Environmental Expo Discussion

Based on the discussion from the March meeting, Staff compiled a list of the ideas relating to possible vendors or concepts for this year's expo event, which is attached.  Also, Staff has created a tentative layout of the exhibitor space within the 120' by 40' tent, which is also attached.  Essentially, within the tent, there will be space for twenty-three (23) exhibitors.  This incorporates an end cap at one end of the tent, which should help draw folks all the way to end of the tent.  This also includes an 'aisle' that connects the expo tent to the bingo tent.  One row of exhibitors will have access to electricity (as shown on the attached layout).  Each space will be 10' x 10' and there could be room for display of items to the outside of the tent, adjacent to an exhibitor's booth area.

Per the discussion last month, the emphasis of this case really will be to identify potential exhibitors and a keynote speaker to contact/invite to participate in the Environmental Expo event and assigning these tasks to Board Members and/or Staff.   Staff has explored the possibility of having an RV displayed as part of the event.  Last year, City Staff spent a lot of time researching an RV expo event.  Two things were evident from that work, one is that if one vendor is invited, they all would need to be invited (space becomes a limiting factor) and secondly, it just didn't make sense from their perspective to have a staff person off-site at an event rather than on their sales lot with all their units.  So, it does not appear that this particular concept will work for this year's event.

With five (5) months until the event, if a well-recognized name is to be a speaker at the event, that needs to be solidified very soon (both for their scheduling presumably and for promotional efforts on our end).  Also, it would be good to get started on invites to potential exhibitors to help with some early promotion of the event as well.  Several exhibitors that have participated in the past (and have been fairly popular) that the Board may wish to consider inviting back include: Audubon Center of the Northwoods (about $500, live raptors and reptiles native to MN), Geological Society of MN (about $100, rocks/fossils exhibit), Cheerful Chuggers 4-H (no cost, good 'hands on' activities for kids), and MN Herpetological Society (about $100, exotic reptiles/amphibians).  The list of exhibitors from the 2012 event is also attached for reference.

Based on discussion.