Chamber Opens 2026 with Optimism
Morgantown Chamber of Commerce President Deneatra Henderson presents the program during the Chamber’s January 22 luncheon, outlining goals and opportunities for the year ahead under the theme, “A Year of Progress, A Year of Promise.” PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
Story and pictures by Beverly Bonilla
The Morgantown Chamber of Commerce held its first meeting of 2026 on January 22 at the Eva Halls Building at the Morgantown City Park. The luncheon was sponsored by the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce with catering being provided by Up In Smoke.
Chamber President Deneatra Henderson presented the program and opened the meeting with the theme, “A year of progress is a year of promise.” Following the recognition of the Board of Directors, Henderson highlighted the continued growth of Chamber partner memberships. In 2025, the Chamber recorded 111 partner members, an increase from 104 in 2024 and 95 in 2023, reflecting steady growth over the past three years.
Financial discussion included a review of major events held throughout 2025, including the Green River Catfish Festival and the Battle Under the Bridge. After all deductions, the Catfish Festival generated a profit of $26,576. Henderson noted that Casey’s Rides proved to be an excellent choice for the festival attractions, with smoother operations achieved using vouchers and tap and pay technology. A contract has been signed to bring Casey’s Rides back for the 2026 festival. There are plans for improvement in 2026 including enhanced parking, increased marketing efforts and better overall event flow. The Battle Under the Bridge was a huge success also with the event ending with a remaining balance of $22,165 after expenses.
The Chamber also announced a full slate of upcoming events for 2026, starting with the next event on February 7th for the Hot Chocolate Crawl and then next the Spring Fling on April 25th.
Additional announcements included the receipt of a $100,000 fairground grant, along with an additional 33 percent in-kind or cash match from the Butler County Fiscal Court.
The meeting concluded with an optimistic outlook for the coming year, encouraging the community to look forward to a strong and successful 2026 in Morgantown.
