NATCHEZ &8212; Visitors browsed merchandise and ate free samples Saturday at the eighth annual Food, Home and Health Show at the Natchez Convention Center.

Sponsored by The Markets, the show offered visitors a variety of things, from signing up to win a sports car to watching cheerleaders perform on stage.

The show had about 70 vendors this year, and a good number of visitors, too, Event Coordinator Jerry D&8217;Eramo said Saturday.

&8220;This crowd is huge,&8221; D&8217;Eramo said. &8220;In the first two hours, we&8217;ve probably had 1,500 to 2,000 people.&8221;

By the end of the show last year, they had had 12,000 to 13,000 visitors, he said.

&8220;We might exceed it this year,&8221; D&8217;Eramo said.

The aisles were crowded with people picking up free pencils and watching demonstrations.

One visitor, Matt Moose Woods, said he came for the food, and he often ran into people he knew.

Rosie L. King watched a demonstration of cleaning supplies.

&8220;I said, &8216;I&8217;ll go,&8217; because I wasn&8217;t doing anything else,&8221; King said. &8220;I like it all.&8221;

Dinkie Archer, from Ferriday, said she came to the show to try new products.

&8220;I like to find out what&8217;s new, what they will have in the stores,&8221; Archer said. &8220;Some things, I would not have tried unless I came here. Like that juice over there &8212; I never would have bought it at the store, but it&8217;s great.

&8220;And it&8217;s something families can do together. I can get free toys for my nieces and nephews.&8221;

Sue Melton said she comes to the show every year.

&8220;It&8217;s bigger this year. I like it,&8221; Melton said.

Food samples, puppets and gifts for sale kept visitors occupied. There was even a booth to demonstrate the new touch-sensitive voting machines.

The show will continue today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $3 at the door.