Welcome to the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce!

The Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce was chartered in 1945. It continues to work with enthusiasm for to promote the economic development of Fairfield County to better serve the needs of our community, its citizens and businesses. The Chamber has spun-off the Fairfield Community Development Corporation. This organization's mission is to revitalize under-developed neighborhoods through citizen driven efforts. The Chamber is a partner with the South Carolina Business Initiative Rural Business Enterprise Grant program. The program, when in place in 2010, will aid the development of small and emerging private businesses within rural communities including Fairfield.

Membership in the Chamber of Commerce lends an element of stability to a business. Members receive invitations to all chamber events, a biannual newsletter, included in the chamber website with a free link to member sites. The chamber maintains a for profit bulk mail permit for our members use for mailing information flyers and announcements. This saves businesses the cost of the bulk mail application and yearly fee and also offers a lower postage rate. The Chamber refers Members first.

The Fourth Thursday Night Networking meeting is a great opportunity to meet and share leads. Our First Wednesday Lunch and Learn is another networking opportunity as well as hearing speakers present timely information for business and personal use.

The Chamber continues to offer the True Blue Partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance for our members as well as a premium discount premium program with Auto Owners Insurance. Other benefits include advertising opportunities on the webpage, print publications and events. We offer many opportunities for sponsorship's including Business After Hours to showcase your business, Member 2 Member Discounts, and ribbon cuttings for new businesses.

The Chamber wears a second hat, the promotion of tourism for Fairfield County. Not so Strange to have the Chamber work in this capacity since tourism is the top industry in our state. More visitors create more jobs. Tourism is economic development. Our county is sparsely populated, with rolling terrain; our eastern border is Lake Wateree, the last lake of the Catawba River Basin. Our Western border is Lake Monticello in Jenkinsville on the Broad river. Theses assets draw anglers, huntsmen and new residents from distant places. The ATV enthusiasts have a 2,500 acre park at Carolina Adventure World with 100 miles of groomed trails for every experience level. CAW also offers great camping, fun events and good food.

The South Carolina Railroad Museum continues to be an exciting attraction for Fairfield County. The SCRM brought thousands of riders to the area for the yesteryear train experience. The Museum has special rides during their season like the Easter Eggpress with the Easter Bunny; rides with Santa Clause; an authentic steam engine ride in the fall. The one hour ride through the countryside is a great experience for students to learn how important the railroad was, and still is, in the growth of America.

Historic walking tours of Ridgeway and Winnsboro are a great way for visitors to slow their pace and step back in time to create some rocking chair memories in our charming towns. Unexpected surprises are waiting in each shop. How about watching a local silversmith tool beautiful jewelry, have high-tea including the hats, see the artifacts of Fairfield County in the historic museum, these are only a few of our treasures.

Fairfield County is moving forward with the recent announcement of a new 625-acre Industrial park along Interstate Highway 77 at interchange 32 offers great opportunities for growth. Midlands Technical College-Fairfield Campus Quick Job Training Center should be operational by late 2010. Fairfield is also ramping up for the construction of two new nuclear plants in the western part of the county. This will bring tremendous job opportunities to our citizens and others as this project is not scheduled for completion until 2015.

Please contact the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce with any of your information needs. The office is located in the historic Town Clock Building, 100 Congress St., Winnsboro, SC 29180, phone 803-635-4242 or fax 803-712-2296. Visit our website at www.fairfieldchamber.sc or email our staff, Terry Vickers, president, fchamber@truvista.net or Susan Yenner, administrative assistant, fchamber02@truvista.net.