Ribbon-cutting Saturday for So. Illinois Marketplace at the Du Quoin State Fair

The ribbon-cutting for the 2013 Illinois Food and Wine Products Show in the Exhibition Hall at the Du Quoin State Fair will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday.

The show is sponsored by the Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Located in the air-conditioned Exposition Hall, the show allows fair-goers to view, sample and buy a variety of Illinois foods, wines and products, as well as see guest chefs present live cooking demonstrations using local foods and wines. The show will feature about 30 food and distillery products, along with wines from participating Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners wineries.

Robert F. Flider, Illinois Department of Agriculture director, along with local dignitaries, are expected to attend. The products show runs from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1.

There are cooking demonstrations in the expo hall today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 30 -- 5 and 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 31 -- Noon and 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 -- 1 and 6 p.m.

For more information about the Entrepreneurship and Business Development unit and programs the Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center offers, call 618/536-2424, or visit www.siusbdc.com.