September has arrived!
A few days of prematurely-chilly weather inspired many of us to start dreaming of pumpkin pie, Halloween decorations, and all of the other activities and treats that make autumn so enjoyable. However, it is in fact still late summer! The trees are green, the temperatures are climbing back up into the 90s for the last hurrah, and the kids are preparing for school. Even so, our Chamber staff has been hard at work on a few special events coming up this month, some of which herald the coming of fall.
Firstly, one important item to note is that we have officially decided not to host the annual Community Appreciation Picnic this year. We were able to line up some amazing volunteers in spite of everything happening around us (thank you!), but the event had already been delayed once and we were still battling some stubborn logistical challenges. We are sad to skip it this year, but we are so excited to plan our biggest, best picnic yet next year! To brighten your mood a bit, here are some amazing events that we will be hosting this month:
1. Gateway Mortgage Ribbon Cutting & Open House - We cannot WAIT to officially welcome Jessica Davis and her colleagues over at the brand new Gateway Mortgage office to Sturgis! Scroll down for details about this event next Thursday.
2. Sturgis Activity Bingo - We are rolling out a fun, self-led activity during the month of September starting next week - Sturgis Activity Bingo! Acquire and submit your card at the Chamber office to be entered to win one of several AMAZING prizes! Click here to learn more.
3. DesJarlais Farm & Winery's "Vine to Wine" Lunch & Learn - DesJarlais Farm has officially opened to the public! They are inviting 20 special guests to lunch and learn a walking tour of the premises and exploration of their wine-making process on Friday, September 18th from noon to 2 pm. They are only accepting 20 RSVP's, so contact us asap if you'd like to attend!
4. Sturgis Fall Festival & Oktoberfest - We are combining forces with the City of Sturgis to make this year's Oktoberfest event even bigger and better! This year we invite you to a Fall Festival on Saturday, September 26th from 4 pm to 7 pm downtown at Rally Point. We are organizing a full-scale hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, a fall photo booth, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, a chili/pie competition... the list goes on! Scroll down for details on this event.
5. 2020 Leadership Sturgis Series - I am especially pleased to roll out an enhanced Leadership Sturgis course this year! We will be offering many hands-on activities and tours, along with professional headshots and a variety of incredible presenters at this year's series. Scroll down for more information, and contact us ASAP if you would like to reserve a seat.
6. 2020 Fall City-Wide Yard Sale - Yes, it's almost here! One month from now, we will finally be hosting the annual Fall City-Wide Yard Sale in Sturgis! Contact our staff at the Chamber to register a sale for inclusion - this event averages over 50-yard sales and is very well-attended. Scroll down for details on how to register - online registration is available this year!
I hope you make plans to attend as many of these events and activities as possible. It looks like September will be a beautiful month, so seize the moment and enjoy everything our town has to offer!
Sincerely,
Veronica Grosek
Executive Director
Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau