Attendance at the second annual Olds Gun and Antiques Show (OGAS) was down about 100 people from last year's inaugural event, but organizer Linda Toews is happy with that, given the state of the economy.
Toews says about 900 people attended the two-day event, held Aug. 20 and 21 at the Cow Palace, down from about 1,000 people who attended the first-ever OGAS last year.
“We're a little down from last year,” she says. “I certainly was concerned that we might be a lot down, what with the economy and of course, the first couple of decent days in a row after all that rain. So I'm happy that we were only down a little bit.”
Toews is also pleased because the number of tables booked by exhibitors was up.
“We had 150 tables,” she says, noting last year 101 tables were booked.
In its inaugural year, most exhibitors came from Calgary and Central Alberta. Toews says this year, they had exhibitors from as far away as Saskatchewan, B.C. and northern Alberta.
She says people who came through the doors also came from much farther away.
“I was contacted by people from Prince Albert and everywhere in between. So it wasn't just Central Alberta, which is great. So we were quite pleased with that.”
Toews says “a large portion” of the money raised will go to three non-profit groups: Olds and District Special Olympics, which monitored the door; Keystone Youth Theatre, which operated the concession booth; and Olds Search and Rescue Society, which provided security for the event.
Toews says plans are already afoot to hold the third annual OGAS at the Cow Palace, likely at around the same time – mid-August.
“All three groups did a tremendous job. We're very pleased to have them and to support them,” she says.
"I certainly was concerned that we might be a lot down, what with the economy and of course, the first couple of decent days in a row after all that rain. So I'm happy that we were only down a little bit."LINDA TOEWS SHOW ORGANIZER
