Ballymena Chamber President's Barbecue Celebrates Business and Ballymena’s 400th Anniversary.
Ballymena Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed 120 guests to its President's barbecue at Galgorm, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, for an evening celebrating local business, community and Ballymena’s landmark 400th anniversary.
Held in the beautiful surroundings of The Mulberry Garden at Galgorm, the warm and dry weather provided the perfect setting for Chamber members, their staff and families to relax outdoors and enjoy an evening of excellent food, refreshments and conversation. Later in the evening, some guests continued the celebrations with live music in McKendry’s Bar.
The event marked the first President's Barbecue since 2024 and, with 120 guests attending, was the largest President’s barbecue organised by Ballymena Chamber to date. The informal event provided an opportunity for members to step away from the usual business environment, catch up with colleagues and friends, and enjoy the company of the wider Ballymena business community.
The barbecue was provided free of charge to Chamber members, their staff and families as part of the Chamber’s ongoing programme of events and activities for its membership.
Celebrating 400 Years of Ballymena
This year’s President’s Barbecue also provided an opportunity to recognise Ballymena’s 400th anniversary.
To mark the historic milestone, guests were treated to a generous slice of a specially prepared 400th Anniversary Cake, created by well-known local bakery Dougies Goodies.
Welcoming guests to the event, Chamber President Peter Houston, North Region Business Manager with Danske Bank, highlighted the importance of combining the Chamber’s programme of business-focused events with opportunities for members, employees and their families to socialise in a more relaxed setting.
Peter said, “As a Chamber, we host business lunches and breakfasts to ensure we provide the maximum support possible to our members. However, it is also important to recognise the contribution made by staff and the support provided by families.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ian McCann, Senior Business Manager with Bank of Ireland, who has been a great supporter of the Chamber and our activities. Without the support of sponsors such as Bank of Ireland, we would not be able to host so many free events for our members.”
Peter also encouraged local businesses to enter the Ballymena Business Excellence Awards, highlighting the awards as an excellent opportunity for businesses to showcase their achievements and celebrate the strength and diversity of the business community across the Ballymena area.
Bank of Ireland Continues Its Support for Ballymena Chamber
Ian McCann, Senior Business Manager with Bank of Ireland, thanked everyone for attending and helping to make the President’s BBQ such an enjoyable occasion. Ian said, “As a bank, we appreciate everything Ballymena Chamber does to support and encourage businesses throughout the Ballymena area. We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the Chamber and provide sponsorship for events such as this.”
The speeches concluded with James Perry, who spoke about the significance of Ballymena’s 400th anniversary and the programme of events being organised to commemorate the milestone.
Among these events is a Civic Thanksgiving Service at St Patrick’s Church on 25 August at 7.30pm, which is open to residents from across the Ballymena area and their families.
Another Successful Chamber Event at Galgorm
Tom Wiggins, Chief Executive of Ballymena Chamber, also thanked Ian McCann and Bank of Ireland for their continued support of the Chamber.
He extended his appreciation to the team at Galgorm, particularly Georgie Briota, for their hard work and attention to detail in helping ensure the President’s Barbecue was such an enjoyable and successful evening.
With a record attendance, fantastic hospitality and the opportunity to celebrate both Ballymena’s thriving business community and its 400-year history, the Ballymena Chamber President’s Barbecue 2026 proved to be another memorable event in the Chamber’s calendar.
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