We were here at 4 this morning," said Ray Souza, Specialty Landscaping owner. The display will take two days to build, then be taken down. It will include a 7,200 gallon-per-hour fountain surrounded by dozens of plants.
The Edge curbing around the display will be illuminated with rope lights.
"That will make it cool and pretty," said Edge owner Denny Legaspi.
There will be a good representation of the home improvement industry, with an emphasis on going green.
Signs of an early spring have vendors optimistic for a good year.
About half the market these days is new work, the other half improvements, Souza said.
Everyone who comes through the gate will be given a treasure map that can be taken to different booths for stamping, and one lucky person will win a large tree, delivered and planted within reasonable range, courtesy of Grace Tree Service, Scott Ross, committee chairman said.
Each paid admission will get a ticket for a drawing for a big-screen TV, with additional tickets for sale.
Unlike previous years, when coupons were circulated throughout the city offering $1 off admission, this year the $5 admission charge will be reduced by that amount for anyone bringing in a nonperishable item for the food bank. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free.
The show runs from 1-7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
See inside today's Press for a full program of information and map of vendor sites and other details.