2017 in Review

The CT River Valley Chamber is in its third year as a merged organization between the former Glastonbury and East Hartford Chambers of Commerce. Our momentum has sustained as we continue to support the growth of local businesses with monthly networking events, committees, meetings, and much more.

Keeping it Local 

Everything we accomplish, works toward improving the quality of life in the towns we serve.

Our flagship community event, the Apple Harvest Festival had a record breaking year with 23,000+ attendees and 1,012 registered runners for the coupled Angry Orchard 5K Road Race. Each fall, both events are made possible by a generous team of volunteers. Though Apple Fest began locally, it now attracts people from all over CT and even out of state.

Giving back is a huge part of who we are. We are incredibly proud of the $6,000+ raised for nonprofits such as the Glastonbury/East Hartford Fuel Banks and The Jordan Porco Foundation, among others. As a part of supporting our schools, The Chamber’s version of Shark Tank teamed mentors with Glastonbury High School students, to coach them on sharpening their entrepreneurial skills with innovative ideas for their own potential businesses.

We believe a healthy community is an active one. DO A 180, MOVE! allowed the public to sample area health & wellness studios, where the Riverfront Concert Series delivered good old fashion dancing on the lawn. The 3^rd Annual Chamber Classic Golf Tournament featured networking on the golf course between business & government leaders alike.

Connecting Businesses

The Chamber established SPARC, a hub for young professionals to engage in both philanthropic and social interests. Behind the scenes, the Chamber revamped their Executive Board with a TRACTION- focused Executive Committee that hones in on strengthening individual Chamber benefits. Leadercast empowered us with world-class speakers. On Small Business Saturday, we shattered last year’s record with the total amount of dollars spent at local businesses.

Our open Leads Exchange groups reached thousands of new people, as we went LIVE on Facebook with the trusty 30-second commercials that have consistently helped Members connect for over a decade. Two Industry Specific Groups were also introduced into the fold, which proved to be highly successful in generating new leads for our participating members.

East Hartford Membership grew in conjunction with Glastonbury, with the help of events such as The Big Run and Bids, Bites & Beer. We held monthly Ribbon Cuttings, Business After Hours, and ultimately added a total of 75 new Members to our constantly growing organization.