After 25 years running strong and a one year hiatus, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce Business Expo is back with a new format, setting up at a new, larger venue—the Jared Eliot Middle School—on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 2018 Business Expo features exhibits and demonstrations from more than 40 different businesses in Clinton, as well as displays by civic and non-profit groups, children’s activities, and a food court. The event is free and provides a way for new and long-time residents to learn more about their town.

“It’s an opportunity for businesses to gain exposure with the public” and for those visiting to expo to “go around and find different services and businesses in town,” said Clinton Chamber Executive Director Ken Hartley.

The expo was an annual feature on the Clinton calendar for 25 years, Hartley said, but following a change in the atmosphere of the event in 2016 and due to a staffing change, the event was canceled in 2017. This year, the chamber is excited to bring back the expo.

“We’re rebooting the whole concept,” he said.

Hartley said moving the event from its original home in the Green Room at Town Hall to the school will give businesses and community members more space.

The event will be set up in the hallways, cafeteria, and gymnasium, keeping it all on one floor, and there is also ample parking at the school. Hartley said that at Town Hall, some businesses located in the auditorium upstairs felt they received fewer visitors those on the lower floor.

“I think having it at Eliot is going to work out better,” he said. “Now there won’t be a chance anyone will miss something.”

Hartley said there will be a wide range of businesses at this year’s event, including glass refurbishing, financial planning, and payroll services. There also will be a series of seminars on varied topics including healthcare, college savings, and car maintenance.

“There’s a lot of businesses and services people don’t know exist,” Hartley said.

The 2018 Clinton Chamber of Commerce Business Expo is at Jared Eliot Middle School, 69 Fairy Dell Road, on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free. For more information, visit www.clintonct.com.