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Event Focuses on Wrapping-up Local Products for the Holidays

Centerstate C.E.O

As you shop for people on your holiday shopping list, how much of the items are produced locally?  Organizers of an annual event hope that you consider supporting local restaurants, wine and brewers and the products that have made them well known.  The 8th annual “Buy Local Bash” will be held this evening.  The Event Coordinator Shannon Fults of Centerstate C.E.O. says vendors enjoy meeting with prospective customers.

“We have a lot of vendors that return every year because they love the exposure, they love being able to talk with the folks that could be purchasing their products.  And from the attendees side, I think it’s great that you can come in, you can sample a product and then either purchase it there right on the spot and you might be purchasing for the person that produced it. Which, I mean, if you have questions that’s the person you want to be asking.  (The) same (is true) with any art and any other products like that, you might be purchasing it from the person that created it.”

Fults says the event is very upbeat with live music and gives attendees the opportunity to familiarize themselves with everything that is made local.  While products can be purchased, the event also gives everyone the chance to think things over as their shopping ramps up.

Credit Centerstate C.E.O
Inside the F-Shed during 2017 Buy Local Bash.

We have folks that if there’s food and beverage that they’re    strictly sampling, they’re (vendors are) giving away product, they’re not making money on the spot.  But, they just know that they have a good product, they’re going to let people sample it and if folks fall in love with their samples they can follow up and purchase afterward.”

   
Aside from food and beverages, there are also other unique gift ideas.

“We’ve got the Flower Child, if you’re looking for some hippie themed items and 60’s inspired… everything from jewelry to art.  And we have Riverside Artisans from up in Oswego offering some different products.  We have  massage therapists (and) yoga studios.”

 
More than 100 vendors will at the “Buy Local Bash” - tonight from 5 to 9 P.M. at the F-Shed located at the Regional Market. The address is 2,100 Park Street.  There is an admission charge for the event. Click here for more details and which vendors will be there.
 

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.