The Best Home Shows in Minneapolis for 2024
As a longstanding residential architect in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota, and founder of Chris Doehrmann Architect, inc. architecture firm, I’ve spent multiple decades talking with homeowners about their upcoming projects at various Minneapolis Home and Garden shows. They may have different labels like home and garden, home and renovation, home improvement, or lake home and garden, but they all focus on bringing together a wide variety of qualified professionals and exhibitors to help homeowners find the resources they need to achieve their dreams for home. But you may be wondering what shows are available in the area, and which are worth your time to attend when starting to plan your project. In this post, I will discuss what home shows are offered in the area, what the focus of each individual show is, and the potential benefits of attending each of these shows, giving you the ability to decide which are the best Minneapolis home and garden shows for you to attend in 2024.
Home Show Background
Many years ago, when the Minneapolis Convention Center was only three domes and the Home & Garden Show was the only ticket in town, the aisles would consist of a single mass of slowly moving people. As an exhibitor, you didn’t dare step out of your booth for fear that the crowd would sweep you away. However, with the expansion of the Convention Center and the explosion of local home improvement shows, it’s not always easy to know which shows are worth your time and what to expect from each of them. Bigger is not always better, and just because a show is small and in your community doesn’t mean it is worth your time. Today, I’m going to break down the best home shows in Minneapolis that will give you the biggest bang for your buck and for the time you spend.
If you have a small home maintenance project like building a deck or landscaping maintenance, The smaller local community shows may be more worth your time. You can check your local city’s online event schedule to see when there will be local home improvement shows to help you with your project. However, if you are planning to shop for Architecture, Contracting, or Interior Design services, or you are looking to start new home build or major addition or renovation to your existing home, then one of the main larger shows is probably going to be the best option for you. In this post, we will focus on these larger shows as there are still quite a few worth mentioning, but talking through each show, their size, and their focus, will allow you to make an informed decision about which shows to attend. You don’t want to waste your time on shows which have less of the professionals you need to complete your project, and more high-pressure sales of products like pots, pans, knives, or the latest and greatest mop. We all love a good home gadget, but if you are reading this post, you are looking for more than the latest in-home technology.
When do Minneapolis Home Shows Take Place?
The home show season is typically kicked off in late December and then runs through early March. The yearly schedule for each show can vary slightly, but this year, here is the schedule for the major upcoming home shows in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota:
- January 19th-21st – Home Building & Remodeling Expo
- February 2nd-4th – Minneapolis Home + Remodeling Show
- February 21st-25th – Minneapolis Home & Garden Show
- March 1st-3rd – Up North Expo
Top 4 Best Home Shows in Minneapolis
4. Home Building & Remodeling Expo
The Home Building & Remodeling Expo is the first major show of the year and is also the smallest show to make it on our list. It is 4th on my list of home shows you should attend, but there are many reasons that this show may still make your list. It takes place January 19th-21st, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis in their exhibit hall and ball room, which in comparison to the venues of these other shows, is fairly small in size. There are a number of venders here for different home products and services and some home build and design professionals as well; however, your ability to talk to multiple different architects, contractors, or designers may be limited year to year based on which professionals choose to attend this show. Because this show is the first of the year, you may want to attend if you need to find help or vendors for your project quickly. This Expo is the most similar to a local community home show of the shows on this list and may be a good addition to your list of home shows you attend if you have a project on the smaller side but want to attend a show that is bigger than the local shows available to you.
3. Up North Expo
Next in line is what used to be the Minneapolis Lake Home & Cabin Show in the Minneapolis Convention Center March 1 – 3, 2024. It’s been rebranded this year as the Up North Expo. It is well-run and draws high-quality exhibitors for the lake home and cabin market, but this year also includes the camping and up north vacation market as well. If your project is more geared towards a lake home, vacation home, or Cabin, this show is definitely worth attending. In the past years you could find everything for your special getaway home as the cabin comes indoor for the weekend. The very best companies specializing in lake and cabin country products and services were always ready to meet you. This being the first year of a major rebrand to include Camping and more vacation-oriented topics, it remains to be seen how valuable this show continues to be for people looking to build a new lake home or renovate one that’s existing. We have loved this cabin specific show in the past, and hopefully, you will still find loads of information and resources at the show, along with seminars and activities scattered throughout the show.
