Archive: Around Town

If you have weekend plans for April 2nd and 3rd, maybe you want to rethink them.  Because that is the weekend of the 27th Tompkins/Cortland Builders & Remodelers Association (TCBRA) Home Show.  This year's show features contractors and builders and building suppliers, as you would expect.  But show organizer David Astorina says the two day event will feature much, much more. 

"We're going to have wine pairings and food pairings." Astorina says.  "We're going to have a couple of restaurants and local chefs represented.  We are working to bring in lots of the other aspects of home into this event.  The idea is that you come to this, explore, you have fun, you have some good food, you get inspired, and maybe you put in a new kitchen or add a room to your house.  It's really going to be like a two day carnival.  I expect to see a lot of smiling faces, and a lot of people inspired and planning new projects, and having a good time."

Astorina estimates the show will feature more than 80 vendors in the 18,000-square-foot Tompkins/Cortland Community College field house.  Admission gets you in for both days.  Astorina says that he is trying to include all aspects of home, so don't expect to see building companies only.  All aspects of home are included including florists banks, recyclers, restaurants, tree services and more.


"There are going to be a large garden aspect," Astorina says.  "We have local flower farmers, local nurseries, and seminars given by Cornell Cooperative Extension.  Linda VanApeldoorn of Take Your Pick Flower Farms is going to give a seminar on how to start a flower cutting garden.  So there is going to be an awful lot to this event that hasn't been part of other events."

TCBRA is a trade organization.  It works with the National Home Builders Association, lobbying to change laws, both locally nationally.  The home show is its biggest event of the year, with the proceeds helping to fund the organization's activities.  After 26 years TCBRA took a break last year, but after receiving calls asking them to bring it back the decision was made to put together a show for this year.  That didn't leave much time.


"We scrambled, and I got on board and I've been driving this thing every day for the past couple of months," Astorina says.  "You're putting together a major event, like any other big event.  It's reaching out to the community and reaching out to vendors and anyone else who has an interest in it.  And generating excitement and getting people to come together to make it happen."

While one of the main reasons for the show is to drum up business for contractors and exhibitors, Astroina says it's a low key, fun, one-stop shopping opportunity for attendees who may be considering remodeling or adding a room to their house.


"The magic of a home show is that everybody is relaxed," he says.  "It's almost a festival atmosphere.  It's very comfortable.  I've heard from people who have gone to home shows and looked at a housing contractor.  They would never go into that contractor's office.  They might read things online or do other research, but they don't jump into it.  In the home show atmosphere it's really easy to strike up a conversation with someone in a not threatening atmosphere where you're not committing to anything.  You're poking at that contractor looking for some of the answers you need.  It's a great shopping opportunity and even if you're not shopping it's a great place to go to spend the day."

Astorina, who does home inspections using state of the art equipment, will be exhibiting, but may not be as easy to find as some of the other exhibitors since he will also be making sure the show runs smoothly for exhibitors and attendees alike.

"It will be interesting to see how much time I actually get to spend in my booth," he says.  "I'm looking forward to meeting the community.  I have a lot of fun"

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