Some Big Stars Were Past Guests of the CMBA Home Show

The annual CMBA Home Show took place at the Rivers Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud this last weekend.  The home show in the late 1990s looked a lot different.

In 1997 the CMBA Home Show moved from Crossroads Center to the St. Cloud Civic Center and started charging admission for the first time.  After organizing the Wheels, Wings and Water Festival Mark Braegelman took over as the director of the Home Show in '97.

Braegelman suggested the CMBA provide something besides booths and products to both attract people and create value.  He came up with the idea of the "Prime Time Living Room" and created a space that looked like a 60s sitcom movie set where people could meet celebrities.  Braegelman recalls including some professional athletes as guests as well.

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The list of TV stars who came to the CMBA home show in St. Cloud between 1997-1999 include:  Jay North (Dennis the Menace), Jerry Mathers (Leave it to Beaver), Donna Douglas (Ellie May from the Beverly Hillbillies, Bob Denver (Gilligan from Gilligan's Island), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster from the Munsters), Jamie Farr (Klinger from MASH), and Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island).

Athletes who attended the event include former Minnesota Vikings Carl Eller and Chuck Foreman.  Entertainers who attended include George Maurer, Tonic Solfa, The Rockin Hollywoods, the Hi Tops, Kenny Ahern, In Capable Hands, Tim Gabrielson, The Wendinger Band and Hawaiian Sugar.

Braegelman says they had a display of memorbilia related to the TV shows.