“Beer with the Board” Monthly Meetings
The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce is pleased to introduce a new monthly event that is open to members and the general public. “Beer with the Board” will be an informal monthly gathering held at chamber member establishments with the intent of fostering merchant and resident input regarding what is happening in Northern Berkshire County. The Chamber board wants to hear from local residents regarding their concerns, hopes and ideas for our local economy so that we can better advocate on your behalf. If Northern Berkshire County is showing you obstacles to or opportunities for success, we want to know about it. Each event will be held from 5p-7p and the schedule for 2012 is as follows.
January 23, 2012 Gala Steakhouse & Bistro
February 15, 2012 ‘6 House Pub
March 6, 2012 The Williams Inn
April 9, 2012 Cozy Corner Restaurant
May 3, 2012 Hops and Vines
June 5, 2012 The Purple Pub
July 11, 2012 The Red Herring
August 6, 2012 The Water Street Grill
September 12, 2012 Waubeeka Golf Links
October 2, 2012 Coyote Flaco
November 5, 2012 Desperados (Williamstown)
December 5, 2012 American Legion Post 152
A cash bar will be available at all events. There is no charge for attending. Please stop in on any (or all) of these evenings and let us know what you think. We look forward to working with you.
About the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce
The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce is an organization whose mission is to promote a prosperous, sustainable economy in Northern Berkshire County. We cooperatively market the region with other local and regional entities while taking a proactive role to educate our members and represent their interests as a collective voice. If you own a business in Northern Berkshire County or are planning to start one, visit www.WilliamstownChamber.com for more information about our programs and services.
BERKSHIRE TOURISM IMPACT REPORTED
BERKSHIRE TOURISM IMPACT REPORTED
Tourism is Massachusetts’ second largest industry and the Berkshires has seen strong growth in this industry according to the 2010 Economic Impact Report recently released by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT).
The Commonwealth experienced a 4% increase in visitor volume in 2010 equating to $15.5 billion in direct spending with a 9.9% increase in related tax revenues. In the same report, Berkshire County tourism spending grew to $327.25 million, with $9.17 million generated for local governments from travel-related taxes, representing a 10.7% increase. The Berkshire tourism industry also contributed $16.6 million in State tax receipts, a 6.8% increase over 2009.
“Over the past three years, the Visitors Bureau staff and board worked together to develop a year-round marketing strategy even in the face of severe reductions in state funds.” said Reggie Cooper, current BVB Board Chair and General Manager of Canyon Ranch in Lenox. “The numbers reported in this Economic Impact study drive home the fact that an investment in marketing the Berkshires works for all our communities and member businesses.”
According to Lauri Klefos, President of the BVB, “This report validates that our new strategy which concentrates on nearby markets and web-based programs is working. We are lucky to have a dedicated staff that sees their work as critical to the local economy and a Board of Directors that understands the importance of maintaining an investment in tourism promotion.”
“We have strong support from our legislators who ‘get it’ and have worked hard to help us restore some of the state promotional funds this year,” Klefos continued. “Matched by member dollars, we can now promote the Berkshires with more frequency which continues to raise the awareness of the Berkshires as a year-round destination, and ultimately will continue to translate into growth in these numbers in the future.”
ABOUT BVB: The Berkshire Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Berkshire County and operates from a base of membership dues supplemented with grant funds from MOTT. The BVB’s goal is to grow travel-related spending in the county by investing these funds to promote the Berkshires to potential consumer and group leisure travelers. For information on activities throughout the region, visit their website at www.Berkshires.org.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
The Fund for Williamstown was formed in 2006 as a community effort to build an endowment to support innovative programs and services that will enhance the quality of life for residents of Williamstown. The Fund serves as a permanent resource to help make life safer, healthier, fuller or more enjoyable for members of the community.
The Fund for Williamstown is about making our community a better, more vibrant place to live. The fund supports proposals from both nonprofit organizations and individuals that will strengthen, enliven and enhance Williamstown. With an eye toward meeting the needs of a wide spectrum of residents, the fund awards grants for health and human services, cultural and educational programs and environmental protection. The fund is a catalyst for collaboration and for dynamic thinking about our community.
Individuals, nonprofit organizations and public agencies are eligible to apply for grants. Requests will be considered for projects, programs and capital improvements that serve the residents of Williamstown. Deadline for applications is April 9, 2011. Applications must be submitted online through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation website at www.berkshiretaconic.org/williamstown. For more information please contact the fund’s chairman, Liz Costley, at lizcostley@gmail.com
Williamstown Holiday Walk Video
“The Williamstown holiday video features photos from the village core but most especially the holiday walk and Christmas Tree raffle. Also included are some shots of local stores. We thought this would be fun for residents to see and that the merchants might be especially interested in knowing we were subtly promoting their businesses too.”
Courtesy of Joyce Harsch
Check out what the LA Times is saying about Williamstown!
In Williamstown, Mass., summertime is superb
The leaf peepers have it all wrong. It’s in the full bloom of summer that western Massachusetts really shines.
July 10, 2009
In the cold, dark, dead of winter, when my thoughts turn to summer, I think of it in New England. I think of still nights with plenty of stars and the conversation of cicadas, the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, swimming in a lake, Friendly’s ice cream and sweet corn on the cob.
By Susan Spano, Reporting from Williamstown, Mass.
Much has been made of New England’s colorful falls, but my cup is filled by its deep green summers.
I carry memories of them from when I worked at a summer stock theater in western Massachusetts in my college years. The theater where I learned my lines has closed. But the rounded old mountains are still here, so last month I returned to the Berkshires to spend a few summer days in Williamstown.
