I heard about the Chicago Flower and Garden Show from a gardening magazine I love, Chicagoland Gardening.
I have found this magazine to be uber helpful, so when it recommended checking out the show, I was sold.
Well, I finally made it to the show a few days ago, and I’m sorry to say…it kinda sucked. First off, it’s located at Navy Pier, which is basically Tourist Central. I don’t have anything against popular attractions if they are good or interesting to look at or historically significant or whatever, but seriously this place is like Mall of America. It’s loud and crowded, packed with chain restaurants and cheesy themed kiosks selling cheapo souvenirs. Just ugh, you know?
The garden show itself is held in a building way at the end of the pier, not that there are any signs telling you that. But once I finally found it and paid for my ticket, I walked in–and, at first, was genuinely wowed by the displays of beautiful flowers and waterfall garden features. Maybe all the effort was worth it!
But then I kept walking and saw that many of the booths weren’t selling or displaying anything plant-related at all. Here’s a guy selling outdoor heat lamps. Here’s a lady selling vibrating massage pillows. There’s a woman selling blenders. And there’s another selling knives. It was like walking into a warehouse where 50 loosely-related infomercials are happening simultaneously.
To be fair, there were people selling flowers, too. Some were selling bulbs and seeds. There was a beautiful selection of cut flowers–in water and in vases. But all of them were ridiculously expensive. Just completely overpriced.
I don’t know, man. The whole thing ended up being really depressing. So, mental note, Chicago Flower and Garden Show pretty much sucks. That was definitely a one-and-done-type situation for me. Oh, well. They can’t all be winners.
Far too many home and garden shows tend to be like that any more. Seems as though they are just a central location to sell people things they don’t need. *Sigh*
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I’m discovering that unfortunately! Oh well, lesson learned. I do more research beforehand now, ha…
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I LIVE here and didn’t know about the show…LOLOL
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Ha, well take heart, because, trust me, you haven’t been missing anything!
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That’s really too bad about Flower & Garden show. I don’t know where blenders comes in to all of this hahaha… I would love to go to one, but if everything is expensive, that defeats the purpose of going.
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I know, ha. What IS up with the blenders?! It was so weird. I did like some of the flower arrangements, but, yeah, definitely too expensive. The mark-up was ridiculous. Especially when you consider that you have to pay $17 to even get in the show in the first place, it’s just not worth it… 😦
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Oh wow.. the door fee is high.
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I know… I was lucky and had someone offer me a “five dollar off” coupon as I was waiting in line, but kind of ridiculous!
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Now you will know not to go there again 🙂 Unless you want to window shopping.. haha.. I don’t particularly enjoy that. I want to be able to buy something 🙂
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