After only take-home job fairs for about a year and a half during the pandemic, one of the largest in-person job fairs the Danville-Boyle County area has seen will take place this weekend at Constitution Square Historic Site.

About 30 local employers will be there Friday, July 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and about 20 will be there July 24, from 9 a.m. to noon, to mingle with members of the community looking for potential employees at the Big Job Fair at Constitution Square. Jeff Jewel, executive director of the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce, said the numbers of employers who will be present continue to grow.

There are hundreds of available job openings in Boyle County, most of which are in the health care sector, and the job fair will feature jobs in a variety of sectors.

“It’s a great way to kind of do one-stop shopping for a new career,” said Jewel.

He said the event will give people the opportunity to connect with human resources representatives, and some companies might do immediate hires or plan interviews with potential employees on the spot.

“You could theoretically have a job within a couple days,” he said. “And I know that the hiring needs for many of these folks are immediate.”

He said some employers have dozens to hundreds of job openings.

Friday will feature the employers as well as special guests from WHIR radio, live broadcasts and music, and free hamburgers, and on Saturday the job fair will be incorporated into the farmers market, with employers set up on the east boundary of the park in front of the Chamber and Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership offices. The Economic Development Partnership Workforce Development Committee is hosting the fair, and the Chamber and EDP, also known as Develop Danville, Inc., are the fair sponsors.

Jewel said he’s excited for the in-person fair and thinks having it outdoors, which is a COVID-19 precaution, will make it more enjoyable.

“I personally think that the idea of job shopping in a beautiful park on an afternoon with a hamburger is a lot more appealing than going indoors and just going from table to table,” he said. “This will be like the first opportunity we’ve had in a year and a half to get you face-to-face with potential employers so you can meet them and they can meet you, and whenever possible, it’s always better when you can meet people in person to get a feel for things.”

Many employers in the community are offering increased wages, sign-on bonuses and other benefits to attract employees, and Jewel said he’s excited for people to see the number of jobs available.

He said many of the employers who will be present are Chamber members.

“And I know how hard they have been trying to link up with good potential employees, so I’m just really excited these people that I work with on a daily or weekly basis are going to have an opportunity to come and meet, I think, a whole bunch of new potential employees in a very fun, casual atmosphere. I think it’s just a great way to meet new people and spread the word about the opportunities you have. It’s so much friendlier and more personal.”

Some of the employers who plan to be at the job fair are: Adkev, American Greetings, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Boyle County Public Library, Brighter Choice, Central Seal, Centre College, Denyo, Ephraim McDowell Health, Essity, Goodwill, Hitachi, Hobart, Ivy & Grace Brow Boutique, KY Career Center, Ky Chamber of Commerce Workforce Second Chance, Landmark, LSC, Medical Career and Technical College, Meggitt, Morning Pointe, National Guard, National Office Furniture, Nesco, Northpoint, Select Specialty Hospital, Timberland, TransNav, UK Healing Communities Study (free Narcan) and Walkers Trail.