We are thrilled to announce the

2024 Lafayette Chamber Beneficiaries! 

Thanks to the incredible success of our three signature events—the Taste of Lafayette, Lafayette Art & Wine Festival, and the Lafayette Res Run for Education—we are thrilled to announce that the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce is giving back just over $91,000 to our community this year.

The bulk of these funds - $70,335 - go directly to support our local schools, school organizations, and education foundations that we partner with throughout the year, reflecting our commitment to continuing to support education in our community.

BY THE NUMBERS

2024 YEAR IN REVIEW

We kicked off 2024 with a 📷 Saint Mary's Men's Basketball game, our first of four mixers for the year. In April we networked at Wine Thieves, in July we mixed it up with 10+ other Chambers at Cal Shakes and in December we announced the beneficiaries noted above at Merrill Gardens. Click here for photos!

On February 1, we celebrated the 2024 Business Person of the Year, Hollie Lucas-Alcalay, owner of Hollie's Homegrown, pictured here along side Tom Stack, Coldwell Banker Realty, the 2023 honoree, at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. View photos from Craig Isaacs, BlueGoo Photography here.

In March we honored our 2024 Citizen of the Year, John A. Coleman, also at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. View photos by Jeff Heyman here.

This year we held or attended ribbon cuttings for 📷 Caroline's Salon, The Hideout Kitchen, John Muir Health, HOLISTIKA, Madison Park Financial, Front Porch Music, Collab Fertility, Vintage Vida, Barrel Shoppe, Little Seeds, 📸 Beasts of the Bay Strength, White Pony Express, The Breakfast Club, El Talpense Mexican Restaurant, JB Kids After School Program at LUMC, and at ISI Elite Training Walnut Creek. View photos here.

Lafayette Chamber Young Professionals met monthly at various locations throughout the year: Postino, Roundup Saloon, 📷 Lafayette Public House, Headlands Brewing and the Lafayette Park Bistro. We also attended one of the last Oakland Athletics games. View photos here.

Lafayette Business Women met monthly at the following Lafayette locations: East Bay Health, Mighty Market, Pillar Cowork, Sonder Beauty Studio, Peter Pan Foundation/Creekside Commons, Clocks, Etc., Douglah Designs, HOLISTIKA, Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa, Wine Thieves, Abio Properties, and concluded the year with a holiday party at Little Seeds. Most of these events brought together nearly 60 business women! View photos at https://lafayettechamber.org/businesswomen.

New for 2024 was our Nonprofit Network! We met four times with approximately 40 nonprofit members represented at each event, twice at East Bay Health, and once at Lafayette Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and once at 📷 Creekside Commons. View photos here: https://lafayettechamber.org/nonprofits.

Also new for 2024 is the Lafayette Chamber's Retail Committee! They held three downtown retail themed events: Artisan Walk, Mocktail Stroll & Shop and Plaid Friday. Photo of Kim Berry, White Barn Home. Learn more here.

The always-sold-out Taste of Lafayette Restaurant Stroll showcased our downtown restaurants on a beautiful Tuesday night in May and supported the Community Foundation of Lafayette. View photos by Jeff Heyman here.

The Acalanes Senior Car Rally held the Friday before graduation celebrated 2024 graduates as they drove along Mt. Diablo Blvd. with family, friends, businesses, and the community cheering them on. View photos here.

We rocked the Plaza every Friday night in June with amazing musicians who afforded us many opportunities to dance the evening away and to cheer on the Lamorinda Idol Contestants. Photo above of Rock the Plaza's Midnight Flyer by Craig Isaacs, BlueGoo Photography. View more Rock the Plaza photos here.

We hired three Student Ambassadors this year: (from left) Thea Stratford, Tabitha Bearce and Maya Hammerman. Special thanks to Maya for encouraging our youngest entrepreneurs with Contra Costa Shark Tank and to both Tabi and Thea who volunteered for the Chamber both this year and last year before onboarding as staff!

The 27th annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival brought tens of thousands of residents, visitors and local businesses to downtown Lafayette. Due to it's success and the support of our community and businesses, our beneficiaries have received over $91,000 from our signature events this year. Photo above by Jeff Heyman. View more photos here. Save the date for 2025: Sept. 20 & 21.

The 32nd annual Lafayette Res Run for Education held on a beautiful Sunday morning in October brought together just under 2000 runners! Special thanks to the presenting sponsors: Oakwood Athletic Club and the City of Lafayette and all those that volunteered and participated in the Healthy Lifestyles Fair in support of our schools! Learn more here.

Over 70 businesses participated in Trick or Treat Street! This yearly free community event brings over 800 families to downtown Lafayette the Friday before Halloween! Learn more here.

The 45th annual Community Thanksgiving Breakfast featured speaker was Gaby Ghorbani, Founder and Executive Director, Pledge to Humanity. Photos by Jeff Heyman.

The 12th annual It’s a Wonderful Life in Lafayette Holiday Celebration was presented by the Lafayette Chamber, and sponsored by the Dana Green Team and Branagh Development, who together along with the City of Lafayette are also sponsoring the environmentally-friendly downtown Lafayette twinkle lights for the holiday season. View photos by Craig Isaacs, Blue Goo Photography here.

Our traditional Holiday Mixer was held at Merrill Gardens of Lafayette on December 11. We were honored to announce our beneficiaries listed above. Special thanks to the staff at Merrill Gardens for hosting such a beautiful event!

Congratulations to our long standing members, including Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, which has been a Lafayette Chamber member for 40 years! We took approximately 30 Anniversary posts in 2024.

The 2025 Lafayette Business Person of the Year is Nick Bozych, Managing Director of the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa (pictured third from left). A dinner will be held Thursday, January 30, 2025 at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa to honor Nick. The evening will also include the installation of the 2025 Lafayette Chamber Board of Directors. Learn more and register at https://lafayettechamber.org/bpoy.

THANK YOU!

We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support of our premier members: Cobain Orthodontics, Diablo Foods, Douglah Designs, Dudum Real Estate, Mechanics Bank, Oakwood Athletic Club, Pacific Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital, and ParkSmart, Inc.

FROM ALL US AT THE LAFAYETTE CHAMBER

As we celebrate over 75 years of fostering a vibrant community, we thank you for your commitment to Lafayette’s success. Your partnership makes a lasting difference, and we look forward to another year of growth together. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a New Year filled with opportunity and prosperity.

Happy Holidays!

Photo: (from left) Holly Sonne, Luisa Miles, Linda Carlson, Sara Regan, Rebekah Dani and Maya Hammerman. Not pictured staff: Tabitha Bearce and Thea Stratford.

UPCOMING JANUARY EVENTS

Lafayette Business Women at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center

Wednesday, January 8, 5:15pm-6:30pm

NEW! Lafayette Chamber Connectors

Wednesday, January 15, 8:30am-9:30am

Ribbon Cutting at Little Cloud Pediatric Dentistry

Friday, January 17, 3:30pm

Ribbon Cutting at Mathnasium of Lafayette

Thursday, January 23, 5:15pm

New Member Orientation

Wednesday, January 29, 4pm-5pm

Business Person of the Year and Installation of the 2025 Board of Directors at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa honoring Nick Bozych

Thursday, January 30, 6pm-9pm

➡ Lafayette Chamber Events Calendar ⬅

More events from our members!

Lafayette Community Events Calendar

Arts Community Email Blast (Nov/Dec)

Nonprofit Email Blast (Nov/Dec)

SHOP & SUPPORT LOCAL!

Dining and Gift Guide

This interactive PDF lists Lafayette Chamber member restaurants and gift/retail shops in our downtown! Check it out!



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