What other event brings together an accountant, a plumber, and a balloon artist on the same stage?
Or: a nurse, a barber, and a travel agent?
Or: a storyteller, a moving company, and a mobile tattoo artist?
You can only find that kind of diversity on the same stage at our Not a Trade Show event!
On October 21, the Belleville Chamber of Commerce hosted the fourth annual Not a Trade Show at the Pentecostals of Quinte, which is open to anyone in the Bay of Quinte to attend or participate in. It’s part speed networking, part three-minute pitch, and in no way a trade show.
No booth setup.
No signage.
No repeating your pitch over, and over, and over again.
At Not A Trade Show, local businesses and organizations take the stage with no slides, and no tech, no banners. Just a stage, podium, and three minutes to share their story and what they do for the community.
Every round is recorded by YourTV, and the event is open to anyone to present or to watch. We had over 30 presenters this year, and a couple dozen additional spectators joined to observe. The event is a great way to learn more about the services and organizations in the community, and network organically.
Everyone gets the same three minutes
What sets Not a Trade Show apart is who shares the stage. Brand new businesses pitched alongside those that have served the region for decades. Non-profits, social service providers, and community gathering initiatives take their turn beside trades, finance, marketing, travel, real estate, health care, hospitality, and more. Student entrepreneurs stand where seasoned owners stand, and everyone had three minutes.
Pitches ran in four rounds, starting on the hour from 10 a.m., with up to eight presenters per round. A 20-minute networking social followed, so presenters and guests could keep the conversations going. That’s where much of the value is: the plumber who meets the property manager, the non-profit that finds a new partner, the start-up owner who meets someone who has been at it for 30 years. It’s where mentorship, partnerships, and community growth flourishes.
Thank you to our sponsors and supporters
Not a Trade Show wouldn’t happen without our community partners. Our major sponsor this year was SaveOnEnergy, a division of Elexicon Energy. We’re also grateful to the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board, Belleville IQ – City of Belleville, andThe Centre for Workforce Development.
Each round was made possible by a sponsor: the first by the Pentecostals of Quinte, who also hosted the event, the second and fourth by Belleville IQ – City of Belleville, and the third by The Centre for Workforce Development. A special thank-you to YourTVfor recording the pitches. Selected segments may air on their programs at a future date.
Whether you pitched, cheered, or just stopped by, thank you for being part of it.
View the Not a Trade Show 2026 Photo Gallery, here.
Round 1: Avondale Village, Breelan Construction, Compassionate Heart Home Care, IPS Property Management, Lavender Story Studio, Mabuhay Canada Media, National Car Rentals, and Pet Pantries of Canada
Watch the first round of pitches, here.
Round 2: Belonging Redefined, Cool 100 / HITS 95.5 / InQuinte.ca, Ink Cisive, Jingard Group, Press Play Cafe, Quinte Patient Transfer Service, and Team George Wang – eXp Realty
Watch the second round of pitches, here.
Round 3: Community Visions & Networking Quinte, IZM Visuals, LaPalm Moving Systems, Loyalist College Enactus, Nurse Next Door, Imperial Barber, and Savour Italy Tours
Watch the third round of pitches, here.
Round 4: A1 Plumbing, County Balloons, Excelsior Edge Commercial Cleaning Services, Ira’s Ultimate Bookkeeping Services, United Way Hastings & Prince Edward, ClearPath Inventory Solutions, and Kim McKinney, who pitched his wife Nancy McKinney’s graphic design business
Watch the fourth round of pitches, here.
