THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506160166
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Rebecca A. Myers
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
BizFest, a regional outing of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday on the campus of Norfolk Academy, 1585 Wesleyan Drive.
BizFest evolved last year by combining the three separate outings previously held by the Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach divisions of the Chamber of Commerce. It is the organization's only regional outing.
``We folded them into one because as a regional Chamber, we wanted a more regional outing, and we felt that people would just get more bang for their buck,'' said Amy Bull, communications manager.
Because Portsmouth's annual Seafood Outing at the Coast Guard Base has become such a tradition, the Portsmouth Chamber decided against merging its party with the regional one.
``Out of all five divisions, ours has been so successful that we're the only one that still has our own outing,'' said Jan Burton, program manager of the Portsmouth office.
``We do participate in BizFest, though'' she said. ``It's our regional so it's part of us, but because we have our own outing, we don't have to do as much preparing for it as the other divisions.''
The Suffolk Chamber participates in BizFest as well, although they do not have an outing folded into it like the other three cities.
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will include business displays, all-you-can-eat seafood, adult beverages, a silent auction, carnival games a on the same day as the Rotary Club Barbecue in Portsmouth, neither event should suffer as a result of the other, Burton said.
``The Rotary Club Barbecue is another Portsmouth tradition, and I don't feel it will be affected at all,'' she said. ``I think there will be just as many at the Rotary or more, and I think BizFest will draw from their communities. . . I'm going to go to both!'' by CNB