Abbotsford – Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of the Fraser Valley Trade & Exhibition Centre (Tradex). To commemorate, Tourism Abbotsford is throwing a party for 150 invited guests to mix and mingle while enjoying food prepared by Chef Michel Gagnon, piano melodies by Lisa Adrianne Witt and a few notable speeches including a surprise visit from former Tourism Abbotsford Executive Director, Dan Stefanson.
With a 120,000 square foot space, Tradex is the second largest facility of its kind in BC. Since its inception in 1991, Tradex has acted as a gathering place for millions of visitors and has proven to be an important community asset, providing Abbotsford residents with multiple activities to experience while injecting millions of dollars into the local economy.
Highlights include
· welcoming celebrities from American Graffiti (Candy Clark, Paul Le Mat, and Bo Hopkins), Jerry Mathers from The Beaver, HGTV’s Mike Holmes, and Happy Days’ Henry Winkler.
· cameo appearances from the Young and the Restless and the Real Housewives of Vancouver and hockey legends, such as Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull.
· celebrity chefs who have graced the stage at food shows, from Ned Bell to the Galloping Gourmet
· showcasing the actual Batmobile during the BC Classic & Custom Car Show
· witnessing bears, eagles, hawks and electronic dinosaurs make a grand entrance · family-fun events, such as the North Pole Wonderland and First Night New Year’s Eve · large-scale weddings, movie shoots, gala awards, and corporate functions.
Brad Styba, Managing Director of Business Development for Tradex, and Tourism Abbotsford’s Executive Director, Craig Nichols, are excited to welcome guests during the anniversary celebration.
Styba commented by saying, “We continue to host some of the top events in the Lower Mainland. There are no secrets to the success of Tradex. It is the result of preparation, hard work, a strong team environment, and learning from mistakes. Twenty-five years is both a long and short time in our industry as this sector is constantly changing. The fact that Tradex continues to thrive is an achievement we can be proud of.”
Nichols couldn’t agree more and further stated, “Consumer and trade shows have, and always will be, the backbone of Tradex. However, we have seen many different types of events occurring with more frequency the past few years. With this increase in demand for different types of events as our inspiration, we see a lot of potential in evolving the usage of the building. Our dedicated team has operated Tradex safely and professionally on behalf of the City since 2003, and although we are proud of our track record, we are consistently investigating how we can improve the services we provide. Plain and simple, our goal is to be industry-leading and to make Abbotsford proud.”
Nichols concluded by saying “The most important elements to Tradex success are the clients who entrust us and the hundreds of thousands of guests who visit each year. Without these VIP’s, Tradex is simply walls, a floor and a (new) roof. Here’s to the next 25 years!”
The celebration will continue all year. Beginning in September at the MCC Relief Sale, several thousand ‘scratch and win’ tickets will be given to event attendees at each Fall event where they can win Tradex prizes, such as soft drinks, concession items, parking passes and event tickets. A Grand Prize consisting of a one-night stay at the Sandman Abbotsford Airport, breakfast for two, and a $75.00 gift certificate to Greek Island Restaurant will be awarded via the Tradex website. Draw date is March 6, 2017.
Also, look for twice-monthly blogs highlighting past Tradex events during the rest of the year on the web sites for Tradex and Tourism Abbotsford.
About Tourism Abbotsford
Tourism Abbotsford represents over 300 marketing partners, leads the delivery of Visitor Services, and has operated the Fraser Valley Tradex & Exhibition Centre (Tradex) since 2003. Tourism Abbotsford’s commitment to best practices has resulted in being recognized as a BC Tourism Industry Award recipient in Community Sport Tourism, in addition to earning a BC DMO Professional Excellence Award. To learn more, visit www.tourismabbotsford.ca #exploreabbotsford
