TULSA, Okla. — While many events in the last few weeks were canceled, postponed, or virtual, the 25th annual Braum's An Affair of the Heart is still on this weekend.
The event hosts hundreds of vendors selling anything from jewelry to chili seasoning.
Organizers say the event “had” do go on because of the many vendors depending on it to maintain and gain new business —which is even more vital this year than the last 24 since it started.
"It really was to be in support of all of the small businesses that is our partner organizations here, they need shows like this to reach their customers," said Kristin Ware, Braum's An Affair of the Heart representative.
The only group more excited than the customers are the small business owners that will be inside the expo center.
“The Affair of the Heart is our best show," one owner, Ron Willis said. "We love our old customers coming up ad reordering and introducing our product to new customers its so much fun coming out here."
To have the event despite coronavirus concerns, the Braum's An Affair of the Heart team made multiple changes to the event's logistics.
"We worked closely with Commissioner Karen Keith and Dr. Dart to make sure everything we were doing met the standards that they wanted us to implement," Ware said. “We have one-way isles, we have widened a couple of our isles to spread out the show.”
In addition to providing sanitizer, floor stickers marking social distancing, and masks for shoppers, the event organizers are being more strict with vendors.
“We have sanitation stations around the show and our vendors are required to wear masks," Ware said. “It's a smaller show than our previous years, we have fewer vendors and we know we’ll have fewer shoppers but we are still strongly encouraging and asking them to wear masks as well."
The $10 tickets can be bought at the door and are valid all weekend. Children 12 and under are free.
The event is at the River Spirit Expo at Expo Square. Doors are open on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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