It was a record crowd and a record number of exhibitors at Slidell’s Northshore Harbor Center Wednesday for the 2009 Business & Community Showcase, hosted by the East St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce.

There were 137 exhibitors on hand for the showcase, up from 101 last year. There were so many wanting to participate that planners were forced to add another row to the floor plan at the last minute. East Chamber CEO Dawn Sharpe Brackett said 1,300 people had already entered the Harbor Center by 5 p.m., and there were two hours left to go.

Brackett said she initially harbored concerns that the weak economy would have a negative effect on the showcase, but the opposite turned out to be true.

Peyton Hill, left, tries out the Expresso Virtual Bike at the Anytime Fitness Booth. The machine lets riders pick different terrains, play games, or even ride in space. Checking his progress are Austin Swann and Brandon Falgout. (Staff Photo by Anne Lautzenheiser)

“We kept our booth prices very affordable, and people took advantage of it,” said Brackett. “Admission is free, and I think businesses as well as residents like the fact that everything is under one roof.”

Vendors ran the gamut, from financial institutions, community service agencies and auto dealers to health clubs, pest control services, hospitals and realtors. A number of restaurants as well as exhibitors offered free food samplings, from the Heart Smart Shrimp Creole presented by Sal & Judy’s, to the hot chicken wings from Our Lady of Lourdes Men’s Club, which got a hearty thumbs-up from Capt. Kevin Foltz of the Slidell Police Department.

“Oh man, they are good,” said Foltz. “I’ve been back there a couple of times already.”

The Slidell Police provided fingerprinting services to aid in child safety, and also had their SWAT vehicle on display. Also on hand was the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office with its bomb disposal unit, as well as vehicles from its Special Operations division, such as the helicopter that was pressed into service Thursday night when four men escaped from the parish jail.

Every booth offered prizes or giveaways, taking a cue from a seminar on exhibiting presented two weeks prior by JoBeth Kavanaugh, marketing director for the East Chamber.

The showcase has grown in scope every year, from 64 booths at the Slidell Auditorium in 2007 to the hundreds that now participate. Since the Harbor Center is the largest facility in the parish, Brackett is urging interested parties to plan ahead.

“There’s no place bigger than this we can go,” said Brackett. “We’re already looking at next year, so people should get on board now.”

For more information, go to www.estchamber.com, or call 643-5678.