When people drive through New Wilmington, they might pass an Amish buggy or two or pass the quaint campus of Westminster College. Most probably wouldn't think of stopping at a business expo in the heart of town.

Sponsored by the recently formed New Wilmington Area Chamber of Commerce, the first New Wilmington Area Business Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Wilmington High School cafeteria and the chamber expects 55 businesses to take part.

"This is just a way to expose the local businesses and get them in one-to-one touch with their customers," said Tim Kelly, president of the 94-member chamber and owner of Olde Country Feed and Hardware, just north of New Wilmington on state Route 158. "It's truly a business-to-business and business-to-consumer event."

Surprisingly, Kelly said, there are 144 businesses in New Wilmington and the two Wilmington townships -- one each in Mercer and Lawrence counties. "That does not include home-based businesses. Those are just out of the Yellow Pages," Kelly said.

Though businesses from New Castle and Sharon will be represented, most of the participants will be local. All will get a chance to show off some of their wares and services. "For example, The Apple Castle. Everyone knows they sell apples, but they can show other things they have to offer at the event," Kelly said.

Some of the other businesses at the expo include Dailey's Country Pantry, Green Valley Lawn Care, Anne Bruening's Originals, Little Neshannock Stables, Isaly's and Pizza Joe's.

Besides product and service displays, patrons can register at each booth for a free door prize.

"A mobile play bus is being brought in by the Kid's Corral Day Care Center and the Pizza Joe's mascot will be there," Kelly said, adding that the event is free.

Though no Amish businesses will be represented, Kelly hopes to see them join it and the chamber in the future.

"We would like to have the Amish community as part of the chamber. But with volunteer staff, it's been hard finding time getting out to see them," Kelly said. "Around here, we tend not to view them as any different as us. They have businesses, too. We want to see the chamber be more of a communication vehicle between the Amish and English communities." Amish refer to their non-Amish neighbors as "English."

He also explained that the whole purpose of the chamber's creation was to provide better communication among the local government, businesses and the college. "There's been no formal line of communication between them," he said. "One of the interesting things, the chamber now has four (college) interns. There again, the resource of the community and the college never was fully utilized. It's never been a formal mechanism. The college had to work it out with individual businesses. Now they can do it with a formal line of communication," Kelly said, adding that the college has a representative on the 16-member board of directors.

Besides the business expo, the chamber is also planning to hold the town's first New Wilmington Community Arts and Heritage Festival Aug. 8-10. "It will be held in conjunction with Westminster College and The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts," Kelly said, adding that some of the events will include a square dance, a 5-kilometer race, an indoor juried art show and outdoor artist displays including visual and performing arts. "It's meant to be a truly cultural event," he said.

The chamber is also working on developing a welcome wagon for new residents and incoming college students, as well as creating a liaison-type of position to work with the borough, county and state government.

"We know we have a wonderful, dynamic and diverse community with a lot of assets. We've never put those resources together in a coordinated effort," Kelly said. "It's not from a Currier and Ives standpoint, but it's a recognition of the resources we have. We're going to get her started. It's New Wilmington; come and hang out with us, that folksy kind of thing. Come see what's going on."

For more information, call (724) 946-2927 or go online to: www.newwilmington.biz