One of the most popular features at Equip Exposition, the Outdoor Demonstration Area is a perfect combination of business and pleasure. It’s the place where landscape professionals and dealers can get hands-on with equipment to test and compare multiple brands before making purchasing decisions. In fact, some past attendees have said it makes them feel like a kid in a candy store.

And to make it even sweeter, the demo area just underwent a $1.3 million overhaul. More than 126,000 cubic yards of dirt (the equivalent of over 1 million wheelbarrows full) was hauled in to improve drainage and irrigation. Plus, permanent driving lanes and sidewalks have improved pedestrian access at the Kentucky Expo Center. Open Thursday and Friday, the demo area allows attendees to shop indoors, then step outside and get down to the nitty gritty by getting behind the controls.

“The Outdoor Demo Area alone is worth the nine-hour drive from Toronto,” said Shaun Koepke of New Nature Landscaping, who brought his crew down from Ontario, Canada. “We used to have to go to several shows to explore every option and see all the different equipment. Coming here we can try it all in one day, in one place. It’s awesome!”