Every year for 17 years the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce Business Expo has grown both by numbers of participating businesses and number of attendees. Wednesday's event was no exception.

The Expo, which was held at the North Haven Holiday Inn on Washington Avenue, had more than 70 businesses set up displays, according to Cindy Semrau, the chamber's vice-president.

"Last year, we also had more than 1,000 people come through during the day and this year I think we'll top that," she said. "It's a nice day and people are out and about and I think people have also begun to anticipate the event every year."

Kevin O'Rourke and Fred Holloran, co-chairmen of the Expo, agreed that the event is an ideal opportunity for businesses to communicate.

"It's a chance for area businesses to showcase their goods and services," said Holloran, founder of Marketactics Marketing Services.

"We do hope that people come to expect the Expo around the same time every year," added O'Rourke, who owns Fish Window Cleaning in Wallingford. "And the Business After Hours is also a benefit because it allows networking among members of the Chamber."

Following the Expo, which ran nearly all day Wednesday and was open to the public, vendors and chamber members had an opportunity to meet and chat during a private event.

"Quite a few of the members of the chamber have to work during the day," O'Rourke said, "So this gives the vendors a chance to meet with them as well, if they aren't already members."

Semrau said business connections are "just as important as reaching out to the community. That's one of the things we hear a lot about in the evaluations we get from participants after the event."

It's also an opportunity for members of the public to find out what a new business has to offer.

Amy Lieberman, office manager for MidState Medical Group, a new walk-in medical office in Yalesville, proved that point.

The event is "the perfect chance to gain name recognition and for the public to ask questions," she said.

Costco, a large membership-driven warehouse store, participated in the Quinnipiac Chamber's event this year for the first time after joining the chamber.

"This is essentially how we advertise because we don't do much else in the way of ads," said Marion Polmon, a marketing representative for the company. "We also provide coupons for those who join at events like this that you can't get in the store."

Most of the organizations represented offered some sort of incentive to stop at their table, from free pens and pencils to discounts to stuffed animals.

"That goes back to name recognition," said O'Rourke. "Some people do just browse through for the giveaways, but when they get home, they've got something that has a name and number on it that might keep it in front of their mind if they need the service."

Freeman Holloway of Workforce Alliance said his organization, which serves both businesses and individuals, "goes all over the state. We're everywhere at these events because we serve the larger Connecticut area."

Workforce Alliance, through state and federal funding, helps companies find employees and employees find work.

"We offer resume writing help, job searches and training as well as helping companies find the right employee or the right service," he said.

Doreen DeSarro, business recruiter for Wallingford's Economic Development Commission, said the event provides her office a chance to talk with people who may want to open a business or expand a business in town.

Connections may happen immediately, but she said it lets people know where to go for assistance in the future.

Semrau said it takes "many hands to make it all work. We start planning about six to seven months ahead of time and this morning at 9 a.m. we had Lyman Hall High School students from the Future Business Leaders of America here to help us set up. The Holiday Inn is just fantastic about providing the space and the food and everyone pulls together because everyone benefits."

The most popular spot of the day was probably Pralines Ice Cream, which was giving away free scoops.

"It's a warm day so everyone's been getting their ice cream then walking through the rest of the event," Semrau said. "Not a bad way to spend an afternoon."

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