It’s time, once again, for 10 updates happening in the region in 100 words or less. These are often unrelated topics that just don’t fit neatly into one column, but they’re very useful morsels of information for community members to know. No time to waste, so here we go:

Business leaders: Join us tonight for Chamber After Hours

One of our three monthly chamber networking events, and the longest running one, is our Chamber After Hours series, which is essentially an open house at a business from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday night, we’re at Reform Physical Therapy’s new Brunswick branch, at 190 Pleasant St. It’s the last building on the right before the I-295 on-ramp (most recently, the Humane Society was there). You don’t have to be a chamber member to attend but we do require you have a business card. Tonight is special because …

… Ribbon cutting plus meet the candidates tonight, too

OK, so I cheated a tiny bit here, but it’s important. Along with the Chamber After Hours tonight at Reform Physical Therapy in Brunswick, we’ll also be doing a ribbon cutting sharply at 6 p.m. Additionally, we have invited the candidates from House districts 49, 50, 51, 52, 98, 99, 100 and 101, along with Senate candidates for Districts 23 and 24 to attend. They’ll be mingling with us, and I’ll introduce them just after the ribbon cutting so you can meet the candidates you’ll be voting on.

Zooming with candidates

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Speaking of these candidates, two years ago, during the height of the pandemic, we did video interviews over Zoom with candidates and people really liked the format of the 15-minute interviews. We’re scheduling and recording videos all this week and next week with the hope to have all 19 candidate interviews done by November 1. We’ll release the videos of each contest once both candidates have been interviewed as soon as they are completed. Look for them on our Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber Facebook page or our YouTube Channel.

The Theater Project opens season with Shakespeare

In August, The Theater Project in Brunswick capped its 50th season with an alumni celebration which brought back former students and actors from around the country to reminisce about how the theater helped shaped their lives. Its 51st season kicks off Thursday, Oct. 20, with the first of seven performances over two weekends of William Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors.” This comedy is about two sets of twins who get hilariously misidentified as the other one throughout this less-often produced classic. For more information, check out TheTheaterProject.com or call (207) 729-8584.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Gosline Insurance & Portside Real Estate Group

We have seen a number of businesses opening in the last month or so. Two of the ribbon cuttings I’ve attended in the past few weeks were Gosline Insurance and Portside Realty, both in Brunswick. The Hallowell-based, Maine-owned Gosline Insurance has expanded its reach down to our area, settling in the Tontine Mall. Joshua Anderson is running this office and should be familiar face to many, as he’s coming back to the Brunswick region. Also, the former (two times over) Chamber office on Pleasant Street near Tess’ Market is home to the 20-30 Midcoast agents of Portside Real Estate Group as they expand with a Brunswick-based office. Welcome to the neighborhood.

2023 Chamber Guest Guide launches with new January deadline

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If you’re a tourism-related business, or any business looking to reach tourists and relocators, our chamber guide is a primary way to accomplish that. Each edition of the Eat Play Stay: Companion Guide to Bath-Brunswick & Midcoast Maine is loaded with local information, and when someone is looking for information on the region, this is the primary fulfillment piece we send. If you want to find out how to get your business in this guide, e-mail me at Cory@midcoastmaine.com. Deadline is Jan. 15, 2023.

Workforce Program to Be Recognized I honestly don’t know how much I can tell you about this, but our chamber is a part of workforce collaborative working with the local schools and a few business associations and our work will be recognized very soon on a statewide level. Be on the lookout for that very soon.

Three holiday events, sponsored by … ?

As Maine Street Bath prepares for its multi-week Old Fashioned Christmas in Bath; and as the Brunswick Downtown Association prepares for its Early Bird Sale and tree lighting events; and as the BBRC prepares for our Midcoast Tree Festival, I’d love for you to take a moment to recognize the sponsoring businesses of these holiday events as they come and go. Not every business is able to sponsor an event, but those that can, do deserve some recognition. As someone who helps plan and execute one of these events, I can tell you how much we appreciate the sponsoring businesses because at times their support is the only thing that covers the expenses that make these events possible. As you attend these events over the next two months, take notice, and if you get a chance, give those businesses a little ‘thank you’ if you see them.

Midcoast Tree Festival one month away

One month from now will be the first weekend of the Midcoast Tree Festival at St. John’s Community Center. That means you have less than a month to sign up your business for a tree space (or hire our tree squad), grab a sponsorship, or sign up to volunteer. There’s more information on all of those pieces at MidcoastTreeFestival.com or call me at (207) 725-8797.

Want more updates? Join our newsletter

We send updates just like this out weekly to our members on Fridays. This e-newsletter can come right to your e-mail inbox and/or often you can find them on our Facebook page after we post them. To get added to the weekly e-newsletter list e-mail me at Cory@midcoastmaine.com

Cory King is executive director of the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce.

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