The Bigfork Chamber of Commerce is preparing for their annual board elections. Chamber Executive Director Rebekah King said the board has eight open seats, with five incumbent board members running for re-election. During their monthly meeting last week, King said they are looking for a board member who is looking to be participatory.

“We need board members who want to be on the board, and who want to be interactive,” King said.

King said requirements for board members include attending monthly meetings and other chamber events, and volunteering for two committees. She said if chamber members are interested in participating more but can’t commit to a board seat, signing up for a committee is another way to get involved.

The chamber will send out nomination forms this week, and they will stop accepting nominations by noon on Nov. 4.

Anyone interested in running must be a chamber member. Any member can nominate themselves or someone else, but a self-nomination requires the backing of 10 other chamber members.

King said the election runs until Nov. 18. Chamber members will receive a ballot through email on Nov. 4. She said the results will be read at their annual reception, tentatively planned for Dec. 7.

The chamber has also begun preparations for Christmas festivities this year, in which downtown Bigfork gets donned in several thousand feet of garland and transforms into Montana’s Christmas village. King said a meeting to discuss and plan Christmas festivities for chamber members will take place on Oct. 27 at the Bigfork Children’s Theater at 9 a.m. The meeting is open to the public and anyone interested is welcome to attend.