Business Showcase on Saturday to ‘Celebrate Hometown Heroes’

The Yuma Civic Center will be wall-to-wall with vendors Saturday during the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce Business Showcase taking place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

John Courtis, executive director of the chamber, promises something for everyone. “It’s a way for the community to see what we have, have fun and learn about stuff. It gives people the opportunity to reconnect with some community organizations,” he said.

The free event will feature more than 60 vendors, not just the “traditional” vendors, Courtis said, pointing to Mr. B’s Bicycles, Liberty Motorsports and Southwest Lumber as examples.

The chamber’s role is to connect partners and this event will do just that, Courtis said. “People can learn all kinds of things about what is available in Yuma County, from bicycles to the Sheriff’s Office to cars and the fire department. Come have fun and maybe you’ll learn something.”

Guests will have a chance to win more than 75 door prizes, not raffle prizes, but door prizes, meaning all attendees will have a chance of winning a prize.

For the third annual event, the chamber asked vendors what changes it could make for a better event. They asked that it be moved back a month, from August to September. Check.

Vendors wanted it to take place when more part-time residents are back in town and the produce season is starting back up.

The vendors also asked for food to be available. Check.

The Jaycees will be cooking up a tri-tip lunch, allowing both vendors and guests to be fed. The proceeds will benefit the Boy Scouts. Lunch will be served between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Vendors also asked that it be more of a family funfilled event. Check.

This year the chamber gave the event a theme, “Celebrating Hometown Heroes,” highlighting the service of local first responders, military and law enforcement. The side rooms will have exhibits featuring the city’s police and fire departments, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, Border Patrol, Yuma Proving Ground, Marine Corps Air Station and the kid-centered Civil Air Patrol and Naval Sea Cadets.

Some of these organizations will have vehicles and equipment on display. “Kids love those trucks,” Courtis quipped.

The “family fun-filled” aspect of the event includes a Yuma Children’s Museum exhibit and a “very special scavenger hunt” in cooperation with the Yuma Regional Medical Center Cancer Center. Participants will be asked to find puzzle pieces that spell out the phrase “Together we fight cancer.”

Three scavenger hunt participants will win “something everybody else will want.”

The Business Showcase is completely free and open to the public thanks to the sponsors, which include Quick Refrigeration, APS, Yuma Regional Medical Center, First Bank Yuma, Hyundai of Yuma and RV World. Some of these sponsors will also have “cool” displays, such as RVs and ATVs.

The event used to be called Business Expo, but with these changes, the chamber thought it best to also give it a new name.

“Bring the family. There truly is something for everybody — kids, parents, spouses,” Courtis added.

The Civic Center is located at 1440 W. Desert Hills Drive.