Shoppers will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of goods and services from Santa Monica businesses at the first Buy Local Expo which will be held on the Third Street Promenade this Saturday, March 19 from 11a.m. till 4 p.m.
Laurel Rosen, the Santa Monica chamber of commerce’s president and CEO, told the Mirror the chamber’s Business and Consumer Expo was changed to the Buy Local Expo as a “way to showcase our businesses” and a way to increase business because of all the people who will be coming to Santa Monica for this Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon.
Santa Monica’s City Council proclaimed March 19 as the city’s official Buy Local Day. Mayor Richard Bloom and City Manager Rod Gould will present the City’s proclamation certificate at a ceremony at 3 p.m. on the expo’s Main Stage (located at the 1200 block of the Promenade closest to Wilshire Boulevard).
There will be over 80 tables on the Promenade showcasing Santa Monica’s businesses. Rosen stressed that the day includes the participation of Main Street, Montana Avenue, and Pico Boulevard – not just the downtown shopping district. Any person who shops in the city Saturday can turn in their receipt and be entered into a raffle to win one of five $1,000 Santa Monica Shopping Sprees.
There will also be a TV personality from the Fox network interviewing and filming people about what they purchased to, as Rosen put it, “catch you with your receipt showing.”
The three-block expo will also include two other stages in addition to the main stage. The performance state will be located at the 1300 block between Arizona Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard and the activity stage will be located at the 1400 block closet to Broadway. The stages will host martial arts classes, dance and fitness classes, as well as different types of musical performances. Some of the main stage events will be heard throughout the expo, including a performance by Ashleigh Haney, who recently toured with Rihanna.
Those who cannot attend the expo can shop by downloading the application buylocalmarket.com on their smartphone. Part of the proceeds from those who shop via the application will be donated to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation which supports arts, academics, and sports in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
The producers of the event are the chamber in partnership with Downtown Santa Monica, Incorporated (formerly the Bayside District Corporation) and the City of Santa Monica.
More information about the Buy Local Expo can be found at smchamber.com.
