Home & Garden Shows Underway

- The Des Moines Home + Garden Show is organized by Marketplace Events, which produces over 125 events in North America annually. This is the 48th year for the Des Moines show, and it typically attracts more than 33,000 attendees and 400 exhibitors. - Craig Conover, known from the reality TV show *Southern Charm*, is a featured speaker who will discuss his home and lifestyle brand, "Sewing Down South." His passion for sewing began in a middle school home economics class, which he later turned into a successful business. - New features at the Des Moines show for 2026 include a Children's Entrepreneur Market for ages 5-17 and a "Visit, Stamp, Win!" promotion where attendees can get a passport card stamped by exhibitors to win prizes. - Returning features in Des Moines include the "Feature Gardens" created by local landscapers, the "Made in Iowa Market" for locally produced goods, and the "Rose Farm Inspiration Stage" with presentations on gardening, floral design, and more. - The QCBR Home Show is hosted by the Quad Cities Builders & Remodelers Association at the Bend XPO in East Moline, Illinois, and is in its 49th year. The 2025 show featured over 110 vendors and more than 220 booths. - A central feature of the QCBR show is the "Meet the Builder" room, where attendees can consult with local builders about their projects. - The QCBR show supports the future of the construction industry by featuring a silent auction of student-built projects. Proceeds are split between local high school trade programs and "Build My Future," a hands-on event for students. - The Quad Cities Builders & Remodelers Association, which runs the QCBR Home Show, is actively involved in legislative efforts concerning the building industry. This is particularly relevant as the 2026 Illinois Stretch Energy Code, which sets new energy efficiency standards for residential and commercial buildings, is currently under development.