The Eureka Senior Expo is back and ready to go Wednesday, Nov. 3, at Victorian Gardens, 15 Hilltop Village Center Drive.
The event, sponsored by Leader Publications, runs from 8 a.m. to noon in the atrium area and will feature vendors with a wide variety of goods and services of interest to seniors.
Seniors from Eureka and beyond are invited. Admission and parking are free, and free coffee and pastries will be offered while supplies last.
The event also will include speakers, bingo, live music, prizes and more.
“The first one (in 2019) was such a huge success,” Leader publisher Pam LaPlant said. “We’re excited to welcome everyone safely back again.”
Attendees are encouraged to park on the adjacent Dickey Bub Farm & Home store lot. Shuttles will run continuously to the Victorian Gardens front door.
This year’s grand prize is a two-day getaway to historic Kimmswick that includes an overnight stay for two at the Greenhouse Inn, free meals at several local restaurants, a private tour of the city, a gift basket and a Kimmswick VIP Passport, which offers discounts and special offers at participating businesses. The winner will be drawn at random from among all entries and must be present to win. The winner will be announced at 11 a.m. on the senior expo stage. Attendance prizes from vendors will be awarded at the same time.
■ Beginning at 8 a.m., vendors will be on hand, many offering giveaways and drawings for free items. (Smart attendees will bring pre-printed address labels to enter drawings, fill out forms or request information.) Flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be administered throughout the morning from the Jefferson County Health Department’s Mobile Wellness Van on the parking lot.
■ At 8:30 a.m. in the Activity Room, Alan Westfall with Adventure 360 will explain how the nonprofit organization provides an opportunity for local residents to discover real dinosaur fossils.
■ At 9 a.m., the first of two bingo sessions takes place on the stage area.
■ At 9:30 a.m. in the Activity Room, Don Ficken with the St. Louis Astronomical Society will speak about the new observatory at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, which opened in September.
■ At 9:30 a.m. on the stage (where bingo and the band also are being held), Ann Moore will speak about the senior programming available at The Timbers of Eureka. If time allows, Timbers staff also will conduct a quick demonstration class.
■ At 10 a.m., the official Leader Senior Expo band, J.B. Louis and the Legends, will take the stage.
■ At 11 a.m., also on the stage, the grand-prize winner will be drawn, and other attendance prize winners will be announced.
■ At 11:15 a.m., the second session of bingo takes place on the stage.
■ The Expo closes at noon.
Bobbie Anderson, 87, of Eureka was the winner of the My Best Ride photo contest with a picture of her late husband, Don Anderson, and the couple’s 1948 Ford Deluxe two-door sedan. Her entry was selected at random from the 24 photos submitted in the contest, earning her a $200 cash prize. See more contest photos beginning on Page 6B.
For more information about the expo, call the Leader at 636-931-7560.