HAMLET — Local business owners had a chance to let loose a little Thursday night for the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Celebration.
Chamber members mingled in the lobby of Cole Auditorium prior to moving into the banquet room for food and fun.
Ken Hartley, the Chamber board’s chairman for last year, said 2018 was “a very good year” for the Chamber.
“As we go into 2019, I feel like it will be a year like no other,” he said.
Neil Robinette, the 2019 board chairman, said the Chamber will be looking for new ways to be out in the community and promote the county’s businesses.
In keeping with the “Throwback Thursday” theme, a video (produced by the Richmond Observer) showing various business locations around the county, which included some past and present views, played on the two screens above the auditorium doors and on a monitor in the banquet room.
Chamber members worked their way around the food tables, sampling the culinary selections from Rick’s Catering.
On the other side of the room, photographer Jerry Andrews had his lights and camera set up, with Chamber members picking out accessories from a nearby table and striking poses for a picture.
Too Much Sylvia, a band who frequently performs during Rockingham’s annual Plaza Jam summer concert series, played a few soft jazzy numbers before kicking it up a notch with the usual repertoire, starting with a cover of Uncle Kracker’s “Follow Me.”
Even as the crowd began to dwindle, the band played on, performing medley tributes to The Bee Gees and ZZ Top and a variety of other classic songs.
