March 11, 2022

Ohio Black Expo Announces Press Conference to Discuss Downtown Festival and Related Events

MEDIA ADVISORY

COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio Black Expo will hold a press conference on Wednesday, March 16th. Local media will be briefed for approximately 20 minutes beginning at 10:00 AM at Venture Suite, 780 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Columbus, OH 43203 and the event will be live streamed for the public and other media outlets in the region.

The Ohio Black Expo returns to downtown Columbus Memorial Day Weekend and kicks off festival season with 4 days of events from Thursday, May 26th – Sunday, May 29th. With a business conference on Thursday, workshops and networking on Friday, and the Riverfront Culture Fest Saturday and Sunday, there is something for everyone! Visitors are expected from other Ohio cities and surrounding states to help boost the local economy.

Central Ohio will be the permanent home of the annual event that makes its return this year after the last in-person event took place in Columbus in 1991 at the former Franklin County Veterans Memorial. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio Black Expo was “Ohio’s largest minority consumer and business exhibit.”

Representatives, partners, and supporters will speak briefly regarding their involvement with the Expo and any questions will be answered by leadership. Founder Rhonda D. Robinson is excited to see the work of the organization continue.

Ohio Black Expo is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life, success and well-being for African-Americans in Ohio. Our initiatives focus on and address several areas that include: health, education, business and youth to name a few.

The founder of the Ohio Black Expo, Rhonda D. Robinson, was initially inspired to create the Columbus Black Expo after successfully registering 70 plus vendors for the Columbus Black Convention in 1980. The Columbus Black Expo was held at the Focal Point of Mt. Vernon Plaza from 1981-1987. After seven (7) years, realizing that the event was drawing people and vendors from around the state and beyond, she changed the name to the Ohio Black Expo to reflect what was happening.

The first Ohio Black Expo took place at Veterans Memorial in downtown Columbus. It was held there from 1988 through 1991, peaking at almost 300 exhibitors and over 30,000 attendees.