Agenda Departments

Agenda

Online Tools Seminar
May 11: From FourSquare to YouTube, Yelp, Groupon, Facebook, Google Places, Twitter, MagCloud, and Issuu, there is an array of low-cost, easy-to-use online tools that allow small-business owners to attract new customers and enhance relationships with existing ones. Larri Cochran of Fresh Table, LLC will present a talk from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, on who is using which tools so you can identify where your customers are online and which tools fit your business. The seminar goal is to create an integrated marketing strategy that maximizes returns for manageable efforts. The cost is $40. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Chamber Auction, Wine & Beer Tasting
May 13: The Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive, Chicopee, will be the setting for the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce’s annual Auction & Wine & Beer Tasting, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring the Battle of the Chefs competition and the Antiques Road Show. David Sarrasin, executive chef for the Castle of Knights, and Mick Corduff, executive chef/owner of the Log Cabin/Delaney House, will do battle as attendees sample and vote for their favorites. Additionally, Dan Farrell, David McCarron, and Chris Kennedy, representatives of the Antiques Road Show, will be on hand to appraise valuables. For more details, call (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

Springfield’s 375th Anniversary Celebration
May 14: The World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast will kick off Springfield’s 375th Anniversary Celebration from 8 to 11 a.m. on Main Street. Additionally, a parade will step off at 11 a.m. from Springfield Technical Community College, proceeding down State Street, past the reviewing stand at the Federal Court House, to Main Street to Mill Street. From 1 to 5 p.m., the Springfield Armory will host Armory Day. Festivities will include re-enactments, demonstrations, and firings. Blessings for Springfield, an interfaith service hosted by St. Michael’s Cathedral which is celebrating its 150th anniversary on State Street, will be conducted at 5 p.m. The day’s festivities will come to a crescendo in Blunt Park as more than 100 members of the Sci-Tech Jazz Band – The Pride of Springfield perform a concert from 7:30 to 9 p.m. At 9 p.m., the skies over Blunt Park will burst with an array of colors including the numbers 3-7-5 for Springfield’s anniversary. For details, visit www.springfield375.org or call the Spirit of Springfield at (413) 733-3800.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use new media to grow their social-media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online, including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network is sponsoring the event. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. This year’s winners will be announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Mass. Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series TREME. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.