Suburban Indy Shows Debuts Spring Show at Grand Park Events Center

Writer / Jane VanOsdol

The second in a quartet of shows is set to debut at the Grand Park Event Center in Westfield. Suburban Indy Shows is launching the Home & Outdoor Living Spring Show February 8-11. This follows on the heels of their successful fall show last September.

Owner and producer Donell Walton has been producing events for 17 years, and 2017 was the year that circumstances made it possible for her to launch her own business. She signed a five-year contract with Grand Park to produce four shows each year:

  • Home & Outdoor Living Spring Show
  • Women’s Show (March 2018)
  • Home & Outdoor Living Fall Show
  • Holiday Show (November 15-18, 2018)

Lineup of Spring Show

Walton is readying final preparations for the Spring Show. She likes to encourage attenders to “BYOD or bring your own dreams.” Her primary goal is to connect homeowners with local businesses they can trust to help bring those dreams to reality. Here’s what to expect:

Design Open House: In this area attendees can browse through and be inspired by styled rooms, outdoor living spaces, and gardens designed by some of Indy’s top suburban designers.

Belgard Showcase Stage: Bring a notebook and take notes on the presentations and events offered throughout the day and evening.

Exhibitors: Walton and her team have carefully screened and chosen only the best exhibitors.

Neighborhood Marketplace: Suburban Indy Shows believes in supporting neighborhood small businesses. Expect to find quality products in all of the following categories and more: recycled/upcycled products, honey and syrups, homemade bath and body products, candles, aprons, towels, kitchen gadgets, artisan chocolate, hand-painted items, stained glass, handmade furniture and other wood products, Hoosier-based merchandise, fashion, living walls, living fences, moss walls, spices, sauces, dips, fall nursery plants and decor, storage solutions and wine.

Theme of the Day

Each day of the show features a different theme such as SAHM’s Day out, Date Night, Friends & Family Day and Kid’s Day (Sunday). The youngest in the crowd will enjoy magicians, princesses, story time and arts and crafts.

What Makes the Suburban Indy Show Different from the Rest? 

  • They have a prime location that includes free parking.
  • They are locally owned.
  • They welcome people as they enter.
  • They don’t allow pushy exhibitors.
  • They donate 10 percent to charity.
  • They have awesome food and drink available at the Grand Park cafeteria and bar and restaurant on the upper level catered by the Westfield Restaurant Group. 

Walton also emphasizes quality over quantity when it comes to the exhibitors.

“I want a nice, well put-together quality show without the annoyances of a lot of the other larger shows that you go to,” she says.

After the Fall Show was over, they realized they attracted a smaller but highly engaged customer base who interacted with the exhibitors and experts. In many cases customers were even able to begin discussing their projects with the business owners.

Best Tip for Attending a Show

Walton advices that people make a to-do list of which projects they want to complete in the next six months to five years and then collect information on the design experts they’d like to work with for each project.

“It’s ok to plan far out and collect information you need for future reference,” she says. She also advocates that if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of a project to tackle it over time. “It’s not all or none,” Walton says. “Do a bit at a time.”

Tickets for the show can be purchased at suburbanindyshows.com. Interested in being an exhibitor? Call Walton at at 317-908-3815 or email her at Donell@suburbanindyshows.com.

Other Show Dates

  • Spring – Feb 8-11, 2018
  • Fall – Sept 20-23, 2018

  • Holiday – Nov 15-18, 2018

  • Women’s show in 2019 – Mar 21-24, 2019

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