Festival/Event Rating ~ Canada Blooms

You can always tell that spring is just around the corner after visiting Canada Blooms in March. This event is the harbinger of bright sunny days and of rejuvenation! The event is held at Toronto's Direct Energy Centre located on the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) grounds. Once inside the building it's almost impossible to know where to look! There is so much to see! We visited Canada Blooms with our friends Barb and Laurence Stephenson. Barb, an avid gardener, had volunteered at past shows, so she was able to show us around. Part of the show is made up of spectacular displays ~ floral and landscape, while the other part is made up of hundreds of vendors offering an array of products and ideas. The event is laid out in such a way that a visitor can enjoy just the display or the whole show. In 2012 Canada Blooms and the National Home Show are joining together to form the largest Home & Garden Show in North America.

Website Link - Canada Blooms - visit Canada Blooms!

Ontario Festivals Visited Article Link - Canada Blooms

Event Advertising & Promotion  – Rating 5

As you might expect, the promotion of Canada Blooms was top notch. Their website was complete, easy to navigate and informative. Event promotion included radio and television commercials along with newspaper ads. Because of the size and scope of the event, organizers were able to attract plenty of media coverage. One aspect that Judi and I thought well done, was the handouts given at the entrance.

Curb Appeal - Rating 5

If you are going to have an event in Toronto, you can't beat the CNE. They have excellent buildings, especially the Direct Energy Centre and lots of parking (we parked conveniently in the underground parking area). Just outside the show, visitors could check their winter coats at numerous "Coat Checks". As we walked into the show, we were greeted by recognizable show personnel who handed out "bags of goodies". Considering the type and expanse of the show and where it is located, the cost to visit Canada Blooms is great value.

Festival Site & Activities - Rating 5

It's difficult to describe in words the entrance to the show! Breathtaking does not do it justice! The designers of the entrance take a great deal of pride, each year, to made the entrance even better than the year before! Once inside, the visual experience continues! It was amazing to watch our friend Laurence, an enthusiastic photographer, flit from floral display to floral display. It was like watching a worker bee pollinating all the flowers in a garden! Once we had passed through the floral displays, it was on to the landscaping displays. More eye "candy". The great part of the show that is completely accessible for all. The layout was well thought-out and easy to manoeuvers, event with the crowds. There were plenty of resting spaces for us "old folks" to "sit and rest a spell". After the landscaping displays, came Canada Blooms' Marketplace. I am pretty sure that anything you wanted, that had to do with flowers or landscaping, you could find amongst the sea of unique vendors. Another great aspect of the show was that it didn't exclude kids from enjoying the event. There were a number of "kid friendly" areas where children of all ages could roam and discover. Event the food was well placed and there was a good variety offered.

Festival Theme – Rating 5

The theme and the timing of Canada Blooms is excellent. March is a month where we Canadian start to get restless for spring and the warmer weather! This event is a perfect entry way to "April showers bring May flowers".

Final Thoughts - Overall Rating  5

As you can see from all of the ratings, Judi and I thought that this was one of the best events visited last year and perhaps ever. The event was well organized and fun to walk through and discover. Canada Blooms' division of displays versus marketplace offers visitors the choice of just enjoying the "prelude to spring" or "jumping in with both feet" and buying all the neat things necessary to make your property the best it can be! The show also includes lots of opportunities to learn, as the it offers a number of "Special Events", featuring Canada's top experts. If you and your garden are in need of a "spring tune-up", this is the show for you!

NOTE ~ A word of caution, however, the rating and evaluation are the "opinions" of the writers and don’t necessarily reflect those of the readers. Also, we do not attend an event for its entire duration. Our visits are only a “snap shot in time”. We would encourage readers to “discover” each event for themselves. Whatever you decide, remember that Ontario festivals and events are the best and so are their event organizers and their volunteers. Anything can determine how an event appears at any given time ~ weather, time, unforeseen circumstances, etc. Always keep an open mind and if you have a suggestion or concern about an event, let the organizers know. They will appreciate your input.

(Next Week ~ Elmira Maple Syrup Festival)