The Belleville Chamber of Commerce will deliver two popular events in the city this year.
On Monday, city council approved an agreement that will see the Chamber add the Caribbean Festival as well as Diwali to the roster of events it’s delivering on behalf of the city.
The Chamber also organizes a half dozen other events – the Winter, Spring and Fall Family Fests, Canada Day, Waterfront and Multi-cultural Festival, and the Santa Claus Parade.
It’s also responsible for Pop-Ups on the Bay at Zwick’s Park.
The city will provide the Chamber with an additional $50,000 for the Caribbean Festival, Diwali and to market Pop-Ups on the Bay.
In all, the city will pay about $120,000 for special event programming and up to $50,000 for approved capital improvements.
City officials note if city staff were to manage all events and visitor services, the expense would significantly exceed what the city pays the Chamber.
Chamber Executive Director Jill Raycroft says they will reevaluate their status at the end of this year to determine how much service they can provide the city before renegotiating their agreement.
