PARKERSBURG — Don’t be scared when the Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce called this get together the Annual Gala and Awards event.

“Gala” meant an evening of networking with fellow representatives about their businesses, products and services, said Jill Parsons, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.

“Gala” also meant fun because the theme of the event was “Bright Lights on Broadway” when attendees could come dressed to the nines if they wanted, according to Parsons.

“People can dress up with what they would wear to a Broadway show,” she said.

Or they could come dressed as their favorite character from a show, Parsons said.

“Which would be wonderful,” Parsons said.

Bright Lights on Broadway was held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Parkersburg Art Center where activities were planned on all three floors, but mostly on the first and third floors.

The main sponsors of the event had booths available where people interacted with representatives of the companies, Parsons said.

Food stations, activities stations and games with a Broadway-based inclination were available on each floor, Parsons said.

Heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a cash bar and a non-alcoholic drink station also were available, she said.

The chamber bestowed the annual awards at intermission, Parsons said.

Among the citations awarded were the New Business of the Year, the Small Business of the Year, the Chamber Volunteer of the Year, the Curb Appeal/Property Improvement Award, the Non-Profit of the Year Award, Community Involvement Award, the Young Business Leader and the Business Leader of the Year.

The event featured numerous sponsors.

The Red Carpet sponsor was the Dutch Miller auto group. The Stage Left sponsor was Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley. The Stage Right sponsor was WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center.

Understudies were Netranom, FirstEnergy, Hall Financial Advisors, Huntington Bank. The Ensemble was Mid-Ohio Valley Employment, United Bank, CAS Cable, Silverheels Property Management, Peoples Bank.

Award sponsors were Coplin Health Systems (Small Business sponsor), Crown Decor and Gifts (Curb Appeal sponsor), Astrive Advocacy (Non-Profit of the Year), JWF Industries (Young Business Leader of the Year), WTAP (New Business of the Year), Jim and Becky McGinnis (Community Involvement Sponsor), First Mutual Bank (Business Leader of the Year).

In-kind sponsors were the Parkersburg Art Center, Parkersburg Area Jaycees, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, Results Radio and the Chamber of Commerce.

Tickets were $60 per person, Parsons said. No seats were assigned and tickets could be purchased online at movchamber.org.