Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 14/01) - Despite being half a day shorter this year, the fall trade show continued to be a popular early winter draw.

The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, which organized the show, estimates more than 2,000 people checked out the wares of the 28 businesses that participated Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Two trade-show visitors discuss diamond settings with Margaret Baile of Arctic Diamonds. - Richard Gleeson/NNSL photo

Last year the inaugural show attracted 1,500 people. The fall show continues to be dwarfed by the longer-standing spring trade show, another two-day event which typically attracts 8,000 people.

"The retail sector participating in this year's show has done really well," said chamber executive director Ellie Sasseville.

Part of the reason for the growth, she said, may be the new venue. Last year's show was held in the Sir John Franklin high school gym.

This year the Explorer Hotel played host, and was among the exhibitors.

Sasseville said it was a much more convenient venue for exhibitors.

And the exhibitors were a varied lot, from BHP Billiton to the Festival of Trees.

Radio Taiga, the new French language radio station run by Association Franco-Culturelle de Yellowknife volunteers, was there.

"Music is an international language, artists will tell you that," said volunteer Andre Boulanger. "A song is either good or bad, it doesn't matter what language."

Jackie Simon staffed one of the most popular booths at the show.

The area sales manager for Edmonton-based Visual Solutions demonstrated the SMART Board.

The display board/computer screen, about 1.5 metres square, can be used in conjunction with video teleconferencing to keep people thousands of miles from each other on the same page. Kids who tried it out were captivated by the ability to write their names on the versatile screen using their fingers.

Simon said the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development regional office and one of the school boards are among her customers.

Sasseville said the chamber is already thinking ahead to next year and considering picking a theme for the 2002 show, making it a Christmas trade show.