Revitalised Home and Garden Show proves a success

Helen Moore, Hastings, garden ornaments by Tree Candy, Hamilton - Hawke's Bay Home and Garden Show, McLean Park, Napier. 17 September 2017 NEWS Hawke's Bay Today Photograph by Duncan Brown.

Thousands of people piled into McLean Park at the weekend for the annual Hawke's Bay Home and Garden Show.

Under new ownership the event's manager Jade Promotions and Events Ltd decided to inject some extra excitement into the traditional home show.

For the first time the show hosted The Block New Zealand fan favourites Cat and Jeremy from the Villa Wars series and the duo judged a paving competition between four couples.

Managing director Hamish McBeth said this was a huge success and was just one of the ways they had injected some new life into the show.

The four couples had 30 minutes to come up with a creative design using different colours and size of stones, sponsored by Firth. The winning team received a $400 PlaceMakers voucher.

"It proved really popular and definitely added some entertainment value to the show which was good and the teams were all really creative."

Resene also provided some family fun and entertainment with Paint-a-Pot for kids and Paint-a-Home for adults on the Saturday and Sunday.

There were 180 exhibitors, which showcased the latest in building, renovating and home improvement.

Mr McBeth said they had a good range and it was a sellout show for them on the exhibit front.

"We had a lot of new faces and made sure we had a wide variety."

One of these new faces was Hot Spring Spas that showcased the Endless Pools Fitness System, which includes an underwater treadmill, swim current generator and hydro massage jets. Swimmers demonstrated its benefits to hundreds of spectators during the three days of the show.

First Light Enterprises also showcased some new products with "Fatwood" kindling on display. This was resinous pinewood, which was extracted from forestry remnants and ignites easily, burning with more heat and for longer than normal kindling.

One visitor also walked away with the show prize, an outdoor fireplace from Inferno Fires and Big Mac Slabs Furniture valued at $5000.

Mr McBeth said the weather played its part, providing a "beautiful" three days and gave the exhibitors a good introduction to spring.

He said the company had more creative plans to come and people should watch the space for next year's event.