A pet-friendly McHenry County business guide is in the works!

Written on November 12, 2024.

Sign up your pet-friendly business for a new McHenry County guide

Do you know of a McHenry County business that’s pet-friendly? Or are you a pet-friendly business owner who would love to let pet lovers know?

Our friends at Naturally McHenry County are crafting a guide dedicated to showcasing pet-friendly spots – we can’t think of a better way to showcase established and new businesses, and give them a chance to connect with new customers.

You can submit your business for the guide by clicking here. If you know of a pet-friendly business that would benefit from being included, feel free to forward them this email, or tag them on Naturally McHenry County’s Facebook and Instagram posts about the guide sign-up.

Check out the complete Rise and Thrive video series

Have you checked out our McHenry County Rise and Thrive video series highlighting why McHenry County is the best place to start or expand a business?

County Government partnered with the McHenry County Economic Development Corp. to produce videos highlighting McHenry County’s unmatched transportation infrastructure, trained workforce and workforce development network, manufacturing sector, entertainment and leisure opportunities, and more.

You can find a dedicated playlist on McHenry County’s YouTube page by clicking here. If you like what you see, be sure to share, like and subscribe!

Light Up McHenry County returns!

It’s that time once again to spread holiday cheer – and run up your electric bill – with Light Up McHenry County!

If you go all-out with your lighting display every year – if your goal in life is to make your home or business visible from space – you owe it to everyone to list it on the Light Up McHenry County map to let people know so they can drive by and admire it.

By signing up for this beloved McHenry County tradition, your holiday display will be featured on the Naturally McHenry County app, guiding holiday explorers to your masterpiece.

Click here to check out the rules (such as respecting your neighbors and keeping your display G-rated) and fill out the sign-up form. We’ll let you all know when the map goes live.

DCEO announces $2.3 million in tourism grant funding

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced that $2.3 million in tourism grant funding is available for eligible organizations, businesses and local governments.

The $1.7 million Tourism Attractions Grant Program provides funding to develop or improve tourism attractions, while the $600,000 Tourism Private Sector Grant Program provides funding for entities to host and develop new or enhanced events and festivals.

Applications for both grants will be accepted through 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20. To learn more, apply, and register for Nov. 26 webinars explaining the grants to interested parties, click here.

Check out McHenry County’s posted election results

If you’re curious how McHenry County voters cast their ballots for the candidates in last week’s presidential election, you can check out local vote totals online.

Click here to review McHenry County’s vote totals by race. Besides bar graphs and pie charts, you can review maps showing candidate wins by precinct.

Thank you to McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio and his staff for running a smooth election in which more than two-thirds of the county’s 236,226 registered voters cast ballots. The picture accompanying this photo comes from the lobby of the new McHenry County Election Center, and what has to be the world’s largest “I voted” sticker – we were looking for an excuse to run a picture of it!

Celebrate art and the coming of late fall at the Frostmoon Faire

Take some time this Saturday to revel in the inaugural Frostmoon Faire, a fantastical autumn-to-winter themed art event in The Dole’s elegant Sage Gallery.

Explore the student and instructor booths of the Dole’s resident Creative Arts Inc. studio, and shop with participating vendors; youth activities include face painting, balloon art, a scavenger hunt, and more. Dress in your best autumn outfits – and fairy garb is encouraged.

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at The Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Click here to learn more.

We hope you found this newsletter informative. If you’re not a subscriber, click here to join the McHenry County Government Constant Contact list.

If you like what you see, you can help us reach more McHenry County residents and businesses by sharing it!

Share This Email

Follow Us On Social Media

Staying connected and informed is more important now than ever! Follow McHenry County on social media to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

What is McH Thrive?

McH Thrive is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents.