By Taylor Boyd
The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce will host its 2026 Fast Track trade show March 3–4 at the Clock Tower at Commonwealth Centre on Franklin Street.
The two-day event will open with VIP Business Night on March 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. Attendance that evening is by invitation only.
Tabatha Martin, deputy director of the chamber, said the public night will be held on March 4 from 4 to 7 p.m.
“It is a $2 admission fee, or you can bring two nonperishable food items. We haven’t quite determined at this point which food bank the items will be donated to, but they will stay local,” Martin said.
Martin described Fast Track as a showcase event where regional businesses and organizations exhibit their goods and services.
“It’s a really great networking event as well,” she said.
This year’s theme is “Bridging History with Tomorrow,” tying into the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
“Taking a look at and appreciating our rich history that our region has, but also looking to the future for what it holds and the growth and innovation that’s to come. Also using ‘Bridging’ as kind of a play on words as the chamber kind of serves as that bridge for the community to commerce, to government organizations, and so that’s kind of how that theme came about,” Martin said.
The chamber hopes to sell out all 118 exhibitor spaces.
“We’ll have the local governments there, Martinsville City Schools, Henry County Schools, Patrick & Henry Community College, we’ll have bank services, insurance providers, realtors, contractors from windows to bath remodels,” Martin said.
Human services organizations such as Piedmont Community Services and Southside Survivor Response Center will also participate.
“All those services for things that the community might need, they can connect directly with those organizations,” she said.
The deadline for businesses and organizations to register as exhibitors was Friday, Feb. 20. Thousands of visitors are expected to attend.
While VIP night has historically drawn larger crowds, Martin said the chamber is emphasizing the public night to increase community awareness.
“It can also be used as a great career event for career seekers. Any organization or business that is hiring will be easy to identify, so it’s a great way to get face-to-face with those potential employers,” she said.
VIP night will again feature “Taste of the Region,” with free samples from local restaurants and bakeries.
Martin said many attendees view Fast Track as an annual reunion.
Participants “always know if they haven’t seen someone in a while, they’ll get a chance to catch up with them at Fast Track. It’s a great way to connect with the community and other businesses to collaborate and network, and so that’s kind of the reaction we get. It’s really high energy, there’s a lot of people, so it’s a really electric night both nights,” she said.
Fast Track sponsors include Sarver Properties, Connect Health + Wellness, McKinney Heating and Air Conditioning, Martinsville Speedway, Henry County Public Schools, The Lester Group, AmeriStaff, Sarver Cleaning Services, Sovah Health, Carter Bank, Bassett Office Supply, and Triangle Electric Corporation.
For more information, email mhcoc@mhcchamber.com or visit the chamber’s Facebook page.
