The majority of Bakersfield residents, who are intrigued by improving their home and gardens, spent a weekend attending the 24th annual Home and Garden show.
The Home and Garden show was open Feb. 19-21 at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Bakersfield home shows are known for their landscape displays, kitchens, baths and barbecues, along with over 300 exhibits for home, garden and outdoor living products that attract the eye of attendees.
Bakersfield residents were treated to numerous workshops for adults and kids. Home Depot do-it-yourself workshops were given to adults, along with kid’s clinics that demonstrated easy home and outdoor projects a family can do together. Attendees were able to join in the popular Garden Seminars to get green-thumb tips from Lindsay Ono, a Bakersfield College horticulture instructor and specialist.
“The seminars are given to educate the public about yard care,” said Ono. “It is a fun way to learn how to improve proper yard work and techniques.
“I have been giving seminars for 10 years now. It is a way to publicize about our BC horticulture program.”
The Home and Garden show presented many kitchen exhibits containing all-natural cooking products. Nan’s Gourmet Foods, owned by Nancy Pagan, introduced customers with popular aged balsamic vinegars, olive oils and pastas.
Pagan first began selling her premium olive oils and vinegars in 2003 and continues to exhibit her oils at home shows due to popular demand.
“Our goal is to continue to provide customers with the finest and tastiest products,” said Pagan. “Along with being dedicated to excellent food, we are also deeply committed to giving back to our community with a percentage of all sales benefiting Bay Area food banks and animal shelters.”
Home and Garden shows range in a variety of products that are only sold in the exhibits presented. Michael Barnett specializes in handcrafted slumped glass.
“This is my first time presenting my glass pieces in a Bakersfield home show,” said Barnett. “I am surprised by the attendance this weekend and the new customers were very pleased by my unique decor. I plan to come back next year.”
The Home and Garden show presented customers with exciting exhibitors and special features. Food and entertainment was also available for customers and a lot of socializing took place due to the high number of attendees.
Jennifer Padina, 27, attended the show with an expectation in finding a lot of new garden projects.
“I am so excited to see a high number of exhibits presented,” said Padina. “I will be taking home new garden techniques and a beautiful water sculpture for my backyard.”
Unique family operated businesses were scattered all around and presented eye-catching qualities to customers. For Those Specials Moments is a family operated business located near Modesto.
They operate out of their home and provide one of the largest inventories of hand-made fragrant salt along with electric warmers, accessories and aromatherapy fragrances that come in a wide variety of scents.
They come in many colors that relate them to their scent name. Some of the scents are apple spice, cinnamon, cherry vanilla, cucumber melon, lavender, love spell, peach, orange blossom, peppermint and much more. The crystals can be placed in cars, homes, pet areas, baths and spas.
“Aromatherapy salts will bring natural, safe, non-toxic fragrances into your life,” said Debbie Cook. “The salts are created with a special formula and each crystal is infused with blended oils and safe colorant for use in any location that would benefit from soothing aroma.”
Andy Keen, 32, attended the show and became very interested in the crystal fragrances from For Those Special Moments.
“I came on Friday and found this booth and just became so intrigued by the fragrances,” said Keen. “I came back the next day to purchase more for my wife, they smell great and these types of scents are hard to find at regular stores in town.”
Special products that are hard to find around town could be found at the Home and Garden show. Plumerias, found in the Far East, Africa and Hawaiian islands, are the actual flowers used to make leis.
Debbie Wattson sold these types of tropical plants to share their beauty with other plant lovers. Watson sold the plant cuttings so customers could have the experience of growing the actual plant.
“These beautiful plants bring color and fragrance to anyone’s garden,” said Wattson. “They bloom from June through December. I sell everything in a kit that includes growing instructions and a free gift of a lilly flower.”
Wattson also sells Hawaiian Volcano plants. The plants are from lava rock and they require no sunlight or soil.
Volcano Plants are placed on a flat saucer with less than an inch of water and can be placed in any part of a home.
The show contributed a lot of money-saving show specials, free prizes, workshops, numerous exhibits and entertainment.