- October 19, 2022
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From cupcake shops to birds to real estate firms, all types of businesses were present at the eighth annual East Meets West Regional Business Expo Sept. 7, at Robarts Arena.
The annual event brings businesses from the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce and Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance together to network at the end of the workday.
Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Executive Director Heather Kasten said this year’s event drew more than 100 vendor booths and nearly 800 guests.
Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce Executive Assistant Peg Pluto said the Lakewood Ranch community is expanding, and the event is a great way for the chamber to get to know people out east.
Kasten said the event sold out of vendor booths four weeks prior to the event — a first for the East Meets West Expo. There was also a waitlist of 25 businesses seeking booth space.
“It’s connecting Lakewood Ranch to the Longboat Key Chamber,” Kasten said. “It’s a great opportunity for our businesses to showcase goods and products.”