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Black Expo Returns To Hampton This Summer
 
     For the fourth consecutive year, the Virginia Black Expo—the largest event of its kind directly targeting the African-American community—will return to Hampton Roads. New technology, film and music will be the focus of the event which will be held Saturday, August 23, 2008, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton. This year’s Expo, presented by Thomas-McCants Media, Inc., publishers of the Black Pages USA directories, announced the addition of the Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival to the weekend’s festivities.
     “We have thoroughly enjoyed bringing the Expos to this unique area of Virginia,” said Gerry McCants, President of Thomas-McCants Media, Inc. “The digital industry is constantly changing—from film to television and radio broadcast to music. Focusing on this area this year would not only be exciting but also educational.
      “We are delighted to partner for the first time with the Virginia Port Authority to make this event the best yet. Hampton is an ideal location to target minority-owned business owners throughout the Commonwealth and to give them a unique opportunity to expose their products and services to a highly targeted audience.”
       During the event, more than 200 African-American owned businesses and other vendors will showcase their products and services to the public. It is also a unique opportunity for major corporations and government entities to develop viable working relationships

with minority-owned businesses while marketing their products and services to a growing consumer market. The event also features seminars, workshops, celebrity guests, youth activities and live entertainment.

Posted April 2, 2008

      New to the Expo this year will be a collaborative effort with the Second Annual Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival (MABFF) in Norfolk, which will present a Pitch-a-thon concurrently with the Expo. Composed of film industry insiders, the panel will provide invaluable insights on how to successfully pitch an idea, film or completed script's concept, as well as how to avoid common industry pitfalls. 

     The MABFF is a juried competition and showcase for independent filmmakers from all over the world and expects to draw hundreds of film enthusiasts from around the country. The Festival's lineup will highlight the Short and Student Film Competition, premieres, international cinema and special tributes.
      The Expo will also feature a panel discussion on the state of the black economy in Hampton Roads, a golf tournament, a boat tour and a special VIP reception that Black Expo sponsors and exhibitors will be invited to attend.
      Thomas-McCants Media, Inc. has successfully hosted minority business expositions in Wilmington, N.C. (eleven years), Columbia, S.C. (eleven years), Charleston, S.C. (nine years), and Jacksonville, FL (six years), while attracting hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors.
     Cost for attending the Expo is $10 (ages 13 and up); children age 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
      For more information on securing an exhibitor booth or being a Black Expo sponsor, call Thomas-McCants Media, Inc. at (757) 399-4153 or visit blackpagesusa.com.

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