2. Minneapolis Home & Garden Show
My second choice for 2024 is the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show. It comes at the end of February, and you’re left with less time to plan your spring project. Its size can be great if you want to know that everything will be there, but it can also be a negative because of the parking, crowds and having to cover so much territory if you want to see everything.
This is the best show for getting landscaping ideas and meeting landscaping professionals. It is the largest home and garden show of the year and is held in the Minneapolis Convention Center. It fills all four domes of the Convention Center and offers the most comprehensive gathering of landscaping and home improvement providers in the Midwest. Almost 90,000 homeowners attend the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show annually seeking helpful advice, solutions and new products for their next renovation, décor or landscape project.
The Minneapolis Home & Garden features high-interest exhibits, high-profile industry personalities and the latest trends to help customers who are ready to move ahead with their home improvement projects. Eight of the most talented landscapers from all over Minnesota will showcase their expertise, and the Idea Home is always a great way to connect with the latest in-home design trends. The Main Stage offers presentations revolving around remodeling, interior design, landscaping and cooking. Attendees will get budget saving tips, DIY ideas and education from local speakers and national celebrities. Some of the included speakers include Dave & Jenny Marrs of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous, Bryan Baeumler of HGTV’S Renovation Island, and Stephanie Hansen a TV Host & Author. Cooking presentations will have LIVE demonstrations by local chefs and media personalities for entertaining, healthy eating and quick and easy family meals. For up-to-date information on the speakers and special features of this show, make sure you check out our Home Show Page. I will also be exhibiting at this show in 2024, so if you end up stopping by, be sure to visit me at Booth #1507.
1. Minneapolis Home + Remodeling Show
Finally, we reach my top pick for the best home show in Minneapolis: The Minneapolis Home & Remodeling Show. It is early in the season, on February 2nd-4th, 2024, so you have enough time to plan and prepare for your project. It is an extremely well-run show, and offers many expert speakers, qualified exhibitors, and design professionals without being too large. This show is a great option, not only to find the design professional that will work well with you, but it’s an extremely entertaining show as well. You can find all the exhibitors easily and you won’t need to hurry through if you want to see everything. Taking place in U.S. Bank stadium, the venue for this show is fantastic, and it truly is an event you won’t want to miss.
This show was established in 2017, and made a big splash, welcoming almost 30,000 visitors that first season. It is run by the same organization as the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show, which is had been running for many years prior very successfully, and it covers the latest products and services in home design and construction. The exceptional quality of the exhibitors will ensure it will be a great resource for creative inspiration and helpful advice for all of your home improvement projects. You will find architects, interior designers, builders, and much more, but the focus is more on building than landscaping. So if plants are your thing, I would wait for one of the later shows. The guest speakers they bring in are very unique and often have experience building, designing, renovating, and possibly even starring in HGTV shows. You can catch plenty of presentations and live demonstrations at the Main Stage, featuring local and national experts in home improvement, architecture, remodeling, décor and more. The featured speakers include celebrities such as Tamara Day of HGTV’s Bargain Mansions, Lindsey Uselding and Kirsten Meehan of HGTV’s Renovation 911, and Virginia Chamlee the Author of Big Thrift Energy. To see updated information about featured speakers and exhibits for the Minneapolis Home and Remodeling Show be sure to visit our Home Show Page where we keep all the latest information.
If all that isn’t enough, the stadium is such a cool unique piece of architecture in and of itself, and your view of the Minneapolis skyline is worth the trip on its own. I will be at this show in 2024, so be sure to stop by and see me in Booth #803 if you decide to come!
What Home Improvement Shows Will Make Your List?
Now that we’ve talked through the major home shows offered in the Minneapolis and surrounding areas of the Twin Cities, it’s time for you to evaluate which shows are best fit for your project. Ultimately each project is different so there is no Best Home Show to attend for every person. As a seasoned architect I definitely have my favorites out of the available shows, but what I enjoy the most in a show may not be what your project in particular calls for. Make sure you take your time in considering your project before pulling the trigger on tickets to a show that may not be the best option for you.
Contact Chris!
I hope this article helps you make your own list of must-see home shows for 2024! If you are starting your own project and have any questions about how to get started on your new build, addition, or renovation project, send us a message using the Contact Chris form and I’ll get back to you soon to see what I can do to help. I look forward to hearing from you and helping to make your dreams for home come true!