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Yard, Garden & Patio Show to continue under new ownership

By — Posted

Oregon’s Yard, Garden & Patio Show will continue into 2015 and beyond, according to a joint announcement made July 17.

Metropolitan Productions Inc. has purchased the 26-year-old consumer event, designed expressly for gardeners and homeowners, from the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN). The next edition will be held Friday–Sunday, February 27–March 1, 2015, at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland. The show is held every year on a weekend in late February and/or early March.

“We are both honored and excited to be the new owners of the Yard, Garden & Patio Show,” said Sean Guard, President and CEO of Metropolitan Productions. “We look forward to carrying on the rich tradition of the show, and also adding some exciting new elements over the next few years.”

Jeff Stone, executive director of the OAN, said that Metropolitan Productions turned out to be the perfect buyer. Unanimously approved by the OAN Board of Directors, the purchase agreement provides for the continued involvement of OAN-member garden retailers, landscapers and service providers in the event — including booth discounts for OAN members. Metropolitan will also support the nursery industry by funding annual scholarships for horticulture students through the Oregon Nurseries Foundation, an arm of OAN.

“Metropolitan Productions is well known, experienced, and respected in the events industry,” Stone said. “They own and operate the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival, and have a large portfolio of events clients, including Fred Meyer, Columbia Sportswear, Cash & Carry, LinkUs and the Harrington Family Foundation. The Yard, Garden & Patio Show is a perfect fit for their core competencies. We think the show will be in excellent hands.”

Stone noted that Metropolitan is familiar with the show, having worked on the marketing and promotion of the event in 2010.

Matt Gold, president of the Oregon Association of Nurseries, said he was pleased with the arrangement, which was unanimously approved by the OAN Board of Directors. “This allows the OAN to focus efforts on the Farwest Trade Show, our wholesale show supporting the $750 million Oregon nursery industry, while still providing a way for our retail and landscape members to reach out to the public,” he said. “It’s the classic win-win situation.”

The OAN will continue its other consumer outreach projects, including the Plant Something™ campaign, the Random Acts of Gardening e-newsletter, and the annual Retail Nurseries & Garden Centers Guide (a folding map and directory of OAN-member retailers, landscapers and service providers). All of these projects will continue their presence at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show — and both Stone and Guard pledged that the two organizations will continue working together for the benefit of gardening and the horticulture industry.

“We appreciate the trust that the OAN has put in Metropolitan Productions,” Guard said. “YGP has had 26 very successful years. We know what an outstanding event it is for the public and for the exhibitors. We are prepared to work with the OAN to make the transition seamless, so we can retain this quality event in the Portland market and continue its success for years to come.”