Spotlight on Tuscany Group Travel Promotion

We’re going to Tuscany in 2027, and you’re invited!

The Lacombe & District Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Shelley’s Sun & Sand Travel and Collette Travel for a group trip to Tuscany, Italy, October 26 to November 3, 2027.

This 9-day trip gives you one home base in the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini Terme for seven nights, so you can unpack, settle in and explore Tuscany without changing hotels every couple of days.

The itinerary includes Florence, Pisa, Lucca and San Gimignano, along with a visit to a family-owned winery, a cooking class and a cheese farm.

Trip highlights include:
• 9 days in Italy
• 7 nights in Montecatini Terme
• Florence and Pisa
• Medieval Lucca
• San Gimignano
• Family-owned winery experience
• Italian cooking class
• Cheese farm visit
• 10 included meals

Dates: October 26 – November 3, 2027
Pricing: From CA$7,099 per person

This trip is open to anyone who would like to travel with the group. You do not need to be a Chamber member.

Shelley Cota with Shelley’s Sun & Sand Travel is our local contact for questions and bookings.

403-350-3259
shelley@sunandsandtravel.ca

See the full itinerary, pricing and trip details through Collette:
https://groups.gocollette.com/en-US/link/1461839

Booking #1461839

What Does the Lacombe & District Chamber Actually Do?

We get asked this more often than you might think.

What does the Chamber actually do?

People see our events. The Lacombe Trade Show is hard to miss, and so are the Business Awards Galas. You may have been to one of our breakfasts, luncheons or Business After 5 events.

Those are the public parts of the Chamber. A lot of our work is much less visible.

Our phone rings with all kinds of questions.

A business owner is looking for a grant they heard about. Someone wants to open a business but doesn't know where to start. A company needs a local service and asks if we know anyone. A member has run into an issue with a policy and isn't sure who to talk to.

Sometimes we know the answer. Sometimes we don't. If we don't, we'll try to find the person who does.

We spend quite a bit of time making introductions. After working with businesses throughout the area, you get to know who does what. When someone calls looking for an accountant, caterer, contractor, marketing company or another service, we can often point them toward a local Chamber member.

The same thing happens at our events, just without us making the introduction.

We host breakfasts and luncheons because it gives people a chance to meet other business owners. It doesn't need to be formal. You don't have to introduce yourself to everyone in the room or hand out a pile of business cards.

Have breakfast. Meet a couple of people. Find out what they do.

That's enough.

We also hear what's going on in the business community.

When one business raises a concern, we listen. When we start hearing the same concern from several businesses, we know there's probably a bigger issue.

That's where our advocacy work comes in.

We are connected with Chambers across Alberta through the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, so local concerns can become part of provincial discussions.

We can't promise that a policy will change because we raise an issue. What we can do is bring the business perspective to the people making those decisions.

Another part of our work is helping businesses find information.

Running a business means having to know about things you probably never expected to become an expert in. Grants are a good example. So are employment rules, hiring, marketing, taxes and now AI.

When we keep hearing questions about the same subject, we try to bring someone in who knows more about it than we do.

That's where many of our breakfast and luncheon topics come from.

We're not interested in filling a calendar with events just to stay busy. We'd rather bring in a speaker who can answer questions our businesses are actually asking.

Then there's promotion.

We share member news and events. We recommend members when people contact us looking for local businesses. We run Chamber Bucks to encourage local spending. Our trade shows give businesses a chance to meet customers in person, and the Business Awards give people a chance to recognize businesses and individuals in our communities.

Sometimes promoting a member takes five minutes. They send us something they're doing, and we share it.

It doesn't always need to be complicated.

The “District” part of our name matters too.

Our members aren't all in the City of Lacombe. We work with businesses in Blackfalds, Bentley, Clive, Eckville, Mirror, and Lacombe County.

People don't really do business according to municipal boundaries anyway. You might live in Blackfalds, work in Lacombe and hire a company from Lacombe County or one of it's communities.

That's normal here.

If you're already a member, use your membership.

Call the office when you have a question. Send us your news. Ask if we know someone who can help. Tell us if there's an issue affecting your business. Come to an event when the topic is useful to you.

You don't need to attend everything we organize. You don't need to use every benefit.

Just use the parts that make sense for your business.

If you're not a member and want to know what membership would look like for your business, call us. We'll explain what's included, what it costs and answer your questions.

No big sales pitch.

