Chamber Leading Cheboygan into 2019 with a Solid Event Schedule

Chamber Leading Cheboygan into 2019 with a Solid Event Schedule
By Polly Schneider
 
Happy New Year!  It’s hard to believe that the holidays are over, and we are now beginning a new year!  2019 is sure to be as fast paced and exciting for the chamber as 2018, with a solid calendar of events and programs.  2018 saw the introduction of a couple new programs and events, 2019 will continue this trend and we are hoping that our schedule has something for everyone.  The following will be some save the dates and teasers of what we have in store for this year.
Wednesday January 23^rd, will be the first of our bimonthly “Make the Most of Your Membership” sessions.  These sessions are designed for chamber members to come in, ask questions, learn how to fully take advantage of their chamber membership and see what the chamber is doing and can do to help support and promote their business.  (These sessions are held the 4^th Wednesday of every other month at 8 am, 12 pm and 5:30 pm)
January 24^th will kick off our 2019 Business after Hours calendar with a joint After Hours with our friends from the Indian River Chamber of Commerce.  Spare Time Lanes & Recreation will host this fun evening from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, there will be a cash bar, great food, door prizes and much, much more.  We some unique ideas for After Hours this year, check the community calendar on Cheboygan.com for details.  Business after Hours is generally held on the 3^rd Thursday of the month, with a couple exceptions.
Our annual chamber awards dinner will be held on Thursday March 21^st this year.  We have added an element that will tie our pre dinner networking hour to the Waterways Festival that is not only creative, but will truly represent our community spirit, and cooperation.  Tickets will be available for the dinner on Tuesday January 15^th, at the chamber office or at Cheboygan.com. (Click on “annual awards dinner” on the community calendar) Nominations for the awards will be accepted beginning Monday January 7^th at the chamber office.
The business expo will undergo a few changes this year.  We are looking to increase attendance by hosting the event on a Saturday.  Our target date is May 4^th, but will not be confirmed until later this month.  Our hope is to not only promote the businesses that people already know are here, but to also showcase the ones that the community may not realize are open and ready to do business.  Exciting things are happening in Cheboygan, and we want to be able to share this with everyone.  Look for an exciting day of discovering what your community has that you may not have known is here!
Our summer concert series will once again help to kick off the 2019 Waterways Festival on Thursday June 27^th at 7 pm, and will be held every Thursday through August.  This summer we look forward to bringing you several different genres of music, and entertaining performances.  A complete schedule will be released in March.
The 2019 Waterways Festival will be held June 27^th through June 30^th.  This annual festival is one of the highlights of the Cheboygan summer, and we are proud to coordinate this event which features our famous Inland Waterway and community!  Once again, look for the 7^th Annual Open Water Challenge 13.5 mile Great Lakes Downwind Championship on Saturday June 29^th.  This surf ski, SUP and sea kayak event brought in over 25 competitors from all over the United States last year and keeps growing every year.  This year we are looking to hold some sprints and a just for fun stand up paddle board slalom course to the water activities.  Look for the Cheboygan County Council on Aging’s Kick off Breakfast the morning of June 27^th, Kids day Friday June 28^th, Race Day is Saturday June 29^th, and Community Day is Sunday June 30^th.  Our entertainment lineup will have something for everyone, and our schedule of events will surely make for a family friendly weekend of fun and memory making!  Watch for details about this year’s Waterways Festival in upcoming articles and online.
Parades are a huge part of community spirit and pride, and we are excited to continue our tradition of planning and facilitating Cheboygan’s Independence Day Parade and The Parade of Lights.  The Independence Day Parade will begin at 10 am on Thursday July 4^th, and the Parade of Lights will be held on Saturday November 30^th.  Details will be released closer to each of these events.
2018 marked the comeback of a State of the Community event.  We were encouraged to host over 175 people at Cheboygan’s Opera House for a continental breakfast and state of the community program.  Friday October 4^th, 2019 will be the date for our State of the Community Breakfast this year.  We will once again bring you 4 keynote speakers to report the state of their organization.  Tickets will be available for this event in August.
These are a few of the “big” events that we have in store for 2019, but will be releasing dates for business education classes, more business after hours, cranberry farm tours, and more in the coming months.  Remember, to stay up to date with everything that is happening, visit the community calendar on Cheboygan.com, or call the chamber office at 231-627-7183