Flower Show Drew 19,000

Flower show drew 19,000

By RAY SLEEP APR 21 19941

NEWS CARDEN EDITOR nl ''

Some 19,000 people attended the fifth annual Ann Arbor Flower and Garden Show, held March 24-27 at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, said Fay Traskos, volunteer-coordinator for the show. Traskos, a Master Gardener, has been named manager for next year’s show.

The 19,000 figure is a bit below the approximately 20,000 average for past shows, and Traskos said efforts will be made to boost attendance next year.

The annual shows are a benefit for the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens. It won’t be possible for several more weeks to determine how much money the gardens made from the show, said Traskos. At least one firm that sold advance tickets has not yet reported its sales.

And the ticket prices varied from $3 to $8, since there were different rates Tor tickets sold at the gate, those bought in advance and for child and senior citizens admissions. Some tickets were complementary, issued for services rendered.

In any case, Traskos said, ticket sales and parking fees would not begin to cover the total cost of the show, which includes a hefty bill for the shuttle-bus service.

She said the Botanical Gardens benefits financially from the shows only because exhibitors - about 100 professional ones and nearly 300 private ones this year - donate their time and materials, as is typical of such major community fund-raising events.

She said the volunteer efforts represent “a huge commitment” in time and resources - to force the plants to bloom before their normal time and to prepare the exhibits, some very elaborate, to meet the show’s high standards.

The event was held at Yost Ice Arena the first two years and at the Farm Council Grounds the last three. Traskos said approximate attendance figures were 20,000 in 1990,12,000 or 13,000 in 1991, 20,000 in 1992 and 23,000 in 1993 and this year’s 19,000.

Traskos was not involved in the 1991 show, but she said poor attendance that year has been attributed at least partly to the fact Ticketmaster was mistakenly telling would-be show-goers the tickets were all sold out.

The high attendance last year was a mixed blessing. Most of the 23,000 who came had to use an emergency shuttle-bus service because the parking lot was so muddy it was unusable. Some who had that experience may have decided to skip this year’s show.

Traskos said the show organizers have tried to persuade the non-profit group that owns the Farm Council Grounds to pave the parking lot, but the owners say the parking lot is sandy and usually drains well. They count the bad conditions last year a fluke, occasioned by the melting frost. It’s never been that bad before or since, they said.

Still, that bad experience may have hurt attendance this year, said Traskos, who in any case expects attendance to vary a bit each year. She said other factors hurting this year’s turnout may have been a $1 hike in the ticket price, the chilly weather and the fact that the lectures and demonstrations which were a part of the previous shows were omitted this year.

She also cited the fact that several other shows tend to be scheduled around the same time, including the Builders Home and Garden Show at Cobo Hall and a similar trade show in Novi.

“We’re not a trade show, not a builders’ show,” said Traskos, adding that a greater effort will be made to distinguish the Ann Arbor botanical event from the trade shows.

“I’m committed to bringing the lectures and demonstrations back,” said Traskos, who wants to focus a bit more on the educational, hands-on aspects of the future shows.

Despite the slight attendance dip this year, Traskos rated the show a success. “The crowds were very nice. People who saw the show had a really good view. We didn’t have people stacked several deep trying to look at the exhibits. People at this year’s show had room to browse, and the flower sales did very well.”

Traskos said next year’s Ann Arbor Flower and Garden Show will be held March 30-April 2. That’s a week later than this year, which could mean slightly better weather. The fact that Easter will be a week later next year is making the later date possible.

'I'm committed to bringing the lectures and demonstrations back.'

— Fay Traskos, who will manage next year's show