That's what the Chamber does most days. We answer a lot of questions, introduce a lot of people, organize a lot of events and spend a fair amount of time figuring out who can help with something we haven't encountered before.

It's not always the stuff that makes it onto social media, but it's the work that keeps us busy.

It's Award Season in Lacombe & District, and We Want to Hear From You!

It's Award Season in Lacombe & District, and We Want to Hear From You!

There's a certain kind of energy that shows up in Lacombe every fall. Maybe you've felt it too. The leaves start to turn, the Chamber office gets a little busier, and business owners across town start whispering to each other, "did you nominate so-and-so yet?"

That's right. Nominations are officially open for our Business Awards season, and we could not be more excited.

Why This Matters

Every single day, small business owners across Lacombe & District are unlocking their doors, taking risks, and pouring themselves into work that makes our community better. Most days, nobody's cheering them on. Running a business is hard. It's easy to feel like no one sees the long hours, the tough decisions, and the quiet sacrifices that keep the lights on.

That's exactly why this matters. A nomination reminds a business owner that their work is seen. It reminds them they're valued. And honestly, it reminds all of us what's happening right in our own backyard. When we celebrate our own, people shop and invest closer to home, and that strengthens our whole local economy.

So if there's a business, a farm family, a non-profit, or a local hero who's been going above and beyond, now's your chance to say so.

Two Galas, Two Chances to Celebrate

This year we're hosting two celebrations.

The Lacombe & District Business Awards Gala takes over the Lacombe Memorial Centre on October 23rd with a Masquerade Ball theme. Nominations close September 1st, so don't wait too long.

Categories include Best Young Entrepreneur, Best Not-for-Profit, Best New Business, Best Small Business, Best Medium Business, Best Large Business, Best Home-Based Business, Best Business in Lacombe County, Community Champion, Employer of Choice, People's Choice for Customer Service, Lifetime Business Achievement, Farm Family of the Year, the Dawn Parent Legacy Award, and Digital Presence.

The Blackfalds Business Awards Gala follows on December 4th with a Winter Stardust theme. Nominations for this one close October 1st.

Categories there include Young Entrepreneur of the Year, New Business of the Year, Home-Based Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Medium Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Non-Profit Organization of the Year, Community Champion, Customer Service Excellence, Employer of Choice, Digital Presence, and a brand new one this year, Neighbourhood Favourite.

Some Inspiration, If You Need It

Not sure who to nominate? Think about the coffee shop that always remembers your order. The contractor who showed up early and stayed late. The farm family who's been feeding this community for generations. The business that quietly writes a cheque every time a local team needs new jerseys.

We've seen incredible stories come through these categories over the years. Businesses like Cilantro and Chive, who've given back more than $200,000 to local causes through their Burger of the Month program. Families like the Kraays, whose corn maze has been bringing this community together for over two decades. Businesses like Lacombe Ford, who show up for youth sports and charitable causes again and again without being asked.

Somewhere in Lacombe or Blackfalds right now, there's a business or a person doing something just as good, and they don't even know they're award-worthy yet. That's where you come in.

How to Nominate

It only takes a few minutes. Visit lacombechamber.ca for the full nomination criteria for each category.

Take a moment this season to recognize the local business owner in your life. It matters more than you think.

We can't wait to see who you nominate.

Our Airport, Our Future: Why the Lacombe Regional Airport Master Plan Survey Matters

The Lacombe Regional Airport Master Plan survey is open right now, and we want to make sure every business owner in our community takes a few minutes to fill it out. Here's why it matters.

More Than a Runway

It's easy to drive past the airport and not give it a second thought. But from where we sit at the Chamber, the airport is one of the most underrated assets our region has.

When a company is scouting Central Alberta for a place to invest, "there's a good airstrip ten minutes away" carries real weight. It means corporate aviation access. It means medevac and firefighting support when it counts. And every business based at the airport, from maintenance shops to flight training to aerial applicators serving our ag sector, means jobs and tax base for our region.

That's not a playground for a few hobby pilots. That's economic infrastructure.

What Success Could Look Like

We're not talking about becoming the next big passenger hub. Success for our airport looks like full hangars with a waiting list. Aviation businesses setting up shop right here. An asset that pays its own way and gives Lacombe an edge when investment decisions are being made.

Getting there starts with a plan. And a good plan starts with hearing from you.

Your Voice Shapes the Plan

The Master Plan will guide decisions about the airport for years to come. What gets invested in. What gets prioritized. What role the airport plays in our region's growth.

