EPHRATA — The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will host its first annual Business Expo Wednesday. The new event has received unexpected, but welcome support, chamber officials said.

“Our goal was 25 businesses,” said Chamber Director Rita Witte. “We actually got 47.”

The expo is an outgrowth of the chamber’s regular Business After Hours events, Witte said. Britney McLeod, the chamber’s office assistant, and board member Jenni Bates put out the word on social media and in the chamber’s newsletter, and that was all it took to get businesses signing up.

For most businesses, participation is free. The goal isn’t to make money on the expo, Witte said, but to get businesses connected.

“The only booth that was charged was, if somebody was not a member, they were allowed to come in, but they had to pay $50,” she said. “And if they decided they wanted to become a chamber member, then that $50 went towards their membership. So it's just trying to get businesses out there talking to each other.”

The expo will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Ephrata Rec Center, 112 Basin St SW. There will be light hors d’oeuvres and some giveaways, Witte said. The chamber is putting together a gift basket, she added, and some of the participating businesses are planning giveaways as well.

“Hopefully this works,” she said. “If not, we're gonna have a lot of businesses visiting, and that's OK. And next year, maybe we have to see how we need to up our game. If it works, then we'll go with what we did, and add more.”

Ephrata’s population is growing, Witte said, and the business community is growing as well. That’s something not every town can say.

“We've got a great community,” she said. “We really do. It may be small, but it is a great community. And it's fun to put these events on and bring people into town and see what we have to offer. Because we have a lot to offer.”

Joel Martin may be reached at [email protected]. He covers the Homes beat and the communities of George and Royal City.

Participating businesses:

4 Seasons Farm Services

Amy’s Artistic Expressions

The Bookery

Central Painting

Churchill Mortgage

Clear Risk Solutions

Cloudview Farm

Columbia Basin DRC

Columbia Basin Foundation

Columbia Basin Hospital

Desert Oasis Design

Devine Chiropractic

Dolz

Ephrata Chamber of Commerce

Ephrata Community Dental Clinic

Ephrata Eye Care

Ephrata Senior Center

First Interstate Bank

The Glamour Garage Salon & Spa

Gordon Gardens

Granco Credit Union

Grant County Health District

Grant County Journal

Grant’s, Inc.

Grocery Outlet

Heart Matters

Heavenly Painting & Remodeling

Heavenly Roofing

iFiber Communications

JBH studio

Kiwanis International

Moberg Rathbone Kearns

Moore Furniture

Paul Lauzier Foundation

QCL Inc.

Realty Executives of Grant County

Roof Maxx

Rotary Club of Ephrata

The Rustic Rooster

Sole Performance

TOPS Club Inc.

U.S. Bank

Windermere Real Estate