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The Neepawa and District Chamber of Commerce holds several events throughout the year, from customer service seminars to business mixers to award ceremonies, but the premier event of these is the annual Chamber Fair. According to Jennifer Wiebe, administrator for the Chamber, the fair is the economic driver that makes all of the other events possible, and what’s more, provides economic spinoff for businesses around the community.

This year’s fair, which kicked off on May 26, included a new, larger midway in addition to perennial favourites such as the petting zoo, pony rides, and an evening social which this year is being sponsored by the Neepawa Veterinary Clinic. Most of the events, Wiebe added, are sponsored by members of the Chamber of Commerce, and this year they have kept the food trucks to local businesses. The community really steps up to make sure the event happens, although there is always a need for more volunteers to keep things running.

Other new additions this year are the reptile show, which will be taking place on Sunday afternoon, and a shuttle bus which will transport attendees from the nearby Co-op grocery store parking lot to the fairgrounds in order to alleviate some of the traffic and parking issues that have plagued previous fairs. Looking towards the future, Wiebe and Chamber of Commerce board member Ally Potrebka would like to see an increased number of booths to represent local volunteer groups and events as well as a farmer’s market.

Potrebka also talks about the benefits not just of being a Chamber of Commerce member but also of serving on the board of directors of the Chamber, which not only allows you to help choose the direction of Chamber activities but also provides a plethora of networking opportunities with other local businesspeople.

Upcoming Chamber of Commerce events that the fair is helping to fund include a Business After Five gathering at the new Home Hardware store and an electoral forum in the fall leading up to the Manitoba provincial election in October.