Entrepreneurship and the holidays will be in full swing on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 4-7 p.m. at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota’s 26 West Center, 5840 26th St. W., Building 8, Bradenton. In celebration of National Entrepreneurship Month, the building will transform into a Holiday Mark-It, a one-day pop-up shopping experience open to the public. The marketplace will feature more than 26 local businesses that will sell holiday entertainment ideas, unique gifts and seasonal treats. The free event will include giveaways, demonstrations and a visit from Santa. Free parking is available in Lot H. “State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota’s 26 West Center supports entrepreneurs and small business owners every day with workshops and coaching, office space and a digital marketing agency. We wanted to go one step further this holiday season and provide an environment for local businesses to sell holiday products and services. We also wanted to create a way for the local community to support these businesses and, at the same time, experience our innovative 26 West Center,” said Dr. Todd G. Fritch, executive vice president and provost. April Caldwell, founder and CEO of fayVen, an online app that matches vendors with venues, managed the recruiting and vetting of small businesses to participate in the Holiday Mark-It. Caldwell, winner of the 26 West Center Pitch Competition, graduate of the 26 West Entrepreneurship Academy and Air Force veteran, founded fayVen in 2019 because she and her husband had problems finding locations to sell their gourmet popcorn and identified the opportunity to make pop-up events easy for small businesses and venues. “The 26 West Center provided me with a strong foundation to start and grow fayVen. The classes, mentorship and other resources have played a major role in the success of my business. I’m thrilled to support other entrepreneurs and create a very special event for the Bradenton-Sarasota community,” remarked Caldwell. For more information about the 26 West Center, visit 26West.SCF.edu. For more details about the Holiday Mark-It, contact Lis Begin at 727-243-6965 or Lis@BeginProductions.com.