Snowbird Extravaganza cancels annual Lakeland event that caters to Canadian tourists

LAKELAND, Fla. - A long-running attraction for Canadian snowbirds in Central Florida has been canceled.

The annual two-day 'Snowbird Extravaganza' used to bring tens of thousands of tourists to the city of Lakeland.

The backstory:

The Snowbird Extravaganza has been around since 1995, and in 2000, the expo moved to the RP Funding Center.

Typically, it had between 75 to 100 vendors showcasing products and services that cater to Canadian tourists who chose to spend their winters in the sunny South.

"We showcase entertainment on three stages in the facility," explained Christopher Davidge, vice president of special events and marketing at Medipac International. "We have a hospitality center that has food and drink available."

What they're saying:

The expo's organizer, Medipac International, made the hard decision to cancel its flagship event in Florida, Texas and Arizona this year because of a lack of support from local and national businesses and a decline in interest from guests.

"We're heartbroken because we love doing this," Davidge said. "We've been doing it since 1995. We consider it to be a staple since 1995 and we consider it to be a staple of the winter visitor experience and yeah, we were proud to be a part of it."

Since the event is free, vendor support helps offset the cost of production.

Davidge added that since the COVID-19 pandemic, special event marketing hasn't been what it's used to be and exhibitors have found new, innovative ways to reach out to the public, including social media.

What's next:

He says it's too soon to say whether the event will be back for 2027, but if there's no vendor support, there may be no point in putting it on.

"If we don't get that indication like we need then we have to make the unfortunate decision to focus our efforts elsewhere," said Davidge.