The Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce is proud to offer Ribbon Cutting, Grand Opening, and Groundbreaking Ceremonies as a valuable benefit to our members. These celebrations are a fantastic way to showcase your business’s grand opening, expansion, relocation, major anniversary, large renovation, or groundbreaking.
Eligibility & Fees
Current Members
- Weekday ceremonies (Monday–Friday) are free of charge.
- Weekend ceremonies require a $200 fee to cover staffing costs.
Future Members
- Weekday ceremonies: $100
- Weekend ceremonies: $500
- This fee can be applied toward membership dues within 30 days of the event. Payment is required at the time of scheduling.
Planning Your Event
To ensure a well-organized and successful event, please follow these guidelines:
Scheduling
- Ribbon cuttings should be scheduled at least one month in advance.
- Available times:
- Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Friday: Before 11:00 AM
- Ribbon cuttings typically last 30 minutes, while groundbreaking ceremonies and expansions may take up to an hour.
- Contact Deb Katzenmeyer at 419-222-6045 or dkatz@limachamber.com to schedule your event and discuss details.
Ceremony Guidelines
- Start your event on time out of respect for your guests.
- Prepare a 2–3-minute speech introducing your business, including your address, phone number, and website.
- Guests often stay for networking, refreshments, and tours—consider how you’d like to engage them.
Chamber Support & Promotion
The Chamber will help make your event special by providing:
✅ Local media outreach and notifications to the Chamber Board of Advisors, Staff, and Ambassadors.
✅ Official ribbon and ceremonial scissors (shovels available for groundbreaking events upon request).
✅ A commemorative certificate of your celebration.
✅ A professional photo of the event, shared on Chamber social media, local media, and in our monthly newsletter.
✅ Facebook Live coverage on the Lima/Allen County Chamber’s Facebook page.
What Your Business Needs to Do
✔ Send a press release with your business introduction to Deb Katzenmeyer at least 2 weeks before the event.
✔ Invite attendees, including executives, employees, clients, vendors, and community members.
✔ Communicate roles to key attendees (e.g., speakers, greeters, or company representatives).
✔ Arrange for ribbon holders—Chamber Ambassadors will assist.
✔ Optional touches: Provide refreshments, business cards, giveaways, or coupons to make your event more memorable.
✔ Communicate roles to key attendees (e.g., speakers, greeters, or company representatives).
Your Ribbon Cutting or Grand Opening is a significant milestone—we’re excited to celebrate with you! Let’s make it a success.
Contact us today to schedule your event!
📧 dkatz@limachamber.com | 📞 419-222-6045
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