The CN Roundhouse and Conference Centre was jam-packed with dozens of exhibitors, hundreds of interested visitors and not only one but two bouncy castles on Saturday (Sept. 18).
It was all due to the first annual Sea to Sky Family Fair, an event designed to inform and entertain families in the corridor.
The event attracted 401 people, which was a pleasant surprise to organizer Kay Protheroe. The event also helped raise $780 for the B.C. Children's Hospital Foundation through donations.
"We were initially hoping between 250 to 300 people so this total greatly exceeds our estimates for the first year," she said. "I think it's been a huge success and the response has just been fantastic."
Protheroe said a number of the people attending the event told her they were impressed by the information available and the variety of exhibitors.
Rachel Boguski, one of the 28 different exhibitors, said the event was a great way to promote her business.
"I think this event has been great," she said. "We're so happy with the amount of people that have been to our table and also surprised by how well-known we've become in a short time."
Boguski and Lori Faulkner co-founded the Squamish Mom website back in June. The website is designed to inform local moms of kid-friendly tips, resources and information to help them raise their children.
"For a first-time event I think it's gone really smoothly," she said. "I think this event is going to just get bigger and bigger."
Whistler's Lucy Pomroy, who made the trip to Squamish expressly for the fair, was among those applauding organizers' efforts.
"They've got a great range of exhibitors," she said. "It's also really good they have stuff for the kids."
Pomroy, who brought along her two children, said the exhibitors were quite useful and informative, pointing out the dental and diet experts as her favourites.
But there's always room to grow, and moms and dads also had suggestions for improvements such as more Whistler exhibitors and more food vendors, as the only food available was a cart provided by the West Coast Railway Heritage Park.
They might just get their wish as organizers intend to increase the fair each year, according to Protheroe.
Squamish resident Jules D'Entremont agreed that the many different exhibitors helped make the fair a success.
"I found almost all of it informative," she said, as her two children jumped in the bouncy castle. "It's good to see the diversity and all the sorts of different businesses we have in this community."
For more information on Faulkner and Boguski's website, visit www.squamishmom.ca
