September 7, 2025 - Crews have been working for the past couple of days to set-up the Bluefield Coal and Mining Show in advance of the 10,000 visitors who are expected to arrive in Bluefield next week for the three-day event.

Dozens of tents and large displays are still being erected both inside and outside of the Brushfork Armory for the biennial show, which begins Wednesday, Sept. 10 and continues through Friday, Sept. 12. More than 150 booths will be on display at the show when it opens, according to Jeff Disibbio, President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias, which owns and produces the show.

Disibbio said thousands are expected to attend the industry-only event during its three day run.

“We typically send out about 25,000 invitations between us and the businesses,” Disibbio said. “So we expect about up to 10,000 visitors over the three day show.”

The 2025 coal show will include representation from 30 states and eight international countries. The show is presented by the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias in partnership with Mining People and CoalZoom.

Heavy machinery also continues to arrive at the armory for the event.

“We literally just had a piece of equipment that is going to be unveiled that has never been seen in North America before,” Disibbio said. “It just came straight overseas. It just came to us.”

Disibbio said the machine is a new form of a continuous miner that has never been seen before.

About 75 people, including contractors and others, have been working since Tuesday of last week to set up the coal show at the armory.

“They are all over the place,” Disibbio said of the workers. “I can’t count how many tent people are out there because they keep coming out in shifts.”

The biennial show is one of the biggest economic drivers in the region every two years.

“I’m excited for the impact that it provides our region, and the effect it has on the region,” Disibbio said. “We have a dedicated group of hard-working volunteers and chamber staff that have put in a great deal of or a ton of man-hours to bring this to our area. Because we know the value it provides not only to the coal business, but all of the businesses in our area that are impacted. Lodging, restaurants, retail and everyone else.”

One of the vendors participating in next week’s show will be bringing a NASCAR vehicle to the event, which Disibbio said he believes is a first for the coal show.

In another first, William Briggs, the deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be at this year’s show. Disibbio said Briggs is scheduled to address the crowd Thursday, Sept. 11, around 2 p.m. While the SBA has had representation at past coal shows, Disibbio said it is the first time a federal administrator under the Trump administration has attended the event. He will also be providing information to showcase local manufacturers and visiting the exhibit booths.

Briggs was sworn in as the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration this past July. Briggs previously served as Acting Associate Administrator for the SBA’s Office of Capital Access during the first Trump Administration.

Jim Spencer, regional administrator for the Mid-Atlantic division of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the former Bluefield Economic Development Authority director, said it is an honor to bring the SBA’s Deputy Administrator to Bluefield.

Hotels and motels across the region are already booked to capacity, according to Disibbio.

“So we’ve sold out most of the lodging in the area,” he said. “We had a new vendor who called that was trying to set up a booth, and they called back and said there is nothing available. We told them the next available options are in Beckley and Wytheville.”

Three food vendors also will be set up at the armory next week to serve the thousands of visitors who will be in attendance.

Andy Eidson, CEO and Director of Alpha Metallurgical Resources, will open the show and provide the keynote address at the Media and Exhibitor Appreciation Breakfast at 8:30 am on Wednesday, September 10.

The Bluefield Coal and Mining Show is an industry-only event and is not open to the general public.