Brantford-Brant Chamber of Commerce hosted its 18th annual Trade Show and Business After Hours event on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Just over 50 Chamber members representing a range of businesses and organizations gathered at the Affinity Conference Centre to celebrate this year’s Small Business Week.
“We have about 55 vendors who are, for the most part, members of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as members of the Brantford-Brant business community,” said David Prang, CEO of the Brantford-Brant Chamber of Commerce. “We have non-profit organizations, retailers, service agencies, insurance and construction companies, and much more. There’s really a wide variety and a diverse selection of businesses showcasing the best of the community, both in the city and the county.”
The CEO went on to say that the longstanding trade show provides an opportunity for businesses to network, not only with each other, but the broader community.
“This event allows businesses to really get their name and profile out in front of both their peers in the business community, as well as the general public,” Prang said. “We’re excited to be part of celebrating Small Business Week alongside our partner organizations including the County of Brant Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Brant, the Business Resource Centre and Ladies Who Lead, and we see this as a great way of showcasing the entrepreneurs in the area, as well as their friends and supporters who are here.
He continued, saying, “It’s great too, because we’re presenting this event alongside our Business After Hours at the same time, so we’re hopefully getting new faces and new vendors through the door that we haven’t seen before as well. The whole idea is to just connect people because we know that when businesses work with each other, dollars stay in the community, and people are interested and engaged in supporting their friends and family.”
Throughout the event, exhibitors shared and exchanged information, gave out product giveaways, and demonstrated what their organizations do for the public.
Prang said that he was pleased with the event’s turnout, saying it was one of the best in years.
“I think this is the Chamber’s best turnout for this event that we’ve had in about ten years,” he said. “It’s always challenging because you never know what will happen when you switch up the venue like we did this year, or if you mix up the vendors a little bit, but we’re really happy to see how many people have come out and taken advantage of the trade show. It’s been great to get everyone together and connect with them.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
