The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce has organized a special opportunity for local businesspeople to learn all about the total solar eclipse coming up April 8, 2024 and what it means for your local business.

With an estimated 100,000 extra people expected to visit Chautauqua County for the eclipse next spring, the Business Builder Workshop is aimed at giving you the information you’ll need to promote your business and to gear up for the day. Our speakers will be Tom Traub, Chair of the Martz-Kohl Observatory Solar Eclipse Committee and NASA Eclipse Ambassador member; Noel Guttman, Chautauqua County Director of Emergency Services; and Andrew Nixon, President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau.

This workshop will be held at the JCC North Training Center, Bennett Road, Dunkirk, from 1-3pm, Monday, November 6. It is sponsored by CCVB, Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services, Jamestown Community College, and the Martz-Kohl Observatory. Please register through the Chamber’s online calendar at www.chqchamber.org.

The upcoming eclipse is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our region, and for your business to seize the moment. We hope you can join us for this workshop.

THE CHAMBER IS READY TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

We know it’s not even Halloween yet, but in the world of retail Christmas is right around the corner. So the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is poised to help all of our local businesses through the coming holiday season with a pair of marketing initiatives: a Holiday Window Decorating Contest and a Small Business Saturday contest. Both efforts are aimed at driving traffic into local businesses.

The Holiday Window Decorating Contest is first on our list. The contest is free to enter for any locally owned business in Chautauqua County – whether you are a Chamber member or not. You must register through our web calendar by November 10 to be included. Then decorate your business and send us a photo of your completed masterpiece. The Chamber will assign a number to each participating business.

The contest is straight-forward: the highest vote getters win. Anyone can vote – once each day – by text. Once all the businesses are registered and we have photos, we will share them on our social media and encourage you to do so as well. The Chamber will also put together a convenient Google Map showing locations of all the registered businesses to help promote your business and to promote viewing and voting. You should also make sure to remind your walk-in customers to vote each day to increase your vote count. Voting will begin November 17 and continue through December 16. Winners will be announced the following week.

In addition to a countywide Holiday Window Decorating Contest winner, additional selections will be awarded in the six communities where we have Chamber Committees: Dunkirk, Fredonia, Hanover, Jamestown, Mayville-Chautauqua, and Westfield-Barcelona.

In the midst of the window contest, we will promote Small Business Saturday. Once again this year the Chamber will be encouraging people to visit small locally owned businesses on Small Business Saturday, November 25, and do a Facebook or Instagram check-in. They will need to tag the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce to be entered to win ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards.

By checking in, it helps to promote the small businesses where customers are shopping for Small Business Saturday. Each check-in will result in an additional entry, so the more small businesses you visit the more times you can enter the contest.

Our mission is to build vital connections, provide professional resources, and champion our local businesses in Chautauqua County. These two holiday initiatives meet that mission perfectly, as we work to connect customers with local businesses, to help them build social media followings, and to promote the wide variety of small businesses available in our communities. We hope all local businesses will participate in the Holiday Window Decorating Contest, and that all consumers will vote for their favorite windows, and shop at small businesses during the holiday season. To find all the details, visit the events on our Chamber online calendar.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT SOUTHERN TIER BREWING IS NOVEMBER 14

Join us for a perennial favorite Business After Hours, November 14 at Southern Tier Brewing Company, 2072 Stoneman Circle, in Lakewood. Business After Hours is conveniently timed to meet your needs between workday and evening activities. It runs from 5-6:30pm, featuring appetizers, a cash bar, and a brief program that lets you know who’s who in the room. Remember to bring business cards for networking. Chamber member businesses can send two people at no charge. For non-members or anyone above the two-person limit, the price is $10. Advance registration is not required but is appreciated for our planning purposes. Sign up online now through our web calendar at www.chqchamber.org. This Business After Hours is sponsored by Southern Tier Brewing Company, DFT Communications, Jamestown Community College, Media One Radio Group, OBSERVER, and The Post-Journal.

NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE PAM LYDIC COALITION BUILDER AWARD

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its annual Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award. This award is presented annually in memory of Pam Lydic, the first President of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. It recognizes an individual in the region who has worked hard to bring groups of people together around a common goal or objective. It is presented to an individual who has helped move the region forward in a positive direction thought collaboration and by building partnerships. It is particularly focused on those who have done their work consistently and oftentimes in the background. Nominations will be accepted through November 1 and can be submitted online through the Award Nomination Form on our website at www.chautauquachamber.org.