“We’ll have some 60 demonstrations, seminars and hands-on activities that will allow people to try something new or learn advanced techniques from experts in the field,” he added. “Whether it is participating, watching or supporting these activities - recreation, sports and fitness enthusiasts will find something of interest.”
More than 100 exhibitors have already signed up and the list of topics for seminars includes everything from dog agility training, character development and sportsmanship in youth sports, skiing the Catamount Trail, and creating a healthy nutrition and exercise program.
“This is a show for the whole family – golf for dad, yoga for mom, extreme sports for teens, and team and individual sports for younger kids. We will be offering everything from traditional team sports to dog agility competitions to dance fitness to extreme individual sports – the full spectrum of sports, recreation and fitness activities,” Oddy said. A complete schedule will be available online at
www.cvexpo.org.
The All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo includes commercial exhibits, interactive activities, demonstrations, clinics, seminars, sports celebrities, product/service sales at the Robert E. Miller Expo Centre at CVE. Hours are Saturday, Oct. 20, 9am to 5 pm; Sunday, Oct. 21, 9am to 4 pm Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and free for kids under 5. Discount admission coupons, courtesy of MVP Health Care, are available online at
www.cvexpo.org.
Along with the benefits to those who attend, representatives from all the partner organizations, including Tom Torti, president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Jeff Bushey, chair of the Vermont Sports & Event Council, say an event like this will benefit the community and Vermont’s economy.
“Tourism, especially related to outdoor recreation and sports, is one of Vermont’s strong economic engines and it runs on clean, wholesome fun. This new event at CVE encapsulates all those ideas and we think it will help attract new visitors to Vermont and the Lake Champlain region,” Torti added.
The timing of the show in late October - after the busy fall foliage tourism season - is positioned strategically to provide an economic boost for retailers, hotels, resorts, fitness facilities and indoor sports facilities for hockey, basketball and soccer, says Dave Hakins, executive director of the Vermont Convention Bureau.
Jeff Bushey, chair of the Vermont Sports Council described the All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo as a great way to also attract out-of-state sports events, tournaments and travelers to Vermont. “An educational event like this will help us get more sponsorships for sporting events, which in turn, makes it easier to attract and host the events in Vermont,” he said.
Among the hands-on possibilities cited – rock climbing walls, hockey on a special plastic ice surface, soccer demonstrations, U.S.A Luge track and “Back to Golf” seminar.
“This project has been in the works since 2006. We knew that forming partnerships with representatives across the sports, recreation and fitness spectrum is what will ultimately lead to the success of this event and offer the greatest benefit to the local economy. That means inviting everyone to be a part of the show - fitness facilities, sports equipment or apparel providers, sports medicine, resorts, ski areas, sports teams, coaches, sports publications, photographers, sports and fitness sponsors, outdoor recreation representatives and athletic services providers,” Oddy added.
The Expo projects attendance could be 5,000 or more, propelled by strong local and regional marketing to attract sports enthusiasts from Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Quebec.
Organizers also emphasized that the exhibitor booths, which will cost from $250 to $350 depending on size, will offer non-profit sports organizations and others a great way to market their services to a broad spectrum of customers. There is still time to sign up for a booth, Oddy said.
The “All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo” is presented by MVP Health Care and is endorsed by the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vermont Convention Bureau and the Vermont Sports & Events Council.
The event’s other sponsors include Vermont Outdoor Guide Association, Green Mountain Glades, Vermont Sports Magazine, The Soccer Centre at CVE (Nordic Soccer Club and Far Post Soccer Club) JMM and Associates, Smugglers’ Notch Resort, The Burlington Free Press, 104.7 FM The Point and ESPN Radio.
For more information about the “All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo” contact CVE Director of Special Events Tom Oddy at (802) 878-5545 or
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or Assistant Director of Special Events Shawn Quinn at
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VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR 
Organizers of the All Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo say the two-day event is designed to highlight and focus on Vermont’s recreational, sports and outdoor lifestyles enjoyed by so many people in Vermont, upstate New York and New England, says Tom Oddy, Director of Special Events at CVE.