BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — What began as a new event last year is quickly turning into a regional draw for Martin County. The second annual Inez Knife & Gun Expo brought hundreds of visitors and dozens of vendors to the Collier Center in Inez on Friday and Saturday.
Organizer Mason Fitch said the event outpaced its inaugural year and delivered a clear boost to local business.
By the time the weekend ended, Fitch estimated attendance at roughly 850 people — about 250 Friday and another 600 Saturday. Shoppers filled the venue to browse firearms, knives, gear and accessories from vendors who traveled from across Kentucky and several surrounding states.
“This year we had more foot traffic than last year,” Fitch said. “It was a great turnout and we look forward to watching it grow year after year.”
The expo featured about 45 vendors, all but two of them from outside Martin County.
Vendors and attendees came from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, along with Kentucky participants from Lawrence, Johnson and Floyd counties and the Lexington area.
For a community event in Inez, the geographic spread signals growing interest and translates into dollars spent locally.
“We do appreciate all who supported our show,” Fitch said. “It brings revenue into our county because the hotel gets booked up and restaurants and gas stations get more business.”
Fitch said several vendors specifically commented on the hospitality they found in Martin County.
“All vendors talked about what a nice little town we have,” he said. “They plan on attending again next year, said that it was worth their drive to come.”
The strong response was especially encouraging for Fitch, who continues to work to establish the expo as an annual destination event.
If Fitch had to describe this year’s show in a single sentence, he did not hesitate.
“It was a great success,” he said.
Still, he acknowledged one point of frustration from the weekend: complaints from some local residents about the $5 admission fee.
“That was so disappointing because that rate is low compared to shows away from here,” Fitch said.
Even so, the overall tone remains overwhelmingly positive, with strong crowds, returning interest and early momentum already building for next year.
“We are definitely planning on doing a show in 2027 around the same time as this year,” Fitch said.
