An Expo and a Mixer, All-in-One!

    What do you get when you mix the Ulster Chamber’s highly successful Buy Local Expo with a popular Chamber of Commerce Networking Mixer? You get an ExpoMixer, the first of its kind, in the Hudson Valley. As the Expo is celebrating its 30^th Anniversary this year, the event is not only being re-branded but will also be bigger than ever.
    The ExpoMixer will be held at Diamond Mills in Saugerties on Wednesday, September 16th, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm, again featuring nearly 100 exhibitors. In addition, Diamond Mills will be providing complimentary food and drink throughout the entire three-hour event for all attendees, according to Chamber President Ward Todd.
    The Presenting Sponsor is Naccarato Insurance. Principal Sponsors include Timely Signs and Sawyer Motors, with the latter providing free shuttle service for all exhibitors and attendees.
    A ceremonial Chamber Ribbon Cutting with local elected officials will open the ExpoMixer at 3:45 p.m. After that, Chamber members can expect non-stop networking until the event closes at 7:00 pm, giving exhibitors a chance to pitch their products and services to a larger audience.
    John Naccarato, President and CEO at Naccarato Insurance, highly recommends that business owners consider reserving a booth at the ExpoMixer. He believes so strongly in this event that his company, headquartered in Saugerties, has backed it as the Presenting Sponsor for 14 years.
    “I think it’s important to have the businesses showcase what they do because a lot of people may not realize what’s here in Ulster County,” Naccarato said. “They may say, ‘Hey, I didn’t know there was this line of business here,’ so it’s a way to get your business out there, and it helps keep the money flowing in our community. I myself prefer going to local businesses because not only do they offer better service, but by doing so, you’re helping them give back to the community. The more people shop locally, the more businesses can enrich our community.”
    Area businesses anxious to showcase their brand personalities will be able to do that under one roof in front of one big audience. Awards will be given out at the end of the ExpoMixer for creative and well-thought-out displays that include Best in Show and other categories.
    The booth setup will remain the same as in previous years. The cost for a standard booth is $395. Sponsorships, which include an exhibit booth, start at the $595 level for a Diamond Sponsorship. Platinum Sponsorships are $995, and the top-tier Premier Sponsorships are $1,500.
    The ExpoMixer will be open exclusively to members of the Chamber of Commerce and their guests—another benefit of Chamber membership, Todd noted, adding that the Sawyer Motors shuttle service will run throughout the event, picking up and dropping off exhibitors and attendees “to ensure that the parking lot at Diamond Mils will always have plenty of space for Chamber members to park.”
    There is no admission for Chamber members to attend the ExpoMixer, and parking is free. For more information, go to UlsterChamber.org.