The QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island was the center of a dozen activities Wednesday, March 23, morning.
Tool and garden sheds were being built. Mulch was being placed at various exhibits. Landscape rocks were being moved around. Bottles of salsa were being set up for display.
Those jobs – and a lot more – were part of setup chores for this weekend’s 2022 Flower & Garden Show. The show is set for Friday, March 25, through Sunday, March 27, at the QCCA Expo Center, located 2621 4th Ave.
A preview gala event for the show is set for 4-8 p.m. Thursday, March 24. Tickets at the door are $25 for the gala. Find more information here.
Show hours will be noon to 8 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. Admission to the show is $8 for adults ($6 in advance). Admission is $1 for young people 15 and under.
This week’s show will feature about 100 vendors representing landscaping companies, outdoor furniture, tools, food vendors and many other areas, according to Robert Junker, show director at the expo center.
“There’s going to be a nice variety of things here,” said Michelle Carstensen, a vendor who was setting up bottles of salsa at the Mississippi Valley Growers Association booth. “This is always one of my best shows.”
Ms. Carstensen added that some of the items that will be displayed and sold at her booth also include jams, baked goods and 100-plus pies from the “Walcott Pie Lady.”
“Pies are always popular with people at the show. That and honey will be big sellers,” she said.
In another corner of the building, Richard Miller, president of the QCCA Expo Center, was busy raking mulch and getting some of the exhibits ready for public display. He said this is one of his favorite shows.
“There’s going to be a lot of flowers here. … We’re going to have a lot of odds and ends at the different displays,” Mr. Miller said.
He added that one of the new features that caught his eye is a garden shed with a greenhouse attached to the front. That shed, provided by Superior Sheds of Rock Island, was being set up by workers Wednesday morning. The 10-by-20 foot shed features nine windows, cedar pergola, loft, greenhouse and more. The base price for the shed is listed as $11,800.
For more information, visit www.qccaexpocenter.com.
