The Manteca Chamber of Commerce has been a part of Manteca’s story from the start.

It — as well as the incorporated city itself — is the outgrowth of the Manteca Board of Trade.

A cross between today’s city council and chamber of commerce, the Board of Trade’s main goal was to promote the community and establish standards and programs similar to what a city would do.

It brought business people and community together to build a better Manteca.

Business leaders got the ball rolling to get better streets in place, establish local youth groups like the Boy Scouts, establish the city’s first park, address firefighting needs and more

The board’s effort led to the city’s incorporation in 1918.

And when business and civic leaders realized Manteca still needed an organization to strengthen business to increase prosperity and build a stronger sense of community, many of the merchants and professionals that had established the Board of Trade launched the Manteca Chamber of Commerce in 1923.

It is more than an organization dedicated to improving the economic climate and helping provide resources to small and large businesses alike.

The Manteca Chamber of Commerce plays a pivotal role in bringing government, business and the community together.

And that includes making sure Manteca has a strong sense of community where neighbors interact with those next door as well as across town.

It is evidenced in three long-running traditions launched and made more vibrant with each passing year by the chamber and its members working with community volunteers as well as the City of Manteca.

*The annual twilight downtown Christmas parade will be staged for the 54th time this year. The parade takes place the first Saturday in December.

*This is the 30th anniversary edition of the downtown Manteca street fair now known as the Watermelon Festival in a nod to the fact the Manteca area is by far California’s largest watermelon growing region. The event takes place the first Saturday-Sunday in June.

*The 24th anniversary of the launch of the Flags Over Manteca effort. The chamber’s signature patriotic project enlists a small army of dedicated volunteers to place and retrieve 2,400 flags along Manteca streets.

 Flags Over Manteca

Flags Over Manteca was created in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks.

This year, weather permitting, the 2,400 flags will fly on January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday), February 16 – Presidents Day (Monday), May 16 – Armed Forces Day (Saturday), May 25 – Memorial Day (Monday), June 14 – Flag Day (Sunday), June 19 – Juneteenth (Friday), July 4 – Independence Day (Saturday), September 7 – Labor Day (Monday)
September 11 – Patriot Day (Friday), November 11 – Veterans Day (Wednesday), and December 7 – Pearl Harbor Day (Monday).

In 2002, the Chamber raised $60,000 to drill 2,400 flagpole holes, monogram sponsor flags, and produce the hardware needed to proudly display American flags throughout the community on designated holidays.
If you would like to sponsor a flag or make a donation to help with flag cleaning and replacement, contact the Manteca Chamber of Commerce at 209-823-6121 or email the chamber at chamber@manteca.org.
If you have a group interested in volunteering to help place or pick up flags on designated holidays, they’d appreciate your  support—  reach out to the Chamber office for more information.

Benefits of membership

The Chamber is a member-driven and professionally staffed non-profit, non-sectarian and non-partisan association of business people committed to improving the economic climate and quality of life in the Manteca area.

The strength of the Chamber relies in the size and diversity of its membership. Both large and small businesses from virtually every profession are represented.

The members are the Chamber.

Member benefits include:

*ribbon cutting/grand openings.

*weekly networking coffee.

*monthly evening mixers.

*Monday email blast.

*business of the week.

*member spotlight, referrals.

*listing on the website,

*listing in the member directory (11,000 copies) that go to area households as well as accessed by newcomers and visitors.

*display information at chamber office that is open five days a week at a high-profile location on Yosemite Avenue near the heart of the city.

*free workshops.

* voice in local government-advocating for business among other things.