Warwick Community EXPO 2012 opens this Saturday at the Middle School

| 28 Mar 2012 | 01:24

    WARWICK — It’s free, it’s entertaining, it’s informative and it’s here.

    Community EXPO, now in its fifth year, opens this Saturday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Warwick Valley Middle School.

    The family oriented event is open to the public and will showcase area businesses, both storefront and home-based, celebrating local products and services as well as networking opportunities for participants.

    There is no admission fee. Approximately 100 businesses, including restaurants, retail stores, financial advisors, accountants, real estate agencies, contractors and health care providers are expected to exhibit. Pennings Community Farmers Market also will again bring its vendors to the EXPO.

    A home improvement section will also feature exhibitors from home décor and staging, to remodeling kitchen and bath, landscaping and more.

    Many of the vendors will be offering demonstrations, free gifts, discounts, samples and informational literature. Deborah Giuliani, director of Mulberry Tree Learning Center, for example, will be giving away a full length book, “Your Child’s Strengths, A guide for Parents.”

    On the schedule There will be family entertainment and musical performances throughout the day, including:

    Oakie Dokey the Clown, the event’s full time children’s entertainer, will also perform his magic show at 2 p.m. Local artist Kim Scotto will offer face painting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    The EXPO keynote speaker, Joanna Greenwald, managing partner of Greenwald Law Offices, will offer a seminar on Cyber bullying: “Bullying: Arming Yourself with Information” at 1 p.m.

    “The event always draws a large crowd of both business networking professionals, as well as, consumers,” said Michael Johndrow, executive director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce. “EXPO offers an entertaining and educational way to get the word out about local businesses and services available in our own community.”

    - Roger Gavan