First Southern Illinois Made Expo scheduled at The Pavilion in Marion
The first Southern Illinois Made Expo is planned Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29, at The Pavilion in Marion.
Hours are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The Pavilion is located at 1602 Sioux Dr.
State Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, is partnering with the Southern Illinois Chambers of Commerce to host the event.
The Southern Illinois Made Expo is slated to bring together 130 different business vendors from across the region.
Vendors will showcase products which are made, and destinations which are available, in Southern Illinois.
The public is invited to attend the event and explore what is being made, produced and offered right here in their own backyards.
Free tastings, samples and giveaways will be offered by various vendors throughout the expo.
Several different entertainment options will be available for those who attend the expo, including the opportunity to take immersive virtual reality tours, a designated “Kids Corner” for children to create arts
and crafts projects to be given to veterans boarding the next Southern Illinois Honor Flight and various performances scheduled throughout the weekend.
Those who attend also will have a chance to enter a raffle for a one-of-a-kind prize.
Legislative Office Hours
Fowler also plans to host traveling legislative office hours throughout the event.
The office hours are scheduled to give area constituents an opportunity to speak with Fowler’s staff, to ask questions and to obtain resources from state government.
Office hours are scheduled to run throughout the event just outside the Pavilion.
Veterans Honor Flights
While the event is free to the public, a suggested $5 entrance donation is being accepted, with all funds going toward the Veterans Honor Flights of Southern Illinois.
This is an organization that works to honor and thank veterans by providing them a free-of-charge trip to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments constructed in honor of their service and sacrifice.
The expo will also be partnering with the Veterans Honor Flights of Southern Illinois to host a ceremony honoring local veterans on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Kids will have the opportunity to meet and thank many Southern Illinois veterans.
Proceeds from a silent auction featuring donated goods from participating vendors also will benefit Veterans Honor Flights of Southern Illinois.
Information about the expo is available by visiting simade.org or emailing info@simade.org.