The Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual “Living the Good Life” Expo and Food Tasting event today at Vernon Park Mall from 3-7 p.m.
More than 90 vendors are scheduled to have booths on display for those attending the event, which is free to the public. Most of the vendors are from Kinston, but there will also be exhibitors from Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Greenville, La Grange, Snow Hill, Pink Hill, Wilson, Vanceboro, Grifton and Ayden.
“The Chamber does this event each year, giving local businesses, organizations, chefs and restaurants the opportunity to showcase products, services and great food they prepare,” Chamber President Laura Lee Sylvester said. “The Chamber tries to have these types of events to help the business community, which is our mission.”
One of the highlights is the culinary challenge. For a $5 wristband, patrons can taste the food of the competitors and vote on who has the best food for the People’s Choice award.
There will be at least 10 other events at the Expo, including a K-9 demonstration by the police division of the Kinston Department of Public Safety, a beer-tasting from Mother Earth Brewery and Steve Hardy’s Original Beach Party.
“Not only is this an opportunity for vendors and exhibitors, but for people in Eastern North Carolina to see why we say, ‘You live the good life if you’re in Eastern North Carolina,’” Sylvester said.
The Free Press will be again be an exhibitor at the expo.
“The Free Press is a big supporter of Living the Good Life and we think it’s one of the premiere events in Kinston each year,” Advertising Director Matt Holbrook said.
For Mike Ingalls, the property manager of Vernon Park Mall, the expo has many benefits.
“It’s interesting, exciting and will give a chance for business owners and employees to meet each other,” Ingalls said. “It’s a positive event and the event of the year for the mall. In fact, I think it’s the biggest event for business interaction for the whole county. There’s nothing like it.”
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.
Here’s a list of events scheduled to be held at Vernon Park Mall today for Living the Good Life:
ENTERTAINMENT
3-7 p.m. Steve Hardy’s Original Beach Party
EXHIBITS
3-7 p.m. — Lenoir County Cooperative Extension and farmer’s market exhibits
3-7 p.m. — LCC culinary student’s food demos and tasting
3-7 p.m. — Teresa Morris, EFNEP, Eat Smart Move More, tasting & recipe sharing
3-7 p.m. — Heart Healthy–healthy samples, healthy tips, instant recess
ACTIVITIES
4-7 p.m. — Food tasting with $5 wrist band while samples last
6 p.m. — Culinary and People’s Choice Awards announcement
6:30 p.m. — Door prize winners posted at each booth
4-7 p.m. — Beverages, compliments of Chick-fil-A and King’s Restaurant
4-7 p.m. — Mother Earth Brewery beer tasting
PETS AND THE GOOD LIFE
3-7 p.m. — SPCA food drive
3-5 p.m. — SPCA dog and cat adoption
4-5 p.m. — Kinston Department of Public Safety K-9 demonstration
5-7 p.m. —SPCA rabies clinic