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By Kristen Brown, Executive Director, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to share that we have a full calendar of events planned for 2026, offering opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate the businesses and people that make our community thrive. This is just a sneak peek of all that the Chamber has to offer in the year ahead, and all of the events mentioned below are now open for registration on our website. We will also be releasing a multi-event sponsorship package soon, offering the chance to save up to 30% when sponsoring multiple events in 2026. If you are interested in sponsoring any of these events, please reach out to administration@santacruzchamber.org. In 2026, our popular Business After Hours mixers will continue to bring together professionals, elected officials, and community leaders to strengthen relationships and spark new collaborations. For the first quarter of 2026, we are excited to announce Abbott SPI (January), United Way (February), and Dominican Hospital (March) as our hosts. Registration for each of these events is now open. Our Educational Programs provide members with valuable tools, resources, and insights to support business growth and leadership development. We are finalizing the lineup of workshops and are pleased to share that our Employment Law Workshop will return in January, hosted by the Museum of Art and History. In February, we will offer a new workshop on providing feedback and navigating difficult conversations, led by Candice Elliot of Fortress and Flourish and hosted by the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. We have also confirmed the date for our Annual Members Breakfast, which will take place on February 19th at the Dream Inn. This event will include a State of the Chamber, sharing what has been accomplished in the past year and what the goals for the coming year include. Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about our keynote speaker! Our Community Leadership Visits (CLV) will return in 2026, with the first scheduled for March 26th and 27th in Sonoma and Napa counties. Participants will explore local riverfront development, town-college partnerships, tourism as a community benefit, and innovative housing solutions with employer alignment. Dates for the fall CLV are still being finalized, but we look forward to announcing the anticipated out-of-state educational travel opportunity later in the year. Finally, our Annual Awards Gala is set for April 16th at the Grove event center at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Nominations for this year’s awardees recently closed, and winners will be announced soon. This event is a highlight of the year and a wonderful celebration of excellence across Santa Cruz County’s business community. This is just a preview of what’s ahead. In addition to these cornerstone events, 2026 will also see the return of our Annual Golf Tournament at DeLaveaga, our Women in Business Luncheon, and the Women’s Leadership Summit, along with many exciting ribbon cuttings and celebrations of our local businesses. To learn more about our 2026 event series, sponsorship opportunities, and membership benefits, visit our website or check out our 2026 Membership Guide.
By Kristen Brown, Executive Director, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to share that we have a full calendar of events planned for 2026, offering opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate the businesses and people that make our community thrive. This is just a sneak peek of all that the Chamber has to offer in the year ahead, and all of the events mentioned below are now open for registration on our website.
We will also be releasing a multi-event sponsorship package soon, offering the chance to save up to 30% when sponsoring multiple events in 2026. If you are interested in sponsoring any of these events, please reach out to administration@santacruzchamber.org.
In 2026, our popular Business After Hours mixers will continue to bring together professionals, elected officials, and community leaders to strengthen relationships and spark new collaborations. For the first quarter of 2026, we are excited to announce Abbott SPI (January), United Way (February), and Dominican Hospital (March) as our hosts. Registration for each of these events is now open.
Our Educational Programs provide members with valuable tools, resources, and insights to support business growth and leadership development. We are finalizing the lineup of workshops and are pleased to share that our Employment Law Workshop will return in January, hosted by the Museum of Art and History. In February, we will offer a new workshop on providing feedback and navigating difficult conversations, led by Candice Elliot of Fortress and Flourish and hosted by the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County.
We have also confirmed the date for our Annual Members Breakfast, which will take place on February 19th at the Dream Inn. This event will include a State of the Chamber, sharing what has been accomplished in the past year and what the goals for the coming year include. Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about our keynote speaker!
Our Community Leadership Visits (CLV) will return in 2026, with the first scheduled for March 26th and 27th in Sonoma and Napa counties. Participants will explore local riverfront development, town-college partnerships, tourism as a community benefit, and innovative housing solutions with employer alignment. Dates for the fall CLV are still being finalized, but we look forward to announcing the anticipated out-of-state educational travel opportunity later in the year.
Finally, our Annual Awards Gala is set for April 16th at the Grove event center at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Nominations for this year’s awardees recently closed, and winners will be announced soon. This event is a highlight of the year and a wonderful celebration of excellence across Santa Cruz County’s business community.
This is just a preview of what’s ahead. In addition to these cornerstone events, 2026 will also see the return of our Annual Golf Tournament at DeLaveaga, our Women in Business Luncheon, and the Women’s Leadership Summit, along with many exciting ribbon cuttings and celebrations of our local businesses. To learn more about our 2026 event series, sponsorship opportunities, and membership benefits, visit our website or check out our 2026 Membership Guide.