All American Expo 2015 will return to Miami University Middletown’s Johnston Hall on Thursday, March 26. An opening ceremony will start at 11:30 a.m. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
“We have Miami Valley Gaming coming for the first time, which should be really cool to see what they have to offer,” said Amanda Burkholder, director of communications and member services for The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton, which is putting on the event.
“They will also be setting up a food booth, and we’ve had an opportunity to get a taste of what they can do, and it was spectacular, so we are excited to be able to showcase them,”
The event will showcase more than 90 member businesses and organizations from the Middletown, Monroe, and Trenton areas. All American Expo has been running for more than 25 years and is supported by a host of local sponsors, including MillerCoors, Miami University and G & J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Inc., among others.
“We want to reach out to people in the community, so they know what’s in the community as far as jobs, and other resources,” she said. “We also would like to give the businesses an opportunity to network with each other.”
The Chamber currently has about 450 active members, however, the expo location can accommodate about 90 participants.
“It’s very popular within the expo area for exhibitors to hand out pens, and their business cards, or something for people to remember their business name by,” Burkholder said. “They may do giveaways, raffle baskets, or gift cards at their particular stations, but there will also be a raffle section that we run at Miami University, which is a compilation of different prizes from various businesses that we raffle off as well.”
Directly following the Expo, there will be a Chamber After Hours event for members from 5 to 7 p.m.
“This is a good way to get to know the community and the businesses here, what they offer, and what you can offer them,” Burkholder said. “It opens up that door for people to start talking. Different businesses participate each year, and educate the public about something different each year, so it’s a learning experience for the people that are attending, and a good learning experience for the people participating as booth vendors to gauge public interest.”
About 1,500 guests are expected to attend this year’s All American Expo, which aims to connect people and keep them informed. Musical guests from area high schools, including the Middletown Jazz Band, will perform throughout the day.
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