All systems go for 2019 festival

Applications to host an event at the second annual festival open after the summer.

It will see a fortnight of business events from conferences, seminars and tours to expos, workshops, demonstrations, showcases, networking sessions and debates, taking place all over the region from May 13 to 24.

The festival, established by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, is a non-profit-making venture that needs sponsors and partners to make it happen.

Already, Black Country solicitors Talbots Law; accident repair centre, BodyKraft and DY5 – Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone have signed up to be festival partners. Casino 36 is a sponsor and official business festival supporters include Wolverhampton Racecourse, accountancy firm Crowe UK and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce said: “The 2019 business festival has got off to a great start and I personally want to thank all those partners, sponsors and supporters that have already pledged their support.

“But we have some way to go. The chamber set up the business festival last year to enhance growth and investment in the region. It is a once-a-year opportunity for the region to come together to engage, share best practice and collaborate on a completely new level and we are looking for the business community to get behind the festival again.

“This was one of our new initiatives to reinforce our ambition to show local businesses that we are a proactive, forward-thinking, and trustworthy organisation that can offer the support that they need to thrive. We want to continue to work with businesses that understand their role in the local community, their supply chain and their responsibility to their workforce.”

In its first year in 2018, the festival became an instant success. Nearly 5,000 attended the more than 100 events during the fortnight. Along with a phenomenal market reach of 50.6 million, it catapulted onto the scene as the region’s biggest business event.

The festival also proved to be an outstanding showcase of the exceptional commerce, innovation and culture of the Black Country with events promoted to a UK-wide audience.

In 2018, Talbots Law were Business Festival sponsors and Matt Wistow, the firm's client relationship and business development director, said: “Talbots Law played an integral part in the 2018 festival. As well as sponsoring, we ran several events, helped to promote the festival through our channels and my colleague, Ian Bond, was also sector lead for professional services.

“We found it incredibly beneficial, in particular, the phenomenal exposure we received, the increased business engagement and new leads that it brought. We are delighted to once again be part of the 2019 business festival and will be looking forward to capitalising on the opportunities that it presents to our business.”

To find out more about sponsorship or for more information, visit www.blackcountrybusinessfestival.com, email hello@blackcountrybusinessfestival.com or call 01902 912304.

The 2018 Black Country Business Festival is run in association with Associate Events.