Home Fair Saturday to Feature 60 Vendors, Mini Market, Kids’ Activities

The first signs of spring evoke plans for vacations, barbecues, bike rides and—for homeowners—projects around the house.

The City of Oakdale has assembled 60 vendors ready to help make those projects happen for it annual home improvement fair, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at . Vendors who’ll be at the fair offer services like solar panel system installation, flooring, roofing, remodeling, home exterior installation and more. (See the full list of vendors in the PDF section of this article.)

Here are a few things that will be new and different at this year’s home fair, according to community development specialist Logan Martin:

• About nine of the vendors from Oakdale’s winter indoor market will be at the home fair selling items like jellies, handmade toys and necklaces.
• The Oakdale Venturing Crew, a division of the Boy Scouts, will be selling concessions as a fundraiser.
• Bob the Builder will be at the event to greet and appear in photos with kids from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• This year’s fair starts later and lasts longer than last year’s.

In addition to contractors, there will also be information on financing home improvements at the fair, Martin said. Two local financial institutions will be there, and there'll be information available on low-interest loans through the state and the city.

“If you meet somebody and come up with a great idea for a project, we can hopefully have someone there who can help you with the financing of that, too,” Martin said. “Hopefully it’s a one-stop shop sort of a feel.”

Martin said the city puts on the fair each year to encourage residents to reinvest in their properties.

“We would like to encourage people to invest and improve their housing so we can stay with great appearing housing stock throughout the community,” Martin said. “It supports everyone else’s value, and the community’s value, and it’s really just kind of a win-win for everybody.”