The Vashon Health and Wellness Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, and Chamber of Commerce executive director Jim Marsh says there will be something for everyone.

“This is our effort to bring awareness to this part of the island and industry,” he said. “What better way to see if someone is a good fit for you than to meet them face to face? Pretty much anything you can think of, we’ll have there.”

Health, wellness and beauty will be the main focuses at the fair, and practitioners from across the island will come to promote their trades, with samples aplenty.

“Whatever their imagination is, they bring,” said Marsh.

The fair will be held at the Vashon Center for the Arts. Door prizes will be offered to a lucky few patrons. Marsh said the event attracts a fair amount of interest from the community.

“In the past it’s been anywhere; minimum was 150 and at most, 300 attendees. The thing I do know for the vendors is, everybody gets business out of it,” he said. “That’s what the Chamber tries to do, is to make business communities. This is what helped set them up and helped create that.”

Because of inclement weather and in the interest of public safety, last year’s Health and Wellness Fair was cancelled. But this year, Marsh said excitement is high, and that for many island businesses, the fair is a crucial link to a wider customer base.

“I think it’s important for people to support local businesses and keep their money on the island,” he said. “I think it’s important for local practitioners to have a forum where theycan meet people, because that’s hard to create in a vacuum when you’re on your own.”

When the Chamber puts on the Health and Wellness Fair and others like it throughout the year, Marsh said it has kept a promise to island businesses.

“It’s the mission of our organization,” he said.