After a 2017 3i Show that saw a big drop in exhibitors, the Western Kansas Manufacturers Association, sponsor of the show, spent a lot of time gathering surveys not only from exhibitors, but also from farmers, ranchers and others who attend the 3i Show and who are ultimately the customers that make exhibiting at the show successful.

“As we gathered the data, there were multiple pieces that pointed to a spring/winter time frame as being better. In response to this information, the 3i Show will kick off new March dates in 2018 with show dates March 22-24,” says Eddie Estes, executive director of WKMA.

“In light of the fact that many exhibitors responded to the most recent survey saying they would return to the show this coming March if the dates were changed, WKMA is quickly moving forward with planning a spring show.”

For those who want to get a jump on exhibition planning, a printable Space Reservation Request form is already available online.

Prices have been reduced for inside exhibit space on the dirt-floor side of the building, but all other pricing will remain the same as it was for the 2017 show.

WKMA is opening its Facebook cross-promotion giveaway we have done for the past few years. A drawing will be held at the Exhibitor Reception from all entries, and one exhibitor will win $400 towards their 2019 show space.

Exhibitors who want to participate can like the 3i Show Facebook page and tag the 3i Show Facebook page in a post on their own page, inviting the public to your exhibit at the show. Each time the 3i SHOW receives a Facebook notification that a company has tagged them in a post from now until March 20, an entry for the posting company will be placed in the drawing.

There will be a maximum of two entries per company per day. The winner must be present at the Exhibitor Reception to win.

More news about additional giveaways being offered by exhibitors during the show will be announced as they are received.

The 3i Show was organized by WKMA in 1950 as a salute the industry, implements and irrigation, offering the opportunity for exhibitors from all over the world to showcase their agribusiness products.

For the first several years, the show was a traveling exhibit — the Western Kansas Karavan — with members loading their products on trucks and making one-night stands in various Kansas towns.

It evolved into a standing show that traded locations between Garden City and Great Bend for several years, and then moved to a permanent location at the Western Bank Expo Center in Dodge City in 2012.