The fifth annual Kinzua Outdoor and Travel Show held Friday and
Saturday at the Bradford Mall found success in numbers as the
ever-evolving event continues to grow in attendance, exhibitors and
vendors.

Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Diane
Sheeley said about 92 exhibitors and vendors participated in the
show this year.

“There was a significant number of new vendors that came this
year through word of mouth,” Sheeley said.

Sheeley said about 7,150 people attended the show, which was
more than the previous year’s attendance of slightly more than
6,000 people.

Sheeley said each year they give an exit interview at the end of
the show to obtain feedback from vendors and exhibitors for
improvements towards next year’s show, but this year was the first
time they had a survey of the attendees, which included questions
like how far they were coming, what they were looking for and what
they enjoyed.

According to Sheeley, more than 400 people participated in the
survey, and University of Pittsburgh at Bradford marketing class
students conducted it with help from other individuals. The results
of the survey will be collected at the end of their class in
April.

Sheeley helped with the survey and said an interesting
suggestion included someone wanting to see a fishing pond.

“I would actually like to do something out of doors,” Sheeley
said. “But we will have to be a little creative about what and
where we will be outside. That’s a way to evolve.”

The children’s programs were also a success. On Friday, there
were about 70 children, Sheeley said, per session, and later
Saturday, about 40 and 50 children were at each of the
programs.

Sheeley said smaller groups in the speaker series were treated
as a discussion group whereas the larger groups mostly had the
speaker talking.

“One of the programs about bobcats on Friday night had 60 to 80
people,” Sheeley said, citing one of the larger groups. “We’ve
always been fortunate enough to find a speaker willing to work with
what they’ve got.”

Prizes were also awarded to the winners of the Bragging Wall.
Sam Tsepelis III won for a walleye in the fish category, and Doug
Dixon won for a pheasant in the fowl category. Laree Sue Moonan won
for a beaver in the fur bearer category, and Vern Holden won for a
moose in the big game category. Krista Best won in the white tail
category. Winners were determined based on money attendees placed
in money boxes.

“We already have a list of 20 people that want to be contacted
next year to participate (in the Bragging Wall),” Sheeley said,
adding this is the first time they had people wanting to
participate in the event in advance.

Sheeley said the planning committee will get together soon to
start planning for next year’s show.

“It’s a way to show off our community,” she said. “It’s a hard
event to try to explain to anyone. Everybody finds something
different.”