Ag Expo was a sold out event at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre in February, just one of many major events Lethbridge is set to host in 2025. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge set for ‘strong year’ of major events

Mar 6, 2025 | 10:31 AM

Two local groups say 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for events in the Lethbridge area.

Tourism Lethbridge and Lethbridge & District Exhibition (LDE) say they have made significant strides in securing major events for the city.

By partnering together, the organizations say it is now possible to attract 500-plus attendee conferences that maximize the capacity of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre, as well as surrounding venues.

Dominika Wojcik, Senior Director of Communications with Tourism Lethbridge, says their strategy is not just about booking venue spaces – it ensures that both locals and visitors to the community get to experience Lethbridge’s local attractions, food and cultural offerings.

“It’s about the entire destination experience. Our goal is to create an environment where conference attendees can engage with Lethbridge beyond their meeting space, from visiting local restaurants to exploring our downtown and various attractions,” says Wojcik.

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Tourism Lethbridge and LDE recently attended the Go West event in Edmonton, where they met with 12 event planners who are exploring Lethbridge as a potential destination for future conferences and conventions.

A similar conference, Ottawa Meet Week, led the local crew to speak with 15 event planners from various industries.

LDE Event Sales Manager Devyn Derksen says they have secured several key contacts, which represents a major step forward in attracting high-impact events.

“The demand for unique and well-equipped destinations is growing, and Lethbridge is ready to deliver,” says Derksen. “Having the space, technology and supporting amenities needed to host large-scale conferences and events at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre is a game-changer for the region. The work being done now will help to establish Lethbridge as a premier event hosting location for years to come.”

Already this year, the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre held the packed Ag Expo and is gearing up for the Home, Garden & Leisure Show on March 13-15.

READ MORE: Lethbridge Ag Expo features over 300 vendors

READ MORE: Home, Garden & Leisure show returns in March, bigger than ever

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