Apr. 20—EPHRATA — Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Director Rita Witte said she was excited at the response as the chamber hosted its first annual business expo during its April 12 business after-hours.
"I think my excitement was that everybody else was excited," Witte said. "Everybody else was happy with how it went."
Witte said the chamber had gotten good and constructive feedback regarding the event it held at the community center located at 112 Basin Street SW in Ephrata. The chamber was able to pull in nearly 50 vendors from a variety of industries, she said. Participating businesses included professionals ranging from retail shops and attorneys to health coaches and Ephrata-area nonprofits. Witte said the chamber is planning to make the expo an annual event with the next expo already set for April 10, 2024, because April is ideal to get events rolling for the year.
"It's just a good time because January, February and March — (those are) pretty quiet months, so it's a good time to put something in there to get some activity going," Witte said.
In addition to vendors, potential clients visited the expo from off the street and connected with local businesses, which is one of the chamber's main goals, she said.
Representatives from multiple participating businesses said they had been able to connect with potential clients, including fellow businesses they could collaborate with.
"It's been fantastic," said Lisa Hector with Ephrata Eye Care. "I think the show has been great. There's been a lot more public interest rather than just the business owners (than I'd expected.) ... I'm impressed. It's been a lot of fun."
The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce's next big event is Sage-N-Sun, set for June 9-10, she said. The annual event draws lots of visitors to the area and the team at the chamber is working hard to make it a success, Witte said. The event will include a beer garden, food vendors, crafts, a parade, live music and entertainment, a fun run, the Wenatchee Youth Circus and other activities for visitors and locals to enjoy.
Witte said the chamber works to bring business owners and the community together through networking and a sense of community. The idea is to uplift people and support local businesses through the organization's efforts.
"It's promotion and trying to get people into our community," Witte said.
R. Hans "Rob" Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com. He welcomes all feedback on the paper and any news tips community members might share.