Greetings my fellow OPRF Chamber Members!

I am Dr. Cheryl Washington, owner of Civinte Candle Bar. At Civinte we are redefining home fragrance by creating healthier alternatives for your living quarters.

I am always eager to assist the chamber with events as my way of saying thank you for the support that they give to us all. And as the seasons change and the holidays rapidly approach, I am so excited to welcome back the Frosty Affair. The Frosty Affair Holiday Market is a fantastic opportunity for small business owners and the community alike. For small businesses, it offers a platform to showcase unique products and connect directly with local consumers, helping to boost visibility and sales during the critical holiday season.

For the community, the market fosters a sense of togetherness, encouraging residents to support local artisans and entrepreneurs. It also enhances the festive spirit, providing a vibrant atmosphere filled with local culture, handmade goods, and holiday cheer.

Ultimately, as it proved in 2023, the Frosty Affair strengthens local economies and builds lasting relationships within the community. Civinte participated last year and we are super excited to be a part of it again this year at the beautiful Nineteenth Century Club!

Warmest Regards,

Cheryl P. Washington



Owner/CEO & Head Curator

Civinte Candle Bar/ Civinte LLC 

Holiday Gift Card Program

This upcoming holiday season, we're taking matters into our own hands. We partnered with the Village of Oak Park to create a fun holiday marketing campaign to encourage shoppers to Keep the Cheer Here in Oak Park!

We have an incredible gift card program that is completely free to opt-in, 

apply now! 

Upcoming Small Business Events

What are your plans for Small Business Saturday?

Do you have a spectacular event coming up for the big day, November 30th?

Tell us about it here! Submit your event so we can find out what's going on around the community. Deadline to submit your event is November 19th.

We've Planned Your Week!

Here are some events we have coming up over the next week so you can register now and receive a reminder right before the event!

Tuesday Nov 12,

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Our November Business After Hours (BAH) will be hosted by the Oak Park - River Forest Museum! We hope you can join us for our first BAH in this fascinating setting! Join us for networking, food, raffles, friends, and simply a lovely evening in excellent company.

Friday Nov 15,

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Meet Me for Lunch, a business lunch in a casual setting, with small group networking. Come enjoy the food at Piacere Mio the area’s newest Italian go-to spot. Piacere Mio serves authentic Italian cuisine inspired by the many regions of Italy, focused on Sicilian dishes infused with Chef Jose’s creative vision.

Like to plan ahead? Plan Your Month!

Here are some events we have coming up over the next month so you can register now and receive a reminder right before the event.

Thursday Nov 21,

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Join us at our quarterly New Member Breakfast at Brookdale Oak Park to introduce yourself and tell us about your business.



This is an ideal opportunity to meet fellow new members, Chamber staff and Board leadership. 

Join us for the Frosty Affair Holiday Market, where festive shopping meets the local charm of Oak Park! Discover a curated selection of unique products and services from local retailers, all set in a magical holiday atmosphere. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this enchanting shopping experience!

Food Vendors, we need your help to make the 8th Annual Bite Nite 2025, the most delicious event of the year!

Warm up a crowd this winter by serving unforgettable culinary delights and/or drinks. We'll take care of the rest! The Nineteenth Century Club's historic ballroom will be filled with live music and hungry guests!

We're carefully picking over 30 local eateries, caterers, and food brands for ONE NIGHT ONLY to treat food enthusiasts to an array of savory bites and sweet treats. 

Ready to take on the challenge to serve your specialties to locals?

Sign up today!

Oak Park or River Forest Small Business Owner,

The Brennan School of Business at Dominican University is partnering with the OPRF Chamber of Commerce to find innovative solutions to help meet the needs of our local small business community.

To that end, we have created a survey to profile and assess the needs of the local small business community, and our overall goal is to have a measurable local economic impact by accelerating the growth potential of existing businesses as

well as attracting new businesses to the

community. Our ask is that you take our survey and help enable us to meet this goal. You will find the survey here.

Your response will be kept confidential, and results will only be reported in non-personally identifiable groupings to help us determine the best offerings to meet these needs. The survey will take about 10 minutes to finish.

Check out what our partners are up to!

Here are some upcoming events from our community partners that we think you'll benefit from! Click into each flyer to learn more.



Let's Stay Connected!

Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce

141 S Oak Park Avenue, Suite 3 Oak Park, IL 60302

708.613.0550 | info@oprfchamber.org | www.oprfchamber.org