(March 26, 2007) Essex Junction, VT -

The organizers of a new event at Champlain Valley Exposition plan to involve all aspects of sports, recreation and fitness in an action-filled weekend of fun this fall.
The “All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo” on Oct. 20-21, 2007 will highlight and focus on the recreational, sports and outdoor living aspect of life in Vermont and northern New England, New York and Quebec, according to Tom Oddy, Director of Special Events at Champlain Valley Exposition.

“Whether it is participating, watching or supporting these activities - recreation, sports and fitness enthusiasts will find something of interest at this new event,” he said.

The All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo will feature commercial exhibits, interactive activities, demonstrations, clinics, seminars, sports celebrities, product/service sales at the Robert E. Miller Expo Centre at Champlain Valley Exposition.

A community kick-off announcement was held Monday at Champlain Valley Exposition to explain the new show to potential exhibitors, sponsors and the media. Representatives from all the partner organizations, including Tom Torti, president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Jeff Bushey, chair of the Vermont Sports & Event Council, spoke about their role in planning for the upcoming event.

“This is a great idea and we’d like to thank the Exposition for putting this event together. We think it will bring benefits to the community for years to come,” said the Chamber’s Torti.

“Tourism, especially related to outdoor recreation and sports, is one of Vermont’s strong economic engines and it runs on clean, wholesome fun. This event at CVE encapsulates all those ideas and we think it will help attract new visitors to Vermont and the Lake Champlain region,” Torti added. He cited a regional hockey tournament over the weekend that helped fill hotels and restaurants in Burlington as an example of what bringing more sporting events can do for local businesses.

Based on Successful Model
The concept of the show, Oddy said, is patterned after CVE’s national award-winning Everything Equine Expo which brings together more than 7,500 horse enthusiasts of all levels together with experts in the field, commercial service providers and equipment vendors for a weekend of learning, fun and economic development. The fourth Everything Equine, named a Top Ten Vermont event by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, will take place on April 28-29 at CVE.

Jeff Bushey of the Vermont Sports Council described the All Sport, Recreation and Fitness Expo as a great way to attract out-of-state sports events, tournaments and travelers to Vermont. “An educational event like this will help us get more sponsorships for sporting events, which in turn, makes it easier to attract and host the events in Vermont,” he said.

The “All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo” is presented by the Champlain Valley Exposition and is endorsed by the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vermont Convention Bureau and the Vermont Sports & Events Council.The event has four Gold Medal Sponsors: Vermont Outdoor Guide Association, Green Mountain Glades, Vermont Sports Magazine and The Soccer Centre at CVE.
“We also have a dozen exhibitors already signed up for the show and we are just kicking exhibitor sales off today,” Oddy said. Organizers expect to attract more than 100 exhibitors and offer 60 seminars, demonstrations and other learning opportunities on a wide range of sports, recreation and fitness activities. Among the hands-on possibilities cited – rock climbing walls, hockey on a special plastic ice surface, soccer demonstrations and fun runs on the Expo grounds.

Three mascots, The Champlain Valley Exposition’s Curley, The Vermont Lake Monster’s Champ, and the Vermont Glades’ Bur-ly, were on hand to welcome the guests. All three smiled when one speaker mentioned a special “Sports Mascot Training” seminar might be included in the “All Sports” education schedule.

Partnerships Needed for Success
“This project has been in the works since last summer. We knew that forming partnerships with representatives across the sports, recreation and fitness spectrum is what will ultimately lead to the success of this event and offer the greatest benefit to the local economy. That means inviting everyone to be a part of the show - fitness facilities, sports equipment or apparel providers, sports medicine, resorts, ski areas, sports teams, coaches, sports publications, photographers, sports and fitness sponsors, outdoor recreation representatives and athletic services providers,” Oddy added.

 

The Expo projects attendance could be 5,000-plus in its first year, backed by a strong local and regional marketing plan to attract sports enthusiasts from Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Quebec.
Organizers also emphasized that the exhibitor booths, which will cost from $250 to $350, will offer non-profit sports organizations and others a great way to market their services.

The timing of the show in late October - after the busy fall foliage tourism season - is positioned strategically to provide an economic boost for retailers, hotels, resorts, fitness facilities and indoor sports facilities for hockey, basketball and soccer, Oddy said.

“This is a show for the whole family – golf for dad, yoga for mom, extreme sports for teens, and team and individual sports for younger kids. Our goal is to offer everything from traditional team sports to dog agility competitions to extreme individual sports – the full spectrum of sports, recreation and fitness activities,” Oddy said.