Business fair to showcase local services, bands Business fair to showcase local services, bands (May 21, 2004)

Chamber hosts first annual event at Shoreline

By Grace Rauh

They'll be flocking to Shoreline Amphitheatre on Tuesday, but it won't be for a Britney Spears concert.

Instead, curious shoppers, business owners and Peninsula residents are expected to flood the outdoor concert venue for the first annual Mountain View Market Place, presented by the city's Chamber of Commerce.

The business fair aims to bring the yellow pages to life with a showcase that includes everything from kitchen appliance displays to vegetable garden tips. And the chamber is hoping to attract everyone from business owners to high school students for the event.

"It's totally new in that it's at Shoreline Amphitheatre, it has pavilions, and our vendors are allowed to sell. So it is a real market place," said Carol Olson, president of the Mountain View chamber.

Eighty local businesses will be on site to present their latest wares, sell some goodies and give away items to a few lucky patrons. And there will be more than standard store exhibits.

Does Fluffy need a manicure? Stop by the Aussie Pet Mobile station outside Shoreline Amphitheatre's gates for free pet nail clippings. Just bought a new automobile? Market place attendees can catch up on the latest in do-it-yourself car care at one of many workshops presented by local businesses.

"This is a chance for them to find a landscaper and find out some answers to their sleep apnea problems," said Allison Nelson, who organized the event for the chamber.

"It's more presenting a problem and then solutions. ... So it should not be as much a sales pitch," she added, referring to the workshops.

In the past, the chamber put on an annual expo geared for the business community, but in an effort to further promote local commerce, the group decided to launch a new event that aims to include the public.

"It is sort of the next generation of our expo," Olson said. "It's really meant to bring the whole community out to really promote the shop locally theme."

Indeed, this year's event is billed as a family affair, replete with free food samples from local restaurants, an array of workshops and a rocking finale. After hopping among the five pavilion tents, market place attendees can head into the concert arena for a performance by top-ranking Bay Area high school garage bands participating in this year's Battle of the Bands competition. Five bands will take the stage during the market place's final hour.

The Mountain View Market Place will be held at Shoreline Amphitheatre on May 25 from 3 to 7 p.m. General admission is $10 and free for students under 18. For more information, call the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce at 968-8378 or visit its Web site at www.chambermv.org.

E-mail Grace Rauh at grauh@mv-voice.com

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