Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Image by Nick Rizzo
The Jasper Home and Garden Show will return this year with an expanded lineup of vendors, family activities, and opportunities for residents to connect with local businesses.
Hosted by RealtySouth – The Harbin Company, the annual event has grown into a community gathering that highlights the people and businesses who help shape homes and outdoor spaces across Walker County.
Justin Harbin, owner of The Harbin Company, says the vision for the annual event began with a simple idea: make it easier for residents to connect with trusted local professionals.
“The setup was basically to create one central place for the community to come together and meet local experts and businesses that help with home and outdoor spaces,” Harbin says. “It was a chance to talk to landscapers, contractors, builders, and home service people all in one place instead of having to call ten different places.”
Now in its third year, the event has evolved significantly since its early beginnings as a smaller client appreciation gathering. As more businesses expressed interest in participating, organizers realized the show could fill a broader need within the community.
“We wanted something that could highlight local businesses and give the community an easy way to connect with them,” Harbin says. “Once we started involving more businesses, it grew naturally from there.”
This year’s show will feature a wide variety of vendors and services connected to homeownership and outdoor living. Attendees can expect to meet professionals in landscaping, outdoor structures, home improvement, insulation, concrete work, and other residential services.
Local craft vendors will also be part of the event, offering handmade goods and gift ideas just in time for Mother’s Day weekend.
Organizers have worked to expand the show’s family-friendly atmosphere with new attractions and activities. This year will include the largest kids zone yet, featuring a full outdoor play environment with multiple inflatables and activities designed for younger attendees.
A monster truck display will also allow children to get an up-close look at the vehicle and its inner workings, while a dunking booth featuring local business leaders and school principals is being planned as another interactive attraction.
The event will also partner with a local car club, allowing participants to display their vehicles and compete for cash prizes.
Food trucks from both the local area and the Birmingham metro will be on site throughout the day, offering a variety of food and treat options for attendees.
This year’s show will coincide with the city’s popular Art in the Park event, creating a full day of activity across downtown Jasper. In recent years, organizers have worked together with Young Jeweler’s Trolley on Main to connect the two events through a downtown trolley system that allows visitors to move between locations without having to relocate their vehicles.
“Partnering together is stronger than splitting the events up,” Harbin says. “You can spend time at each event and just ride the trolley between them.”
Harbin says the most rewarding part of the Home and Garden Show has been seeing how it benefits local businesses, recalling one past vendor who joined the show at the last minute and left with several new customers after the event.
“Seeing that we’ve created a community hub that benefits local businesses is huge,” he says.
Ultimately, Harbin hopes the Home and Garden Show continues to grow as a resource for both residents and entrepreneurs.
“If someone is starting a new business and doesn’t have a storefront yet, this gives them a place to introduce their business and connect with the community,” he says.
The event is free to attend, and information about attending, vending, or sponsorship opportunities is available on the show’s Facebook event page. WL
