Annual Events & Programs
The Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner is “An Elegant Evening.” It is a time of celebration and the presenting of much deserved awards to our selfless volunteers who make a difference in our community and for the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. The dinner brings together 400 of our top business, municipality, industry and education leaders. A time of reflection with our “Year In Review in Pictures” as well as a keynote speaker make this one of the best evenings of the year.
Business Before/During/After Hours is a once per month gathering of Chamber members for a time of networking, fellowship and relationship building. Hosted by a member business, it is open to all Chamber members. This is a great way to get to know other business owners, service providers and neighbors.
The College Football Fan Challenge Oyster Roast is the “EVENT” of Laurens County. Check out these highlights from our 2022 Oyster Roast! This annual extravaganza is so much more than an oyster roast; it is a “Celebration.” Beginning with live T.V. segments, a magnificent silent auction, football mascots, cheerleaders, music, an exciting live auction & bonfire with all the fresh steamed oysters, gumbo, and low country boil you can eat. Food and drinks are included for one low ticket price, along with over 700 attendees with whom to network. This year's College Football Fan Challenge Oyster Roast is November 7th, 2024 - get your tickets here!
The Chamber Golf Challenge is a premier annual event each fall played at one of the most prestigious golf courses within our region. The day begins with a full breakfast followed by 18 holes of captain’s choice golf. After the round, the winners are recognized and a raffle for great prizes is held for those who are better with luck than the game. The day ends with a “Shoot for Loot” contest and plenty of networking. This outing hosts senior leadership from our industry, education, retail and service sectors.
The Chamber Industry & Agriculture Tour is one of our most popular and educational offerings each fall. With technology-based manufacturing being our largest employer and Agribusiness making up 35% of the local economy, this one-day chartered bus tour takes those who attend behind the scenes of some of our most important employers. A reserved seat on the bus, lunch, snack and an exclusive pass into these operations come at one low price. View the Laurens County Ag website for more information.
In person projected attendance: 100
These events host leadership updates from various sectors, including Industry and local delegation. These meetings offer an opportunity for our community to learn firsthand what the current issues are affecting us locally, regionally and statewide.
The roundtable events are scheduled as focus groups and serve multiple purposes. Virtual and face to face, these meetings are designed as a platform for participants to connect with peers, share ideas and resources, and gain useful knowledge. These meetings offer the Chamber an opportunity to help individuals, business, and groups communicate, collaborate, and coordinate.
The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce facilities are used as a centrally located meeting space between the cities of Laurens & Clinton, often reserved for community Board meetings and trainings. The recently updated training room has an 86" Aquos Board, 1920x1089 HD interactive display and seats up to 30 people.
The lobby is set up as a Visitor’s Center, showcasing the great County we serve with magazines, rack cards, and brochures of local opportunities. The Chamber welcomes many people to town, from walk-ins to mailing information packets.
The Chamber’s Mission is to serve as the unified voice to promote, strengthen and develop Laurens County by connecting organizations, supporting businesses, and building community. As our organization develops initiatives and programs, various opportunities to support in the areas of Business Development, Community Growth, and much more continue to develop.
The Think Local Campaign continues to resonate as a necessity for the success of our local small businesses. The goal is to change the culture of local businesses, government, and individuals as they make plans for purchases, activities, housing, and their overall future in Laurens County. If we can change the local mindset to “Think” about our community when choices are being made, everyone benefits. We aim to build Community Pride and lay the groundwork for growth, unity, and wellbeing for our neighbors and Community as a whole.
The Chamber offers multiple programs and opportunities for our small business’ success. As part of the Chamber Small Business support plan, the Empowerment Series offers educational workshops, the Think Local social media & weekly Member Memo newsletters offer promotions, and the networking events offer resources and knowledge share opportunities.
Team Ecology is the education arm of the Chamber Beautification Initiative. This program was named the 2019 SC Department of Health and Environmental Control Community Star in the Collaborative Partnership category. Team Ecology spearheads the effort to educate children through an annual event that brings all Laurens County 3rd graders, approximately 700 per year (over 5000 to date), to a one-day educational adventure field trip. There are eight curriculum-based stations which include composting, watershed, air quality, landfill usage, recycling, and more.
Held quarterly, the goal is to encourage new and existing members to become actively involved to maximize their chamber membership, while supporting the success of the Chamber. Attendees will obtain a better understanding of the Laurens County Chamber and the many benefits associated with membership.
The Small Business Empowerment Series is a Quarterly gathering of small business leaders to discuss and learn about best practices, common issues and proposed solutions for small businesses in Laurens County. The workshop format will focus on educational presentation to help local small businesses be more successful and thrive in Laurens County.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies are ideal for new businesses with a physical location, or existing businesses that have moved or expanded. We look forward to celebrating with you! If you're interested in including us in your business celebration, contact us.
Criteria to Qualify
- New business within one year of opening
- New location with storefront for an existing business within one year of opening
- Remodel, Re-brand, Anniversary or Milestone
- Laurens County Chamber Member (active, in good standing)
- contact for availability at least three weeks in advance
Chamber will provide:
- At the Event
- The Chamber will provide ribbon, scissors, and event photography.
- Marketing Post-Event
- Following your celebration, the Chamber will publish a Blog post and link to it via our social media pages and Weekly Update, a photo on the Chamber’s website, and a photo for media.
The ten-month program has trained more than 400 local business leaders over the last 39 years and counting. Participants have a unique opportunity to increase their knowledge of county programs through dialogue with existing county leaders and experts from the organizations and institutions which form the structure of Laurens County. The goal of Leadership Laurens County is to develop informed, committed and qualified leaders capable of identifying and addressing the needs in the community.
Molding our best and brightest high school students into leaders of tomorrow. The 5th Jr. Leadership Class graduated in May 2019.
Annually August – November
The Laurens County Touchdown Club was organized to promote a spirit of cooperation and association among citizens of Laurens County through a common interest, “football”. The seven bi-weekly meetings include lunch, door prizes, local football updates, and a speaker. The events end with an annual evening Banquet honoring the All County Football Team of the year.