Mar
28
Baby Fairs and “Antiques Roadshow”
March 28th, 2008 by Erin McHugh
I had the pleasure of attending a Baby Expo in San Antonio, TX in the beginning of March. If I heard it once, I heard it a million times- “Do they make that in adult sizes?” Yes, that was the question of the weekend. Parents seem to want the same soothing and comfy experiences that their offspring are getting. It makes sense right? There was a lot of other great feedback and funny remarks we heard at the event. I attented the event along with Kelley Maxfield, from our Direct Marketing department, and she had an interesting take on the event. Kelley is joining us as a guest blogger with her point of view. (what can I say- there weren’t any celebrities in San Antonio!). Now heeeeere’s Kelley!
Whether you like to admit it or not, you’ve probably seen an episode or two of Antiques Roadshow (oh yes, as far as guilty pleasures go, this show is right up there with Project Runway). Aside from anticipating the guests’ reactions from the value of their new found Kämmer & Reinhardt doll or glorified paper weight, the fun is in guessing what some of these unusual yard sale bargains and cherished heirlooms are and how they are used.
As expectant parents, the guests attending the 3rd annual Healthy Baby & Child Expo in San Antonio, Texas this month, applied that same curious enthusiasm towards discovering the world of baby gear. For some newcomers, our exhibit featuring the Touch Free™ Diaper Pail looked like a futuristic toilet with automatic-open lid just the right size for a potty training toddler (one guest even commented that this was a great idea for his own toilet – is it so hard to remember to put the toilet seat down!), and our imonitor™ digital video monitor could have been the perfect spy kit (no, Meet the Fockers fans, this is not intended for spying on the in-laws during those unexpected visits).
Good guesses, but here’s when the expert appraiser would step in, or in our case, a Graco representative. Did you know our sweetpeace™ Newborn Soothing Center has an MP3 connection to let you play Baby’s personal playlist or that our imonitor™ vibe monitor actually vibrates so you can hear and feel your baby’s call? There’s even a vibrating mattress pad in some of our Pack ‘n Play® Playard’s (wish mine did that!). From understanding the basics to mastering the top-of-the line innovations in baby gear, there are a lot of choices and we can help.
Baby trade shows or expos are an excellent resource packed with educational seminars, health screenings, games, entertainment, beauty makeovers, maternity fashion shows, taste tests, giveaways (some say the size of the goody bag received at the admissions desk is a tell-tale sign of the amount of loot you’ll take home), and one of the few places to receive hands-on demonstrations and knowledgeable information from the actual people who make baby gear products (shout out to all Graco employees who have volunteered this past year). If there’s a show coming to your city, it’s worth the visit. Come see us April 12 & 13 at Baby Celebration L.A. at the Los Angeles Convention Center!
