RALEIGH — Belhaven is working to make a name for itself on a statewide level.

Last weekend, representatives with the Belhaven Community Chamber of Commerce made the trek to attend the Downtown Raleigh Spring Home Show, which ran from Friday to Sunday.

Last year’s show attendance came in just under 29,000 people, and this year’s show brought out a large crowd, as well, according to Diana Lambeth, executive director of the Chamber.

“We talked to hundreds of people about Belhaven,” Lambeth said. “We feel like we were able to tell our story to a lot of people, and a lot of people got excited about Belhaven.”

She said the Chamber representatives marketed Belhaven as a weekend getaway, and the leading question to draw in passersby was: have you ever been to Belhaven? The display also featured business fliers, door prizes and a brief video tour of the town.

“We got to tell our story, and it was very well received,” Lambeth said. “I think it was a great way for our Chamber to promote our town and our businesses.”

She said many people had never heard of Belhaven, but information about getaway options, such as bed and breakfast stays, restaurants and shops, piqued their interest.

In mid-2016, the Belhaven Chamber also unrolled a new marketing campaign entitled, “The Boats Stop Here,” which focuses on the town’s waterfront and boating attractions. Another trip to Raleigh this fall for a boating show is already in the works, according to Lambeth.

The marketing campaign itself is currently raising funds, she said, and organizers hope to put that money toward billboards on U.S. Highway 264.

Lambeth said the Home Show was a successful trip, and the goal is to attract a larger crowd to Belhaven to benefit the town’s economy.

“We did a lot of good for our community, and that was our intention,” she said.