The annual Home and Garden show hosted by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce switched up their game this year by extending it to two days and the additional day was a huge hit for vendors and attendees, said chamber officials.

Approximately 2,000-3,000 attended the two-day event. (See photos, Page A13.)

“It was a great turn out,” Mary Guardiola, Oakdale Chamber Chief Executive Officer said. “The main thing we heard from our vendors was about the quality leads coming through and people getting jobs through the contact. And ultimately, that’s what the home show is for.”

Vendors liked the extra exposure with the additional day and there were a lot of people who came on Sunday who’d never been to the home show in the past because it conflicted with Saturday plans. The extra day allowed for more flexibility for people’s schedules.

“The initial response has been very positive and the vendors would like to keep it a two-day event,” Guardiola said.

Another change to the event was the addition of an informational seminar put on by Oakdale Irrigation District Manager Steve Knell about the proper way to efficiently water your lawn and garden.

“You only need to put out what the plant uses, any more and it’s a waste,” Knell said. “Water is a precious resource, a precious commodity.”

Knell went on to say that residents should be aware of their lawn care needs to use water more wisely and that includes ensuring that the sprinkler system is properly situated to water efficiently.

Jason Gordo with Steve’s Mobile Sunscreens in Riverbank said the Oakdale show was one of the best he’s been to lately.

“This has been one of the more positive shows,” Gordo said. “Definitely home improvement is top of mind for a lot of homeowners. They know it’s a long term investment and they want to take care of it.”

He said he gained 17 leads in one day, which was a healthy number considering they were people serious about wanting information.

“People won’t let you take down their name and phone number if they’re not truly interested,” Gordo said of the quality leads.

And it wasn’t only the vendors who were happy.

One attendee, Lynn Baxter from San Francisco, happened upon a Scentsy booth and walked away with product and information, which was an unexpected find.

“The show is wonderful,” she said. “I came and found something really cool. I’m glad I came.”