Business & Tech
Message for This Year's Business Expo: Shop Local
Sponsored by the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce, this free event connects residents with community businesses and organizations.
The bright green billboards advertising the 27th annual Frankfort Business Expo made quite an impression this year, set against this winter's endlessly dreary landscape.
"We always do a billboard," said Frankfort Chamber of Commerce executive director Karen Blake, "but this year we've gotten so many comments on that green. We decided we're going to have to do a bright color background every year. It really got people's attention."
More than 2,000 people attend the expo each year, Blake said, with the vendors running the gamut from service providers to retail and home-based businesses to churches and community organizations. About 110 new and established members will participate in this year's event this weekend.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
"The new members love that they can showcase their products and services in this one event," she said. "It's a chance for them to jump in and get that immediate exposure to the community."
Expo c0-chairman Keith Ogle said he and his planning team hope that this year's theme, There's No Place Like Home, encourages community residents to be neighborly and support local businesses.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
"We want people to know that the expo is really geared for the community. It's not a business-to-business event," Ogle said. "Whatever it is you need, whether it's drycleaning, lawn services, bottled water, an architect, a lawyer, it's all represented here at the expo."
In addition to local merchant booths, elected officials from the village and Frankfort Township will be on hand to meet and greet constituents, along with representatives from the library, fire district, police department and other community groups.
And don't worry about bringing your kids, because there will be activities for them, too. will offer hands-on projects from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. An inflatable bounce house and face painters will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the local youth orchestra performs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
New this year will be the Heartland Blood Centers blood drive sponsored by the . Expo visitors can sign up to donate after they enter the Expo, heading out to the parking lot to Heartland's mobile bus facility at their appointed time.
27th Annual Frankfort Business Expo
When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 5
Where: , 201 Colorado Ave.
How much? Free parking and admission.
More info: Go to the chamber's website.