That's why the survey matters. Whether you use the airport every week or have never set foot on the property, your perspective counts. Maybe you see opportunity. Maybe you have concerns about noise or traffic. Maybe you just want to know the airport won't be a drain on municipal budgets. All of that belongs in the conversation.

Take Five Minutes Today

The survey is quick, and the impact is long term. If you haven't filled it out yet, now's the time!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LacombeAirport

Have questions about the Master Plan process or want to talk about what the airport means for your business? Give us a call or stop by the Chamber office. We'd love to chat!

Lacombe Days Is Almost Here!

There is something special about the second weekend of July in our town. The streets fill up. The smell of pancakes drifts down 50th. And everywhere you look, neighbours are out together having a good time. Lacombe Days is back, and we cannot wait!

Mark your calendar for July 10 to 12. Three full days of celebrating the place we are lucky to call home.

A weekend built for everyone

Lacombe Days has always been about community first. It is the kind of event where you bump into half the people you know and meet a few new ones along the way.

The parade rolls out Saturday morning at 9:00, so grab a spot early and bring a bag for the candy! A big thank you goes to the Lacombe Rotary Club for keeping the whole thing running smoothly, year after year.

From there, the weekend is packed. Pancake breakfasts to start your morning right. The midway for the kids and the kids at heart. Museum tours that remind us just how much history this town holds. And the Night Market, which has quickly become a favourite for so many families.

To cap it all off, head out to The Track on 2 for an evening of standardbred races, live music, and a fireworks show lighting up the Lacombe sky. It is the perfect way to close out the weekend.

Good for our community, good for business

Here at the Chamber, we love Lacombe Days for one more reason. It is wonderful for our local businesses!

Weekends like this bring people downtown. They fill our shops, our restaurants, and our patios. They give visitors a reason to discover what we already know. Lacombe is a fantastic place to spend time and spend money close to home.

If you own a business here, this is your weekend to shine. Roll out a special. Set up a sidewalk display. Say hello to every new face that walks through your door. A great Lacombe Days experience turns a first-time visitor into a regular customer.

We will see you there

Lacombe Days is volunteer powered and community driven, and that is exactly what makes it ours. Behind every pancake flipped and every float decorated are people who care deeply about this town.

So come on out. Bring the family. Bring your neighbours. Let us show everyone why there is no better place to be than right here in July.

For the full schedule and all the details, visit lacombedays.ca.

See you on the parade route!

She Means Business. And She's Coming to Lacombe.

Mark your calendar. On March 2, 2027, the Lacombe Memorial Centre is hosting the She Means Business Prairie Summit. One day, around 250 women, and a whole lot of ambition under one roof.

We have been dreaming about this one for a long time. Now it is real, and we cannot wait to tell you about it.

So what is it? The Prairie Summit is a one-day conference built for the women driving business across Central Alberta. The founders and the dreamers. The ones running the show and the ones just getting started. It is a day to learn, to connect, and to walk out feeling like anything is possible.

Here is what we love most about it. We are bringing a world-class business event right here, to Lacombe. No long drives. No big-city price tag. Just a powerhouse day of inspiration in our own backyard, built for our own community.

The lineup is coming together beautifully. We will have keynote speakers to make you sit up straight, and we will be announcing those names very soon. Trust us, they are worth the wait.

Around the keynotes, expect a full day of substance. A real-talk panel with women leading businesses on the front lines across our region. Breakout sessions on the things that actually move the needle, from building a brand that sounds like you to silencing that little voice of self-doubt we all know too well. And the connections you make over coffee might just be the best part of the whole day.

None of this happens without the businesses who believe in it. A huge thank you to our early supporters who said yes before the doors were even open. Burman University. New Country 95.5. Busted Ladies Lingerie. Holm Collective. Supernova Creations. Gift Smack. You are helping make this day happen, and we are grateful.

Want to be part of it? There are a few ways in.

Come as an attendee. Tickets and registration details are coming soon, so keep an eye on our website and socials.

Come as a sponsor. If you want your business in front of 250 driven women from across Central Alberta, and you want to stand behind something that matters, let's talk. We have sponsorship spots at a few levels, and we would love to find the right fit for you. Reach out and we will send the details.

Spread the word. Know a woman in business who needs this day? Tag her. Tell her. Bring her along.

Lacombe has always known how to show up for its own. This is our chance to do it again, in a big way.

More to come, and soon. We will see you on March 2.