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Expo provides taste of Southwestern hospitality

Mother Nature might have dialed back the heat a bit Thursday, but local restaurants, caterers, hotels and other businesses turned things up a notch at the Annual Hospitality Expo-Southwest, hosted by the Daily Herald Business Ledger and its sponsoring partners.

Hundreds of attendees mingled with businesses in the hospitality industry, sampling food and drink offerings and trying their hands at activities geared toward making company meetings or events more enjoyable.

The annual expo, held at the Orland Park Civic Center, provides a one-stop opportunity for event planners and business representatives to scout out new ideas for corporate meetings, parties or events. Vendors represented restaurants and caterers, hotels and meeting sites, and entertainment providers offering unique spins to the traditional conference-room meeting.

The Southwest Expo is the first of three regional events this year hosted by the Business Ledger. The second is the DuPage County Hospitality Expo, scheduled for Oct. 10 at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn, and the Northwest Suburban Hospitality Expo is scheduled for Nov. 7 at Stonegate Conference & Banquet Centre in Hoffman Estates.

Sponsoring partners for the Southwest Expo are the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce, and Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau.

  The candy beer bacon and kettle chips combo was a huge hit from the business of Square Celt Ale House and Grill of Orland Park at the Daily Herald Business Ledger Hospitality Expo Southwest in Orland Park. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  A crowd forms around the booth of Rosemary Boik and her business, Epic Gourmet Popcorn of Dyer, Indiana, at the Daily Herald Business Ledger Hospitality Expo Southwest in Orland Park. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  The Hampton Social Resturant of Burr Ridge has Alana Hughes, Amanda Dobson, Michelle Beczarski and Brittany Lickel greeting attendees with samples of their food at the Daily Herald Business Ledger Hospitality Expo Southwest in Orland Park. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Ally Brand of Chicago tastes Kathy Reed's Nothing Bundt Cake samples at the Daily Herald Business Ledger Hospitality Expo Southwest in Orland Park. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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