Displays, Seminars Slated for Trade Fair

From the smallest shopkeepers to the mightiest moguls, Simi Valley merchants plan to trot out their goods and services for the buying public this weekend at the Chamber of Commerce’s 19th annual Trade Fair.

Chamber officials have boosted their advertising in hopes of attracting a record crowd, expected to reach 8,000 fair-goers, according to Jacquie Richardson, the fair’s general manager.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Simi Valley businesses ranging from hairdressers and chiropractors to bankers and data-processing companies will offer nearly 100 displays, demonstrations and seminars.

Canine-unit officers from the Simi Valley Police Department and the bomb-handling robot from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department will show off their skills, as will the sheriff’s equestrian unit and the county Fire Department.

Visitors can also nosh on refreshments and tired parents can get a rest from the kids thanks to baby-sitting and entertainment, such as face-painting, provided by the Royal High School Key Club.

“It’s really a community effort,” Nancy Bender, the chamber’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “The Trade Fair is a more casual and friendly atmosphere for our members to get out and meet their customers.”

Admission to the fair at the Dataproducts headquarters at 1700 Surveyor Ave. is $1. Parking is available in front of the building or across the street at the Whittaker Corp. lot.

For information, call the chamber office at 526-3900 or Richardson at 583-5890.