The two-day event continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Moundsville Center, located within the former West Virginia Penitentiary complex on Eighth Street.

Organizers expected more than 90 vendor booths and roughly 2,000 to 2,500 attendees during the expo, which also features an indoor food court and opportunities for residents to explore local goods, services and community resources.

“This is our 21st year,” said Scott Reager, executive director of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce. “We have a lot of businesses here and we have a lot of health care organizations here. There’s everything from real estate to education to health screenings here.”

Reager noted the variety of vendors reflects the broad range of industries serving Marshall County residents.

Marshall County Sheriff Mike Dougherty talks with eventgoers Friday during the opening day of the 21st annual Living Better Health & Business Expo at the Moundsville Center. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

“A lot of contractors are here trying to line up work for the rest of the year and a lot of food vendors are here to showcase their businesses,” he said. “There’s a ton of resources here — a lot of nonprofits are here just to share information. It’s a pretty good mixture.”

The event is designed to connect residents with businesses and organizations serving Marshall County and the surrounding region. Vendors typically include health care providers, financial institutions, retail businesses, nonprofits and service organizations.

Reager said one goal of the expo is to highlight the number of businesses and support systems available locally.

“I want people to see how many businesses we have and how many resources there are in Marshall County,” he said. “And to see how the health care system is really coming to the forefront here. The needs are growing.”

The expo is sponsored by WVU Medicine and organized by the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce as a way to showcase the region’s business community while providing networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs and organizations.

The Marshall County Schools mascot gives a thumbs up while greeting visitors Friday during the opening day of the Living Better Health & Business Expo at the Moundsville Center in Moundsville. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

“We usually see about 2,000 people, and I feel our job as the chamber is to get the people in the doors and mingle with the vendors and see what Marshall County has to offer,” Reager said.

To help attract visitors throughout the weekend, organizers scheduled demonstrations and activities at various times during the event.

“We schedule some different things at different times to draw more people in,” Reager added. “Like tonight, Take A Bow Dance Studio is going to do a routine in the back, and we are doing face painting tomorrow at a certain time — just little things to keep people coming in.”

Community members attending the expo can browse vendor displays, speak with representatives from a variety of industries and learn more about services available in the area.

The Moundsville Center has hosted the expo in recent years, offering a large indoor space capable of accommodating dozens of vendors and large crowds of attendees.

Mascots representing the Marshall County Fair make the rounds greeting visitors Friday during the opening day of the Living Better Health & Business Expo at the Moundsville Center. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

Additional information about participating vendors and the event is available through the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce.

Moundsville Mayor Randy Chamberlain and City Manager Rick Healy have a chat at the city of Moundsville’s booth during the opening day of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s 21st annual Living Better Health & Business Expo on Friday at the Moundsville Center. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

Community members visit vendor booths Friday during the opening day of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s 21st annual Living Better Health & Business Expo at the Moundsville Center. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)