As spring nears, the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce will put on the annual Ravenna on Display Business Expo at Ravenna High School’s James L. Coll Gymnasium on March 21 beginning at 11 a.m.
“We typically have held it in the past in the fall but a lot of chambers that do business expos do it then so we decided last year to break away from that so there would not be so much competition and scheduling conflicts where businesses will have to do one or the other,” RACC Executive Director Ryann Cline told The Weekly Villager on March 6.
As is customary, most of the businesses participating in the Business Expo are existing members of the RACC, with a healthy number of the participants having recently joined in the current calendar year. According to Cline, all businesses that are participating will receive a free booth at the Business Expo but it is also open to businesses that do not belong to the RACC. In order to get a booth they must either pay a fee to rent a booth or consider joining the RACC.
Most of the participating businesses are local ones such as Sandi’s Creative Corner, a local gift shop, non-profit ones like the Portage County Mental Health & Recovery Board and newcomers to the RACC such as the Elite Pharmacy, an independently owned pharmacy chain that originated in Garrettsville.
“Whether you are in Ravenna or not, that does not necessarily matter because it can offer opportunities of growth and reaching out to other communities too, so it is not just a Ravenna thing,” Cline noted.
Cline said that the RACC is hoping to have approximately 40-45 businesses participate in this year’s Business Expo.
At the Business Expo, visitors will receive a card and go on a scavenger hunt, in which they must collect a certain number of stickers to fill that card and then return it and have it placed in a drawing, where the winning card selected will net the victor a $100 gift card to Giant Eagle.
Although not every booth will have a sticker to distribute, the scavenger hunt will allow spectators to visit almost every booth and, in the process, learn significant details about each business.
“That is where it encourages you to go to every booth to find out who in fact does have the stickers and get that information,” Cline noted.
In addition, there will also be a 50-50 raffle where prizes will be raffle baskets donated by the participating businesses. The money raised from the 50-50 raffle will be distributed to the RACC’s scholarship fund.
Cline added that there will a demonstration by the Portage County Parks & Recreation Department, highlighting the growing sport of pickleball.
“It is through an activity that they offer through their department so we are just trying to bring more awareness to that specific event so they will be doing a demonstration that day,” Cline said.
Visitors also can also have their pictures taken with an Easter Bunny, whether by a professional photographer or having it done through the use of their phones.
Cline highlighted how the Business Expo will show the economic resurgence of Ravenna.
“I think that is good, it just gets people more involved and more aware and anytime you have an opportunity to learn what is going on in your own backyard, it is a win-win, and it makes you more knowledgeable,” she said.
As much as the Business Expo is another local event that highlights the best of what Ravenna has to offer, it also serves as an introduction to the City of Ravenna for non-residents who have the opportunity to come to the event and also informs current Ravenna residents on what is happening in their City.
“It just goes to show that it gives you that opportunity to learn and it’s something I learned when I first came to Ravena and the Chamber 10½ years ago,” Cline said. “Even the locals don’t know really what is in their own backyard so there is a wealth of learning opportunities just to know what is out there. You learn something new every day so why not.”
