The Downtown Business Association is offering something new for area residents, and even for those who might live in the region outside of Surry County.

The city’s first bridal fair, set for Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2:30.

So what’s so special about a bridal fair?

Amy Slate, with Scarlet Begonias, can answer that.

“In most bridal fairs, vendors set up and take a small sample of what they have in their stores to an arena, and they set up as a vendor in there.” Saturday, she said the Main Street area of downtown will be one giant bridal show arena, with those participating being able to show off the full range of wares and services available in their stores.

The show is not simply for those who have businesses along Main Street, however. Other area merchants, will be on hand, setting up in more conventional style vendor booths in Old North State Winery.

Slate said the idea for the bridal show came up only a short time back — little more than a month ago.

“We got together and decided to have a bridal show, and when to have it,” she said. “For Mount Airy to compete with, say Greensboro, for a bridal fair, is tough. We have to work to be different.”

Teresa S. Hill, events coordinator for the Association, said the DBA members have pulled together and worked hard on putting on this event.

“We’re just hoping to show there’s a uniqueness to Mount Airy,” she said. “And we want to show a wedding doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. You can have elegance without the cost,” she said. And that elegance, Hill said, is what local merchants can supply, whether it be through gift items, wedding accessories, the decor for the wedding, or even a location for the ceremony, as well as items for the couple’s new household, and it’s all there, within easy walking distance from one business to another. “A bride can stroll up and down the street, visit each story during the day,” she said.

For prospective brides visiting Mount Airy on March 21, there’s more to be had than simple conveniences that comes with having a wide variety of shops all close together.

Hill said there will be prizes for those who register to attend the event.

“Each participating business will be giving away prizes, and we’ll have larger prizes to give away,” she said. Those visiting each store will be able to have a contest entry card stamped, and then drop the card into a drawing for larger prizes. “Anyone who registers in advance will get to enter the larger prize drawings twice,” Hill said. She said brides can register in advance at any participating merchant this week, or by calling 336-719-6957 and asking for Stephanie.

After the event, she said there will be a fashion show at 2:30 p.m. in the Old North State Winery building.

While the bridal show is a significant event for the DBA, Hill said it’s just one of a number of ways the downtown merchants are working to draw new business to the city.

“We put out the balloons for Valentine’s Day, although the wind blew many of them away,” she said. “We may have other activities ... we’re just trying to unite the downtown, we’re working to draw more people into downtown.”

The Mount Airy Downtown Business Association and The Mount Airy News are sponsoring the event.

John Peters can be reached at jpeters@mairynews.com, or by calling 719-1931.