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Officials at the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce are ready to launch into spring in a big way with the return of its annual Home and Garden Expo this week.
This year’s event will take place Thursday through Saturday at The Highlands Sports Complex. This will be a new location for the event and the first Chamber Home and Garden Expo to take place since the pandemic.
"It’s not only our first show at The Highlands Sports Complex, it’s also our first Home show since February of 2020," said Laurie Conway, director of marketing and communications at the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce. "We think it’s a great location. It’s accessible from the interstate, and you don’t have to pay for parking. And with 80,000 square feet of space, there’s plenty of room, so we’re hoping to get a lot of people through the doors there."
More than 75 booths will be set up inside the sprawling complex, with a spotlight on scores of area businesses specializing in goods and services related to spring home improvement and home gardening. There will be three primary themed vendor zones set up for participating businesses: a Wellness Zone, and Workforce Zone and an Outdoor Zone. However, there will be a wide variety of vendors and local business representatives on hand during the expo, which promises to offer a variety of unique finds for all those who attend.
"The back half of the field will be full of crafters," Conway said. "Our vendors really do appeal to the masses. Whether you’re looking for something to spice up your home décor or are looking to make outdoor improvements this year, we really do have something for everyone."
And best of all - the Home and Garden Expo is free and open to the public.
The big event will kick off with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Opening night of the expo will be from 5-8 p.m. The event hours this weekend will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
"I know certain vendors will be having some giveaways," Conway said. "If someone hasn’t attended the Home and Garden Expo in a while - or has never attended one at all - it’s a great opportunity to check out what’s going on and to see what all of these local businesses have to offer."
Members of the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce will also have an opportunity to network during a special Business After Hours event that will take place in the balcony area of The Highland Sports Complex from 5-7 p.m. Thursday during the expo’s kickoff.
Title sponsor for this year’s Chamber Home and Garden Expo is Wheeling Heating and Cooling.
For more information on the expo, visit www.wheelingchamber.com.