The exhibit hall is a central feature of every Mennonite convention.  Mennonite schools, missions and companies set up their booths to attract students, customers and interested parties, and free stuff flows like water.  Magnetic clips, letter openers, pens, T-Shirts and a mountain of candy are given away by hopeful exhibitors.

The floor at Columbus 2009 is divided into multiple sections: education, missions and publishing.  The colleges and universities all have booths, hoping to woo the Mennonite youth with promises of a superior education, a better future and, of course, lots of free gear.

Local churches like Agora Christian Fellowship are present, as well as national and international organizations like Ten Thousand Villages, Mutual Aid Exchange (MAX) and Eastern Mennonite Missions.

Tantalizing booths aren’t all there is though.  One half of the floor is devoted to recreation, including volleyball and basketball courts, and a kiddy-sized plastic playground.

Navigating through the forest of pillars with signs for various activities and Mennonite institutions is no problem for conventiongoers; as the doors open for the first time, just after the evening worship service, a large crowd had already gathered, and upon a hearty “GO!” from a staffer, eager youth stormed in, laughing and yelling as they ran to the booths.