Summer is a busy time at the Chamber office and we are glad to welcome three seasonal office assistants to staff the office full time. Sydney, Leeah, and Riley will assist community members with Marigold Festival merchandise, registrations, and general questions. They are a great crew and we are thrilled to have them on our team for the summer months! 

Business at Breakfast:
Each quarter, we come together to enjoy breakfast, learn from a guest speaker, and to celebrate the successes of some of our Pekin area businesses. On Friday, June 14, the Business at Breakfast featured Josh Wray, Director of Economic Development from the City of Pekin. Josh shared updates from around the community. Several award recipients were acknowledged for their contributions to our community.

The Blue Ribbon Award is given to a business or individual to recognize significant upgrades to their property. Valerie Moehle, property owner at 300 Buena Vista Avenue received this award for the extensive renovations to this apartment building. The interior and exterior of the building have been completely renovated, a beautiful upgrade to this property.

The Sunshine Award is given to a business, group, or individual going above and beyond, volunteering in our community. Jared Olar, Local History Specialist at Pekin Public Library, received this award for his dedication to the Bicentennial Committee and specifically for his work on the historical Downtown Building Walking Tour project. Jared is a wealth of information and has gone above and beyond for these projects. 

Spotlight on Business Award goes to a chamber member making noteworthy contributions to our community. Hometown Laundry, 2307 Court St. opened Jan 2023, filling a vacant building and offering a modern, clean laundry facility with a customer-focused staff. They opened a second location — Hometown Laundry Express — at 501 Henrietta St. which opened in March 2024. We are so thankful for their investment in Pekin. 

Marigold Golf Outing:
The Marigold Golf Outing will be held on Thursday, August 29 at Sunset Hills Golf Course. Sponsorships and auction items are being sought to support the event. Registration for golfers is now open and is just $400 for a foursome. You can find further details at www.pekinchamber.com. 

2024 Pekin Marigold Festival: Always the weekend after Labor Day, the 2024 Pekin Marigold Festival will be held September 4–8, 2024. 

The Pekin Marigold Festival Committee is ready to ROCK! They recently announced the Bicentennial Dragon Jam, an outdoor concert featuring four Pekin based bands — Matt Miller, Revel in Red, JammSammich, and Back Street. The event will be held on Friday, September 6 beginning at 6pm at the Avanti’s Event Center. Tickets are just $10 and proceeds from this event will be donated to the Pekin Park Foundation to support the Steven D. Skinner Performing Arts Venue in Mineral Springs Park. 

Save the date for the Miss Marigold Pageant to be held Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 7pm at Pekin Community High School. This scholarship pageant awards Miss Marigold a $3,000 scholarship. Tickets are just $15 in advance and are available now on the festival website at www.pekinmarigoldfestival.com. 

Pekin Marigold Festival merchandise will be available in waves this summer, leading up to the festival weekend. Online preorders will be made available each month on the Pekin Marigold Festival Facebook page. Merchandise will also be available at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce office, usually open Monday through Thursday, from 9am to 4pm. Grab your festival swag and represent our community’s favorite event.

Follow Pekin Marigold Festival on social media and the www.pekinmarigoldfestival.com website for regular updates throughout the summer.