Chamber of Commerce

Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Information updated October 2021.

Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce promotes a thriving community

The key focus of the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote a business climate in which area businesses can thrive.

The mission of the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (HLACC) is to promote a thriving community in the Howard Lake area. The chamber seeks to cultivate new opportunities to establish Howard Lake as the premier destination for businesses, customers, and families.
The chamber provides innovative solutions and resources through social networking and business development to enhance the quality of life in the Howard Lake area.

The chamber has a small business grant program to encourage business owners to join the Howard Lake community. The chamber offers up to two awards per year, up to $1,000 each.

Each fall, the chamber hosts a Harvest Festival fundraiser to support its grant program and activity in the community. At the fundraiser, the chamber also recognizes local residents for their hard work. The chamber offers three different awards: the Legacy Award, the Partnership Award, and the Dream Big Award, which recognizes new business owners in Howard Lake.

The chamber also is a sponsor of the Howard Lake Farmers Market, which takes place Thursdays, June through August, at Lions Memorial Park, just off State Hwy. 12. The market’s hours are 3 to 6 p.m. Local vendors set up booths featuring a variety of home-grown and handmade goods such as produce, honey, homemade soaps, cold-press coffee, home-baked goods, and crafts.

The Power of Produce (POP) Club is active at the market. Originally offered through the Wright County Extension Office, and now through local donors, the POP Club focuses on encouraging kids to eat healthy. Children receive a token worth $2 at each August visit to purchase fresh vegetables. They also receive healthy eating recipe cards and educational materials to learn more about healthy foods.

Local businesses can also showcase their products and services while meeting members of the community at the Howard Lake Business Expo. The annual event is led by the chamber, and takes place in early spring, at the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School. In 2020, the chamber had to cancel the expo due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the expo featured more than 55 vendor booths, and served a free pancake breakfast to several hundred attendees.

The chamber also sponsors the Good Neighbor Days royalty dinner, and provides scholarships for the Good Neighbor Days royalty each year.

To contact the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, email howardlakechamber@gmail.com, or visit its website: howardlakechamber.org.