One more week to submit Business Festival events

Firms wishing to run events in the Black Country Business Festival have only one more week to submit their applications before the deadline on 22 February.

This first business festival in the Black Country – developed by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, will run from 23 April to 4 May. There are around 75 individual seminars, lectures, workshops and conferences staged across the region by local companies are expected to make up the two-week programme.

Attendance during the fortnight is anticipated to top 7,000 people with 15 per cent of these being drawn into the area by the exciting and stimulating events on offer.

Businesses of any size can apply to run an event via the website before 22 February. Events can take any shape from an online webinar or small workshop to a large trade show or national conference. They should aim to benefit local businesses, showcase what the region has to offer or be topical or of national significance.

Once confirmed, events are posted onto the Business Festival website for people to book on to. The majority are completely free to attend, but tickets do need to be booked in advance.

So far, events in the programme include sales, marketing and social media workshops, hospitality industry events, wellbeing seminars and large conferences such as ‘A Woman Who’, the region’s first ever large-scale Careers Speed Networking event and the Black Country Chamber’s annual business expo.

There are nine key sectors in the Festival, chosen for their growth potential or significance to the region. These are: Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive; Creative Industries; Education; Property, Infrastructure and Construction; Professional Business Support, Communications and Marketing; Retail; Tourism and Hospitality; and Transport and Logistics. Applications are welcome in all sectors.

Corin Crane, (right) chief executive of the Black Country Chamber said: “We took steps to develop the Business Festival because we recognise the potential this area has. We believe the Festival will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase the innovation, culture, commerce and vast range of fantastic businesses we have in the Black Country.

“We want the entire business community to get involved and support this venture. It will potentially open doors to lots of new business opportunities, networks and connections as well as offering increased exposure significantly both in the region and beyond.

“There is only one week left to get applications in. So, it’s important to act now so as not to miss the opportunity to get involved in the region’s largest business event.”

In addition to the Chamber, the Black Country Business Festival is supported by a number of organisations which all understand its importance and relevance and want to contribute to its success. These include Cox & Plant, the Federation of Small Businesses, Ramada Park Hall Hotel, the University of Wolverhampton, Talbots Law, Wolverhampton Racecourse, the Express & Star and Midlands in Business magazine and Signal 107.