Biz expo adds more fun

Each year the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo and Family Fun Fest expands.

This year, organizers have added Expo Café to the line up of events featured 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center. The café will feature local nonprofits serving treats in the theater room while visitors enjoy entertainment, including a fashion show.

The outdoor Family Fest will feature face painting, games, inflatable bounce house, door prizes, and new this year, a dog fly-ball demonstration.

The main focus of the event is to allow area businesses and nonprofits to showcase their goods and services.

“Our goal is: shop local, buy local, support the local economy,” said Meg Peltier, president and CEO of the chamber. “A lot of people don’t realize how many great businesses we have here in our own backyard.”

The indoor and outdoor show features 100 vendors, including Majors Home Improvement, a participant for nearly a decade.

“It’s great to have a booth so people can come in with coffee in hand and kick tires and talk to someone about a project they want to do,” said Jonathan Wells, Majors’ operations manager.

In these economic times, that face time is important, Wells said.

Josie Cotti, vice president of the chamber’s membership services, said attendees will find a “broad spectrum” of vendors to chat with.

Among them: Banks, medical and elderly services, health care providers, builders, and cosmetic, sunglass and gift basket vendors.

PNJ