Huron Expositor, 2017-03-29, Page 66 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Last year, a small group unveiled the 100th International Plowing Match & Expo in Walton Ont.
You are invited to attend these area churches
ST. THOMAS ANGLICAN
21 Jarvis St., Seaforth
Church Office
519-527-1522
holyspirit@tcc.on.ca
Rev. Shaun Eaton - Priest -in -Charge
Sunday April 2
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Worship at 9:30am
Everyone Welcome
Office hours Fridays 10am-Noon
Lenten Study on Friday 2pm in Clinton
BETHEL BIBLE CHURCH
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Interim Pastor Rev. Laurie Moms
April 2 - 11 am
"Faith is the Victory"
Sunday School - 9:45 am
April 9 -11 am
"Call the Witnesses"
Tuesday Evenings:
Youth Group - 6:30 - 9 pm
B & G Club - 6:45 pm
Wednesday Evening:
Men's Bible Study - 7 pm
El EVERYONE WELCOME
EGMONDVILLE UNITED CHURCH
26 Kippen Road Egmondville
519-527-1991
Rev. Christine Hossack
Worship April 2nd 10:30
Youth Sunday School 10:30
Thursday 6th Bible Study 1:30
Everyone Welcome
Like us on Facebook
Website: www.egmondvilleunitedchurch.com
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
59 Goderich St. W.
Seaforth
519-527-0170
Rev. Dwight Nelson
Lorrie Mann - Organist
Sunday, April 2 11am
Sunday School
Nursery Provided as Needed
ALL WELCOME
2017 IPM looks to break
attendance records
Shaun Gregory
Huron Expositor
An "epic" kind of year is all
that's on Emily Morrison's
mind, she is one of the mar-
keters for the 2017 Interna-
tional Plowing Match and
Rural Expo and attracting a
population the size of a small
city is the way to turn that
vision into reality.
According to a report from the
Ministry of Tourism, Culture,
and Sport, the town of Minto,
Ont. felt an economic impact
splurge of some $29 million for
last year's event.
Surpassing the six-month
mark until opening day, Morri-
son is anticipating a more lucra-
tive stage in the municipality of
1 luron East.
She said if this happens, the
community could potentially
create a larger financial effect
than the 2016 IPM, which saw
more than 96,000 people come
through the gates.
Morrison, 27, is working dili-
gently with a marketing cam-
paign team covering anything
that derives their way in a 100
km radius.
Entering the 100th year for
IPM competition, in Walton this
time around, the match will be
held from Sept. 19-23.
With such a milestone cel-
ebration generating from the
IPM, Morrison is attempting
to welcome more than
100,000 people to pay
homage.
"There (are) 62,000 people in
Huron County, so we have to
make sure that 40,000 people
come from outside," Morrison
said.
If accomplished, this would
be a record in recent years.
"That is a record that we want
to break," stated Morrison,
March 23.
In the past 15 some -odd years,
there has yet to be a hosting des-
tination of the match to hit six -
digit audience numbers.
It's an evolving event from
one year to the next; Morri-
son said her position itself is
proof of how the event is
growing.
"I'm actually a paid employee
funded from the County of
I-iuron and that's really never
happened before."
With a target age group of
25-40, Morrison - a born and
raised native of I luron County -
is advertising to the young farm-
ers. There is a stigma
surrounded by farming and
agriculture and she's hoping to
showcase this new trend.
"Some may think this is for an
older crowd, we want to show
them it's not," she said.
"The IPM is young and hip."
Last year at the 2016 IPM,
Morrison and her team spent 10
days tented up to study the
event while also promoting the
upcoming Walton contest; she
said this experience gave them a
taste of what to expect in the fol-
lowing year.
During that time, they sold
roughly 500 campsites in the
area for the 2017 IPM.
Cathy Lasby, executive
director for the Ontario Plow-
men's Association, said mar-
keting tools are key but said
the forecast is what matters
most.
"The first thing they need to
do is pray for good weather
because we are so weather
dependent," she said in an inter-
view March 24.
She continued, "the com-
munity has to' be engaged in it
and 1 think that attitude and
atmosphere (will) (be) a wel-
coming feeling that will make
people want to come to
Walton."