Oct 12, 2015
Wild Bird Expo Sees Record Attendance, Presents Awards

The 2015 Wild Bird Expo and Heart of America Gift Show, which took place in Mexico, Missouri, Sep. 29-Oct. 1, announced that the final attendance count for this year's show reached record breaking levels.

The 2015 Wild Bird Expo and Heart of America Gift Show, which took place in Mexico, Missouri, Sep. 29-Oct. 1, announced that the final attendance count for this year’s show reached record breaking levels. This year’s show included over 120 backyard nature vendors and more than 630 retailers from 46 states and Canada, according to show coordinator Brenda Wright.

Share Night

As a part of the Wild Bird Expo event, a “Share Night” allows retailers attending to submit and share all of their best ads, displays, promotions and direct mail pieces. All material submitted may be voted on as best in category. At the conclusion of the Wild Bird Expo, all votes are counted and a winner in each category is selected and recognized.

Here are this year’s Share Night Winners by category:

  • Best Advertisement: The Bird Store and More in Sturbridge, Massachusetts
  • Best Direct Mail Piece – Buchanan’s Native Plants in Houston, Texas
  • Best Display – Valley Feed & Supply in Bonner Springs, Kansas
  • Best Special or Promotional Piece – Backyard Nature Center in Wichita, Kansas

Best Birding Retailer of the Year

The first ever “Best Birding Retailer of the Year Awards Ceremony”, sponsored by Gold Crest Distributing and Birding Business Magazine, also took place at this year’s 2015 Wild Bird Exp. The nominees included 16 independent birding retailers who were chosen and submitted by The Candidate Search Committee, which consists of several birding industry suppliers and peers.

The following categories were assessed and winners were announced at this year’s Wild Bird Expo:

  • Best Large Store with a Birding Emphasis (Over 1,800 Sq. Feet): Jay’s Bird Barn in Prescott, Arizona
  • Best Small Store with a Birding Emphasis (Less than 1,800 Sq. Feet): Wild Bird Habitat in Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Best Birding Department in a Multi-Line Store: Harleysville Ace in Harleysville, Pennsylvania
  • Best Birding Department as a funding source for a Non-Profit Organization: Audubon Society of Portland in Portland, Oregon

For more information, visit www.wildbirdexpo.com.