Pahrump's first community business fair showcases 64 local groups

Pahrump’s first community business fair will turn the NyE Communities Coalition into a one-stop showcase for 64 local businesses and nonprofit groups, a debut that organizers are treating as a test of whether networking can translate into real business for Nye County. The free event will run Saturday, June 13, from noon to 4 p.m. at 1020 E. Wilson Road, with live music from City Catz, opportunity drawings and a charitable tie-in that pushes the event beyond a simple meet-and-greet.

For local owners, the fair is designed to solve a familiar Pahrump problem: too many residents still leave the valley for services they might be able to find close to home. For nonprofits, it creates a way to reach families, donors and volunteers in the same room. Gail Gershbein of Desert Delights Pahrump helped organize the event with other business owners, and the early response has already led to talk of another fair in January and possibly one every four months if the turnout justifies it.

Visitors will not be able to buy products on site, but they will be able to meet business owners, talk with representatives and see what each organization offers. The first 200 guests will get a free tote bag, and drawings for gift baskets and gift certificates will help raise money for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Nye County volunteer chapter that builds, assembles and delivers beds to children and families in need.

The sponsor list underscores how broadly the fair is pulling from the local economy: Desert Delights Pahrump, Pahrump Life Magazine, Roots 66, Back The Lane, Some Promo Guy, Rosestead Bath and Body, Desert Forest Farm Sourdough Shop and Sgt. Nigh’s Designs are all backing the event. City Catz, described locally as Pahrump’s newest band, adds a first-time element of its own by bringing live rock music to a business fair rather than a concert stage.

The event arrives as Pahrump, with a 2020 Census population of 44,738, remains the center of a county that is still small by state standards but economically active. Nye County’s population estimate stood at 57,336 on July 1, 2025, and the county recorded $739.9 million in retail sales in 2022, along with $181.3 million in accommodation and food services sales. Those numbers help explain why a local fair matters: every new customer who finds a service in Pahrump instead of driving to Las Vegas keeps more spending in the valley.

NyE Communities Coalition says it works to build healthy communities across Nye and Esmeralda counties by linking prevention services and opportunities, and the business fair fits that mission by pairing commerce with community outreach. If organizers can turn Saturday’s crowd into repeat customers, donors and future vendors, the fair could become a new fixture in Pahrump’s local economy rather than a one-time showcase.