Martinsville, Virginia

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The Annual Bassett Heritage Festival

Bassett Heritage Festival Every year, on the 2nd Saturday in September, the Martinsville-Henry County community comes together to celebrate the history and culture of the quaint town of Bassett, Virginia. The Bassett Heritage Festival entertains adults, children, locals and visitors alike. The festival offers activities including historical displays within the Historic Bassett Train Depot, an afternoon parade, live music, children’s rides and games, a car show, street vendors and more.

The Bassett Heritage Festival will kick-off at 7:00 am with a Pancake Breakfast that will be available until 10:00 am at the Wells Fargo Bank on Riverside Drive. Vendors will be on hand from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, with the official Opening Ceremony scheduled for 8:45 am. Geneva’s Convention will be on stage at the Bassett Furniture Headquarters Office from 11:30am - 1:30pm, with the parade following at 2:00 pm.

For those who aren’t aware of the history of the small, industry-built town, the festival is a wonderful way to learn about the significant role Bassett played in the early industrial years in America.

The town of Bassett was named after John D. Bassett Sr., the founder of Bassett Furniture Industries in 1901. In the early years, Bassett Furniture was the pioneer of the furniture industry in the USA. Thousands of craftsmen were employed by the impressive Bassett Furniture Industry. The company made Bassett, VA a household name across the country and even now, many people own something that was made by the men and women of Bassett Furniture Industries. Famous names such as American of Martinsville, Bassett, Hooker and Stanley were created in our community. The Martinsville-Henry County furniture legacy continues today as Bassett is home to the HGTV Home Design Studio and the new Bench Made line of home furnishings.   

If you are interested in learning more about the Furniture Industry in Bassett, VA, or
about the town itself, be sure to visit the Bassett Historical Center, the Furniture
Heritage Plaza in Martinsville Uptown and read more about furnishing a nation here.

The Bassett Heritage Festival offers everyone a way to have fun in record time. Mark your calendars and kick-off your seasonal festivities with a day spent in Bassett, VA. While you are here, look for the newly-painted Bassett Furniture Industries logo mural on the side of the former Bassett Outlet Store.