CLEVELAND — Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a story published on Sept. 16, 2020.
Marketplace Events announced Wednesday that they have reached a deal to use Cleveland's I-X Center once again for many of their events, including the fan-favorite Great Big Home and Garden Show.
Organizers say that the event will return to the I-X Center February 11- 20, 2022, as well as in years to come. The event will mark the return of one of the largest and most successful home and garden events throughout all of North America.
Marketplace Events had initially announced that the show would move to the Convention Center in downtown Cleveland, beginning in 2022, since plans were announced in 2020 to close the I-X Center due to COVID-19.
Now, officials with the show say that this move back to its roots will allow for growth and expansion.
“We produce more than 70 events annually, and the Great Big Home + Garden Show is one of the top 5 home shows in North America,” said Tom Baugh, CEO of Marketplace Events. “The investment that our local landscapers, builders, and exhibiting companies make to force the plant material to be sure it blooms in time for the show, to create exceptional gardens, to construct custom-built homes, and build top-notch exhibits – we just don’t see that kind of quality and dedication from the home improvement businesses in every city. It’s what makes the Cleveland show special.”
For the upcoming 2022 show, the layout might be a little bit different than in past years, however. Officials say that the warehousing commitments that are in the South Hall of the I-X Center will take up nearly 30,000 square feet of space in which the gardens under lights are typically found.
The gardens may be relocated to the main show floor after crews spend weeks installing this display.
“The show may look a bit different, but we are thrilled to be able to return to the I-X Center, where we know it will be beautiful and successful,” said Rosanna Hrabnicky, who has managed the Great Big Home + Garden Show for the past decade.
In March 2020, before the pandemic, the company had plans of launching a second, smaller Home and Remodeling Show at the I-X Center.
“We do intend to re-launch the Home + Remodeling Show, but not until 2023,” stated Hrabnicky.
Another big announcement for the company is that they intend to produce the Cleveland Christmas Connection this year.
“We are operating under an extremely tight timeline to put the event together from scratch in less than three months, especially because many of the exhibitors are just now finding out the event will happen this year,” explained Baugh. “We know how much this event means to the community and how disappointed people were last year when it was canceled due to the pandemic, so we’re excited to get it up and running again this year. It’s tradition!”
If you are interested in attending or exhibiting at any of these shows, visit https://greatbighomeandgarden.com/ for more information.