The YCCA Home and Garden Show has become an annual staple in our community.
Tom: Hey Sandy, are you going nuts yet? Are you working yourself into the annual frenzy that is the annual YCCA Home and Garden Show?
Sandy: Busy is what I am normally and is what I love. This time of year, it is such a worthwhile and fulfilling craziness putting together the Annual YCCA Home and Garden Show.
Tom: Since the efforts of you and your team are taking up your valuable time, let me interview you this month so all you need to do is answer questions.
Sandy: That works, Tom – so go easy with me on the questions.
Tom: The YCCA Home and Garden Show has become an annual staple in our community. What do you see as the biggest benefits offered through this event?
Sandy: First and foremost Tom, this year, 2024, is the 44th annual YCCA Home and Garden Show. We missed a year with COVID. Now, to answer your question: What we see year after year is a tremendous opportunity for our community to meet and talk one-on-one with professional contractors, tradesfolk, suppliers and several of our government organizations such as City of Prescott Police and Fire departments, Town of Prescott Valley Development Services, City of Prescott Development Services, Yavapai FireWise, Yavapai County Development Services and Yavapai County Assessors Office, to name just a few.
Getting to ask questions of all the vendors, and getting information firsthand from so many different resources is the heart and purpose of the Home Show.
Tom: As a vendor in previous Home Shows, I found folks engaging us in conversation with questions and comments, and personal one-on-one conversation when they may not otherwise be able to do so.
Sandy: Exactly, we love seeing people visiting vendors and getting information on services and products they otherwise would not be exposed to. It is exciting for me to see the thousands and thousands of interactions taking place with every vendor. As I walk up and down the aisles, I rarely see a vendor sitting idle at their booth. There are always folks walking around looking, talking and learning.
Tom: Seeing that level of interaction happening must make you and your team feel as though the effort is well worth it.
Sandy: It certainly does, and my heart is so proud of the community and the support of the vendors.
Tom: Let’s talk about your team. Just getting the event set up must take an effort.
Sandy: Well, yes. There are three different phases of setup. And, of course, there are the vendors outside and indoor vendors. All the booths, their locations, power setup for the indoor vendors and pipe and drape. First is the electrical setup, coordinating the power box layout for the booths and the power cables for the spas. This is done prior to the pipe and drape setup. Elan Electric is our local company that does that for us. They are top-notch and can set up the electricity with their eyes closed.
The second phase of setup is the pipe and drape. Our vendor from Phoenix comes in with the layout, pipe and drape and they set up the booths per our booth layout. That process takes all day and what a show it is to watch that take place. It is like magic! On Thursday before the show, we are ready for the vendors. We stagger the move-in times for the vendors to set up their spaces both inside and outside vendors. This is an all-day process and I have a team of wonderful guys to assist. Earth Resources Corporation and their team manage the parking lot, unloading, bringing in the set-up displays and booth items via forklifts.
Tom: And that is where the real craziness begins. A good many vendors have quite elaborate setups. From landscapers creating a beautiful environment to the pool vendors with their pools set up full of water, it’s an active day!
Sandy: “Active” is not a robust enough word to describe the process. Even though vendors and helpers all have their hair on fire, the process runs more smoothly than you might think.
Tom: Tell our readers about your team.
Sandy: Golly, I love talking about how great, supportive and hard-working our event workers are. The team really consists of our board of directors for move-in and move-out. We have volunteers that are greeters who hand out bags to the visitors. We hire off-duty Town of Prescott Valley police officers to be watchful and mingle with the community. Last year was the first time we brought in officers and how the community loves that.
Tom: It’s impressive to see all the volunteers making this event come together. This year we have Prescott Regulators and their Shady Ladies once again assisting. A lot of different organizations and people come together to make the Home Show successful. For years, you have made this event free for people to attend.
Sandy: Well as you know, vendors pay a nominal fee to YCCA for their booth space. I am so proud of YCCA because we have maintained a low price to make this a community event. Non-members of course pay a higher fee for the booth. Most booths are 10’ x 10’ and several vendors will take two or three spaces for their displays. There is the rental cost of Findlay Toyota Center and the set up of the pipe and drape.
Tom: Our readers need to know that this year is no different. It is free to attend.
Sandy: Findlay Toyota Center and the team have been wonderful – we could not ask for a better venue. We honestly believe that the overwhelming success of the show is partly because of the no admission fees.
Tom: The thousands of attendees are a testament to that, I am sure.
With all the folks milling about, have you ever been able to discern a pattern of the people flow? By that, I am asking if there is a route you take to cover the whole show and not pass the same vendors booth twice? It’s not important, I’m just simply curious.
Sandy: LOL, Tom, I am so busy walking around with my hair on fire during the three days of the event, I never even thought about that. I just see the attendees circulating and covering all areas and looking at every single booth.
Tom: I believe that. It seems like you and your team are everywhere all the time. Trading efficient movement for ubiquitous visibility.
Sandy: There are always hundreds of issues that need to be addressed. Problems crop up regarding electrical power and internet connectivity and spills and messes that need to be cleaned up. The show days always find me wanting to curl up on the couch with a bottle of wine close by.
Tom: OK, Sandy, give us the dates and times for our readers.
Sandy: Awesome! The Home Show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 17 and18, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 19, at the Findlay Toyota Center in the heart of Prescott Valley. Be there or be square! QCBN
Tom Reilly, Architect, 928-445-8506
Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association. 928-778-0040.
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