The spring Home and Garden Show will continue this year with a change in sponsorship and a new name. Scheduled for Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, the St. Ignace Home Show and Spring Expo will be sponsored by the city's Recreation Department.

Vendors will see a reduction in booth space rental fees, and organizers are hoping to bring in new displays in addition to returning crowd favorites.

In January, previous organizers said rising costs, securing vendors, and the intensive planning time needed to organize the event caused them to discontinue hosting the annual show.

The event raised about $2,000 last year, said Lori Pieri of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Mackinac County, the organization previously sponsoring the show. This year, she said, HOME is changing its efforts and will focus on its annual Christmas fundraiser, which generates more revenue and requires less preparation time.

The seventh annual home show will be held at Little Bear East Arena and is designed to feature home and yard products including furnishings, window treatments, custom stone products, windows and doors, and paint. Also showcased have been builders and contractors, banks, and real estate services.

Under the recreation department's operation, show costs will be reduced by $6,500, savings that are being passed on, in part, to vendors. The city will not have to pay the $3,000 for two-day rental of the city-owned arena. Also, the city is working with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to borrow drapes to separate show booths. The move will save the city $3,500 in drapery rental fees.

Booth rental for vendors now will be $100, a $25 reduction from previous years. A booth is a 10- foot by eight-foot space. Last year, 70 booths were sold and the city hopes to at least match that number. Since the city took over the event about a week ago, said City Manager Eric Dodson, 32 businesses have committed to buy booth space.

"We just don't want to see it go," said Mr. Dodson. "You lose it one year, you are probably going to lose it forever or have to rebuild it.

"Our number-one goal is just to keep the thing alive," he added. "It is a great event for St. Ignace, a great event for Mackinac County and the Eastern U.P. We're going to do our best. We know these are economically challenging times and we might lose some people."

Mr. Dodson is working with Recreation Director Scott Marshall in planning this year's expo.

Admission will be $3 per person, with children age 12 and younger admitted free.

The plan is to get as many local businesses involved as possible, he said, and include new show companies. One has already contacted him about a display featuring granite countertops.

City crews will not be used for set-up, said Mr. Dodson, although inmate workers may help. Also, a few volunteers already have come forward, and organizers are in need of more.

Those interested in being a show vendor or volunteer should call Mr. Dodson at 643-9671 or Mr. Marshall at 643-8676.