CHAMPAIGN – While winter is dragging on outside, central Illinois can kick start spring by learning about the new and innovative home and garden improvements and techniques at this year's WCIA 3 Home and Garden Show. Returning to Assembly Hall on April 5 & 6, attendees will find everything they need to know about their home and lawn from exhibitors and seminar speakers alike.
This year's event will host more than 150 exhibitors showcasing home improvement and landscaping products, pools and hot tubs, sunrooms, painting tools, pest control, windows, cabinets, lawn care and more. The Busey Bank Home Improvement Theatre also will be presenting a variety of how-to seminars taught by professionals, a favorite at last year's shows. Below is a list of the seminars scheduled for this year:
Schedule of Seminars
Saturday, April 5
9:30 AM U of I Extension Educator Tony Bratsch - Growing Rhubarb & Asparagus for the Home Garden - Learn the tricks of the trade for growing these delicious garden vegetables.
10:30 AM Lowe's – Learn the Art of Installing Professional Looking Tile Floors Yourself - Lowe's in house tile professional will walk you through the steps to installing the kitchen or bathroom flooring of your dreams.
11:30 AM Green View - Dr. Dendro's Traveling Tree Tutorial - Steve Green, of Certified Arborist and landscape maintenance manager, presents this session in which we delve into various aspects of tree biology, planting, pruning, and healthcare.
1:00 PM Chef Bob Rowe with Classic Events Catering - Entertaining with Appetizers – Learn how to prepare fabulous yet simple appetizers for easy entertaining.
2:00 PM Do It Best Hardware and Benjamin Moore - Dive Into Summer with Splashes of Color – Learn how to create the perfect look for your home and give your rooms personality with this dynamic presentation.
3:00 PM U of I Extension Specialist and WCIA personality Sandy Mason - Going Green in the Garden - It's time for pots and plants, bugs and blooms, cultivation and motivation. Find out how to have a healthier happier garden from U of I Extension educator Sandy Mason.
4:00 PM Chris' Water Gardens - Water Features in Your Garden - Learn about the aesthetic and recreational value of adding a water component to your landscape.
5:00 PM The Truth About Fruit - Paul Curtis, owner and founder of Curtis Apple Orchard, is presenting this seminar about the secrets to growing fruit in your own backyard, and will discuss the impact of agritourism in Central Illinois in this stimulating and educational session.
Sunday, April 6
11:30 AM Lowe's – It's Time to Fix That Hole in Your Drywall - Let the Lowe's resident drywall professional show you some tips and tricks to repair your own drywall inexpensively and hassle free.
12:30 PM Green View - Realize Your Landscape's Design Potential - Landscape Design and Build Manager Bill Malone will give expert insight on how to integrate landscape elements to create an environment for outdoor living.
1:30 PM S.O.S. Storage Options & Solutions – Rescuing You from Clutter! Learn about locker & entryway storage solutions presented by organization authority, Angie Ervin.
2:30 PM Chris' Water Gardens - Ask the Pond Pro! Question and answer session with Champaign-Urbana's premiere pond expert, Chris Sturdyvin.
New this year is The Family Fun Zone. Sponsored by Mix 94.5, this one-day-only series of hands on activities is directed towards educating the children in attendance about the wonders of the home and garden. In addition, Ringling Brothers & Barnum Bailey Circus will be sponsoring a coloring station, complete with games and clown noses for all to enjoy! Below is the schedule of events:
Saturday, April 5
9:00 AM Grow a Sunflower - Learn how to ‘grow' a beautiful flower with art supplies and a little creativity!
10: 00 AM Jack & the Beanstalk – Champaign Public Library's own Aaron Carlin will read this beloved childhood classic while the children plant and learn about these ‘magic' beans from Schulz Nursery.
11:00 AM The Importance of Trees in Our Lives – Cultivate your child's knowledge about the role that trees play in our everyday actions by attending this session sponsored by Schuren Nursery; then take home a sapling and watch it grow!
12:00 PM Digging for Worms! – Who says you can't play with your food? Make your own dirt cups for an afternoon treat courtesy of the local IGA.
1:00 PM Beautify your Address! - Decorate a rock with your family's address to display for all to see!
WCIA personalities will be broadcasting live from Assembly Hall, offering inspiring prize giveaways throughout the weekend. Guests can enter to win $5,000 worth of landscaping courtesy of Green View Companies and a $1000 furniture shopping spree provided by Carter's Furniture of Champaign and Urbana and the Better Homes and Gardens Collection.
The WCIA 3 Home and Garden Show will be open Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.uofiassemblyhall.com or contact the Assembly Hall Box Office at 333-5000.