JASON SETNYK
The 2026 Home & Leisure Expo drew nearly 6,000 visitors to the Benson Centre, marking another strong year for one of Cornwall’s largest spring events.
Hosted by the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce and presented by the Cornwall and District Real Estate Board, the three-day show featured more than 80 vendors, an at-capacity Maker’s Market, and a steady stream of attendees exploring home improvement, lifestyle, and leisure offerings. The final tally showed 5,675 people attended the event, more than then 4,009 who dropped by last year.
Executive Director Angela Bero said the turnout exceeded expectations, crediting strong promotion and community engagement. “I think we’ve done numerous campaign ads with marketing on social media, media, and buses all over the city, so I think that’s really helped contribute to the success of this weekend,” Bero said. “We have really great local vendors, and I’m really pleased with the outcome and the turnout. So thank you, Cornwall, for showing up.” Bero noted the event expanded this year, with around 84 vendors participating, including local businesses, makers, and non-profit organizations. She added that exhibitors reported positive experiences throughout the weekend. “They’re all doing well. They’ve got a lot of leads, they’ve been able to meet some great people out in the community, and they’re just grateful for the support from the chamber,” she said. Despite the scale of the event, Bero emphasized the small team behind it.
“We are a staff of two, so it takes a small but mighty team to put on a great show like this,” she said, noting the contribution of volunteers and board members.
Among those in attendance was SDG MP Eric Duncan, who praised both the turnout and the opportunity for residents to connect with local businesses. “The chamber does a great job with this event, as you can tell by the crowd all weekend long,” Duncan said. “It’s a great way for people to learn about local businesses in the community. Everyone wants to shop local, support local, and this is a great way to find out how they can do so.”
For Gabriel Riviere-Reid, Member-at-Large with the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce’s board, the Expo continues to build on its long-standing role in the community. “It’s a fantastic way to sort of end our fiscal calendar year, but also welcome spring,” he said. “We’ve seen nothing but growth and enthusiasm from both the community and the vendors that are here.”
Riviere-Reid added that traffic remained steady throughout the weekend, with Saturday drawing the largest crowds. “The whole weekend has just been steady traffic. People are excited, and the turnout has been fantastic. It just shows how much enthusiasm there is for this event,” he stated. Bright, eye-catching booths like gourmet popcorn stood alongside larger features, including bicycles and e-bikes from Bicycle World, hot tubs, four-wheelers, and even a portable sauna that drew steady interest.
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