CRESTLINE — Businesses from Crawford and Wyandot counties will be showcased during the 2021 Route 30 Business Expo.

The networking event is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28 at The Hub at Village Square in Crestline. The Hub is located at 311 North Seltzer Street. Admission is free.

The Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce, Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Wyandot County Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to sponsor the Expo.

Miranda Jones, executive director of the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Expo was first staged in 2019, but was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our first year in 2019 was a great year,” Jones said. “It was held at Pickwick Place over in Bucyrus. We had about 50 businesses at the first Expo. That’s about the capacity at Pickwick Place. The Hub can hold a little bit more than that. I believe when we were measuring, it can hold about 60 or 70 in there. We’re still going to limit it to the 40 or 50 businesses that we’ve had just because that follows our COVID-19 safety plan with social distancing. Masks are not required, but they’re highly encouraged.”

So far, 41 businesses have registered to participate in the 2021 Route 30 Business Expo, Jones said. She said any businesses that would like to participate should contact her at the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jones explained the importance of the Expo both for the individual Chambers involved and for the participating businesses.

“Most of the time with Chambers, our main goal is to bring visibility and awareness to our businesses,” she said. “So events like these are important because, a lot of times, you don’t have a chance to travel from business to business on a given day. It’s more of a necessity. You’re only stopping in at the bank because you have business to do at the bank at that time or to Mizick-Miller because they’re your accountant and you’re going in at that time to handle your own personal business.

“(The Expo) provides an opportunity for the community members and the business community to come together all in one place and see what everybody else is doing, talk to the people in charge, see what their marketing is doing, and see how you can collaborate with them on future projects and events.”

For job seekers, Jones said the Expo offers “a good opportunity to get in front of some of the important decision makers.”

“Most people post their jobs, but I think people get tired of scrolling through job posting after job posting,” Jones said. “With this, you can put a face to a name, see what the business is doing, see their business model, and how they’re viewed in the community.”

Jones said the plan is to rotate the Expo between venues in the Galion-Crestline area, Bucyrus, and Wyandot County in future years.

Light appetizers will be provided and complimentary beverages will provided by White Shutter Winery and 1803 Brewery & Taproom.

For information about the Route 30 Business Expo, contact the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce at 419-468-7737 or go to the chamber website galion-crestlinechamber.org.