FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Black Owned Northwest Arkansas Business Expo returned to Fayetteville today, Feb. 24, for the seventh time.
The semi-annual event, hosted in the Fayetteville Town Center, is a way for organizers to provide a platform for Black businesses and give them resources to grow.
"The Black Owned NWA Business Expo, hosted by Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas, showcases a wide range of Black businesses, events and resources. The event itself is a cultural experience, and better yet, it’s 100% free and open to the public! There will be 60+ vendors in attendance, offering items like vintage clothing, candles, baked goods, and freshly made samosas," Experience Fayetteville said.
More than 900 people were in attendance, along with more than 85 vendors with different booths to shop from.
Organizers tell 5NEWS that they know from past expos that this event provides a huge boost to businesses to jumpstart long-term sales.
"I think really just businesses being able to get their business in front of the community," said Jasmine Hudson, the co-founder of Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas.
Hudson says that the expo allows vendors to sell out in just a few hours.
"A lot of them are quickly selling out, and we have feedback from previous expos where they’ll do a month’s worth of sales during the few hours they’re here, during the expo. I feel it’s more so around spreading the Black dollar, circulating the dollar, and creating that generational wealth," Hudson said.
This year's event was titled "Unleashing the Power of Unity." The next Black Owned Business Expo will take place in August to commemorate National Black Business Month.
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